Aston Martin is one of those brands which just oozes cool. From supplying vehicles to the silver screen, to a successful motorsport outfit, the Brits know what theyre doing. The Aston Martin range is quite comprehensive now and features five different models. How does the entry-level Aston Martin V8 Vantage fare?
Aston Martin V8 Vantage review by David Taylor
Beautiful to look at
Like all Astons, the Vantage is an exceedingly pretty car. Its hard to fault something with such a beautiful design and the Morning Frost pearlescent paint only added to the visual magic. Whether driving or standing still the Aston Martin V8 Vantage is quite eye-catching and for a bit of entertainment, it was good fun driving through Camps Bay and watching peoples reactions.
Raw V8 power
Naturally a car like this must have some go to match the show and it doesnt disappoint. With a 4.7-litre V8 engine, the Vantage has 313kW and 470Nm which means itll hit 100km/h in about 5 seconds and go onto a top speed of just under 300km/h.
The party trick of the Aston has to be the exhaust system. As the revs reach 4,000rpm, butterfly valves open and the result is the pure, unfiltered engine note singing out the back. The change in tone is definitely noticeable and itd be fair to say the engine noise doubles. Under hard acceleration, the car sounds as if theres a small Highveld thunderstorm following it about. Beautiful.
This particular Vantage was fitted with the six-speed automated manual gearbox called SportShift. Its not nearly as good as the German double-clutch units found in the Astons rivals, but Im assured later versions of the car came out with upgraded seven-speed transmissions. Still, this gearbox was good when pushing on the open road. Problems arose when the Aston was forced into bumper-to-bumper traffic. Much like a caged animal in a zoo, you could feel the car wasnt happy and it just wanted to be let loose. That said, many high performance vehicles are like this and I feel sorry for anyone who has a manual gearbox on a six-figure super car.
Once clear of the traffic, you can get a feel for how the Aston Martin V8 Vantage performs. Its quick between corners and the handling is confidence-building. Im no professional racing driver, but at no point did I feel like the vehicle was a handful. Look, if you try accelerating out of a corner too quickly, you do run the risk of kicking the rear out so dont say you havent been warned.
I get the feeling the Vantage is happiest when cruising around. Yes, its capable of hitting 200km/h and more without really trying, but as far as grand touring coupés go, this sort of driving is perfect. Also noteworthy are the massive brakes which provide excellent stopping power.
Classy interior
The interior is a lovely place to be, once you get used to the layout. For starters, the key slots into the middle of the dashboard and the starting procedure is quite unique. Slide the key in and hold it in the slot. Wait a second or two, and the meaty V8 fires up. The two seats in the Aston Martin V8 Vantage are only comfortable when youve spent time carefully setting them up. The cabin is covered in hand-stitched leather and it looks very impressive.
Sporty, yet practical
There are also comfort features like cruise control, climate control, auto headlamps, daytime running lights, park distance control as well as hands-free phone pairing. Its practical too, with just enough boot space to take a set of golf clubs or luggage for a weekend away.
Aston Martin V8 Vantage – Conclusion
Its fast, loud and is achingly beautiful. Its a pleasure to drive on the open road and when youre going flat out through twisty bends, youre accompanied by one of the finest engine notes on the planet. My only gripes were that the Comfort mode button didnt feel like it did anything (I was hoping the suspension would become super soft), the key looked a little cheap and the steering wheel gearshift paddles were connected to the actual wheel itself and not the steering column. All of these problems are quickly forgotten when you get out and take a look at what youve just been driving.
- Why you should: Victorias Secret supermodel good looks, raucous engine note after 4,000rpm, can accelerate from zero to illegal speeds rather quickly, immense braking power.
- Why you shouldnt: Why wouldnt you buy an Aston? Sure, the competition may be slightly faster/better engineered/cheaper, but they cannot match the class or prestige. The attention youll get from onlookers can get a bit much.
- It would be better if: Comfort mode was actually comfortable, the key looked a bit more upmarket, the steering wheel paddle shifters turned with the wheel.
- Competitors worth checking out: BMW 6-Series, Jaguar XK, Maserati GranTurismo, Mercedes-Benz SL500, Porsche 911, Audi R8
