With new direction (and money) from Executive Chairman Lawrence Stroll, Aston Martin is well on its way to becoming one of the most desirable performance car brands in the world. Last year it unveiled the benchmark DB12 supercar and breathed new life into their F1 program. And now, it’s going for a three-peat with the new Aston Martin Vantage (AU$410,000 plus on-road costs).
It’s billed as a sportscar that combines the best of technology, design, and brute force, and it’s due to arrive in Q2 2024.
Power is up in a big way with the heavily modified 4.0-litre twin-turbo now producing a DB12 rivalling 665PS (+155PS) and 800Nm of torque (+115Nm). However, Aston Martin wants you to focus on the technology and hardware they’ve breathed into the chassis. “Vantage will make headlines for the huge increases in power and torque over the outgoing model, but it’s the vivid way in which it deploys such immense performance that will seduce enthusiasts and purists,” said Aston Martin Chief Technical Officer, Roberto Fedeli.
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The Interior is Updated, Finally
One of the most beautiful sportscars money can buy finally has an interior to match. The new Vantage takes all the good bits of technology from the DB12 and puts them to work inside a gorgeous cabin with fine materials, state-of-the-art technology, and plenty of physical buttons.
The most notable addition is the in-house-developed infotainment system borrowed from the DB12. Here it offers the same 10.25 inches of screen real estate with Wireless Apple CarPlay and cloud connectivity. This is backed by an Aston Martin branded 390w 11 speaker sound system or an optional Bowers & Wilkins 15-speaker, double amplified 1,170W surround sound system with 3D headline speakers and a subwoofer.
Engine is More Powerful, Fastest Vantage Ever
The engine was always the strong suit of the Aston Martin Vantage and they’ve turned the wick up for the new model. It uses the same hand-built 4.0 Twin-Turbo V8 engine but with modified cam profiles, optimised compression ratios, larger turbos, and increased cooling. The result is 665PS (+155PS) and 800Nm of torque (+115Nm). Simply put, this is the fastest Vantage to date, but there’s more than raw power at play here.
It’s mated to the 8-speed ZF automatic transmission and a shorter final drive ratio (3.083:1) which helps propel the new Vantage from 0-60mph in 3.4 seconds using launch control before going on to a top speed of 202MPH. This new launch control is fully customisable via the Adjustable Traction Control (ATC) system where you can reduce or increase the amount of controlled wheelspin you desire.
Handling Improvements Extensive, Starts With Hardware
The previous generation Vantage was already an engaging car to drive but the hardware changes underneath the new model promise a more exciting, more precise, driving experience. It starts with the aluminium structure that boasts additional underbody stiffening components for increased torsional rigidity (29 per cent increase in stiffness under cornering load). This helps maximise the perfect 50:50 weight distribution.
Steering feel and precision have been improved with a re-engineered and re-positioned front body cross member that provides a stiffer mounting point to the double-wishbone front suspension. Speaking of which, the new Vantage makes use of intelligent adaptive dampers that offer a 500 per cent increase in bandwidth of force distribution over previous-generation hardware. We have no idea what that means but we know they’re faster and more ready to adapt to changing road surfaces.
Of course, it makes use of ridiculously chunky rubber with Vantage specific ‘AML’ coded Michelin Pilot Sport S 5 tyres measuring 275/35 R21 (103Y) front and 325/30 R21 (108Y) rear with a bespoke compound.
Software Follows Suit, More Control Over Vehicle Movements
Like the best state-of-the-art sports cars, the new Vantage uses an advanced Inertial Measurement Unit, which simultaneously monitors Surge (moving forward/backward), Heave (moving up/down) and Sway (moving left/right) alongside Roll (tilting side-to-side), Pitch (tilting forward/backwards) and Yaw (turning left/right) to control how quickly the ESP needs to intervene. This combines with a lightning-fast Electronic Rear Differential (E-Diff) that can go from zero to full lock in 135ms and react even quicker.
Combine all these systems and control them via the Integrated Vehicle Dynamics Control (IVC) module and Adjustable Traction Control (ATC) module and you’ll become a better driver. The Adjustable Traction Control (ATC) module is adjustable from levels from 1-8. The higher you go, the more slip you have. Levels 6-8 let you increase the wheel slip with the yaw control off, reduce on-throttle stability, and do managed skids until you eventually turn the whole traction control system off for power slides.
“The art of creating a truly great sports car in 2024 is applying cutting-edge technology in a way that enhances and intensifies the driving experience yet does nothing to remove the driver from the process of driving,” said Roberto Fedeli, Aston Martin’s Chief Technical Officer.
Look for the new Aston Martin Vantage to set a benchmark for brutish British sportscars when it arrives in Q2, 2024. Pricing starts at $410,000 plus on-road costs and that puts it within earshot of the Porsche 911 Turbo ($405,000) and a touch more expensive than the Mercedes SL63 AMG ($373,370).
If these changes are as impressive in the real world as they sound on paper, we think it has a very strong chance to dethrone the Turbo. At least, until a 992.2 arrives.
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