Today marks an important day for Aston Martin as it has just revealed the new entry-level Vantage, which not only introduces us to a new look inside and out but also the most powerful iteration of the model ever to leave Gaydon. Oh, and it’ll also come in GT3 race car flavour.
We’ll come back to its design later because what’s under the bonnet is by far the biggest change up for the current generation model, which has now been in production for six years.
The powerplant is still a Mercedes-AMG-derived 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8, but Aston Martin has been given a bit more freedom when it comes to tuning, hence the reason for a jump in power from 375kW and 685Nm of torque to 489kW and 800Nm.
The increase is all thanks to modified camshaft profiles, larger turbos, improved cooling, and optimised compression ratios, with the resulting force being sent through an eight-speed ZF automatic transmission to the rear wheels.
When translated to the road (or track), the new baby Aston can accelerate from 0 to 100km/h in a touch over 3.4 seconds and reach a top speed of 325km/h.
The British carmaker also mentioned that this is its most “driver-focussed” Vantage yet, and that’s all thanks to additional underbody stiffening, new adaptive dampers, and exclusive Michelin Pilot Sport S 5 tyres.
As for braking, the discs are cast-iron as standard (carbon ceramics are optional) all around and measure a whopping 400mm in diameter up front, while 360mm units bring up the rear. There’s also a re-tuned brake booster that is said to give a firmer brake pedal feel.
Physical handling improvements are also backed up by advancements in the digital space, with a new generation vehicle dynamics control system taking information from around the car and using it to best manage the electronic stability control (ESP) depending on the situation at hand.
Moving on to the exterior design of the new baby Aston, it’s safe to say that the entire car has undergone a drastic makeover, with much of its looks being adopted from the DB12 ‘Super Tourer’ that was revealed last year. Not only that but it has also grown by 30mm in width too.
A similar set of LED headlights to its bigger sibling can be found up front, as well as a more mouthy grille, while the iconic Aston Martin side strake has returned to each fender. Elsewhere, there are new door handles and frameless mirrors, as well as a wider rear bumper, and larger exhaust tips.
Customers will be spoilt for choice when it comes to specifying their car, with 21 colours able to be combined with a pinstripe, lipstick, and rear infill, each of which will no doubt get the creative juices flowing. Three different designs of forged alloy wheels are on offer too, each of which measures 21 inches in diameter.
The interior hasn’t gone untouched either, with the new Vantage trading the old Mercedes’ infotainment system for Aston’s in-house version which is beamed into the cabin on a 10.25-inch touchscreen. Wireless Apple CarPlay connectivity is supported too.
Physical switches sit below the central screen for gear selection, drive mode selection, heating, and ventilation, as well as override toggles for the chassis settings, ESP, exhaust, lane assist, and parking control.
The new Aston Martin Vantage will begin production in the first quarter of 2024, with deliveries expected in the second. As for local availability, pricing and specifications have yet to be announced.
But before you see it in the showroom, the new Vantage will hit the track in the GT3 race category and take part in iconic races such as the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
