Exclusive! New Aston Martin Vantage India Review

New Aston Martin Vantage India Review: The larger intakes, 21-inch wheels and the wider rear further enables the Vantage to have a meaner stance.

The new Vantage has a lot more tech including ADAS but all that can be ignored because that brilliant 4.0-litre twin turbo V8 really dominates the show

Source : Somnath Chatterjee

The Vantage is the harder and the more driver focussed sportscar within the Aston Martin range and sits below the DB12. However, in this new Vantage, Aston Martin have made it a much more aggressive sportscar with more power as well as more modern technology. For Aston Martin this is going to be a crucial car as it will rival the likes of the Porsche 911 Turbo and others. Good though is the fact that the new Vantage can easily claim to be one of the most charismatic sportscars that money can buy while also having a proper V8 engine- something which is rare these days. We drove the car on a fine winter morning on the outskirts of Delhi.

Exterior

Before we jump into the driver's seat, a glance around the styling is a must because the Vantage is simply gorgeous in its new avatar. There is more aggression and links to the exotic One-77 hypercar especially with the larger grille while the new Matrix LED headlamps are perfectly draped in there. The larger intakes, 21-inch wheels and the wider rear further enables it to have a meaner stance. Then there are the details including those superb looking wing mirrors and the sculpted lines all over. Plus, it is not a long car and its compact dimensions add to the aggressive stance.

Interior

Swing open the swan doors and you sink into this cocoon of leather along with a proper driver focussed cabin. It feels like the dashboard wraps around you and in the new Vantage you do sit lower. Elsewhere, there is a new 10.25-in screen which has a much more intuitive infotainment system now. Plus you get all luxury features like heated/ventilated seats, a premium audio system and more. It is fairly practical but the cabin feels special along with being well built- as you would expect for the price. We were also surprised with the storage on offer with the door pockets or even the place to store your phone etc- this is not some impractical supercar. While seating two only, space is decent even if headroom is a bit tight.

Driving experience

The new Vantage has a lot more tech including ADAS but all that can be ignored because that brilliant 4.0-litre twin turbo V8 really dominates the show here. It is even louder now and feels edgy, brutal and just loud from the word go. That is perhaps the biggest reason why you would go for this car. It feels alive and gives a thrill even at low speeds thanks to the V8 from AMG. In the new Vantage power is up to a serious 665bhp and you can easily crack 300 km/h plus ( we advise you stick to the speed limits though) while the 0-100 km/h time is 3.4 seconds. Performance is brutal and it feels fast too while the steering is delicate but not too light as well. Standard is Sport mode and it shows the intent of this car. It feels much more aggressive than the GT DB12 and also when compared to other cars like the 911 Turbo- which is a highlight. At low speeds, the engine is loud and it is an event but the ride despite being firm is liveable plus the compact size makes driving easy. However, we did notice the suspension which is very firm while being a bit twitchy over bad surfaces. Standard is an 8-speed auto which is not as quick as a dual clutch but does a good job here anyways. While being a proper front-engine, rear drive sportscar, the new Vantage is much more agile while having a perfect weight distribution. In other terms you enjoy driving it and it is not like those modern supercars which nanny you.

Verdict

The Vantage is priced at Rs 3.99 cr but its rivals are more expensive and not all have an engine like this. The Vantage is all about the thrill of its powertrain, the looks while now it is much more modern. It is a hard edged sportscar while being loud and fun- lets enjoy these while we can.