April 2024. The sun shines on a magnificent city in southern Spain. The latest Aston Martin Vantage shines in front of the Nobu Hotel in the heart of the historic city. Testing can begin.
I don’t know why from my distant tests of this Vantage I retained in my memory the impression of a more “reduced” car compared to the various DBs that followed, until the last DB 12. My memories have diminished with time, for sure. I forgot for a while that this name was born in the 1950s to denote the DB 2 models intended for competition, then, later, the DB5. So it was with some surprise, certainly a good one, that I discovered this new version, which is sumptuous to say the least, imposing to say the least, and retains the elegance specific to the brand and model.
Aston Martin has done things well and deployed its armada with a multitude of colors. Blue “Ion Blue”, gray “Aluminite Sylver” or even “Satin Xenon Grey”, orange “Cosmos”, yellow “Cosmopolitan Yellow”, black, red, and finally this green “Podium Green” underlined by a yellow net, as if ready for track, which will show very soon. It is surely no coincidence that it was also unveiled at the same time as the company’s new racing car, the Vantage GT3.
The car is impressive, it has resources. Aston Martin decided to equip it with the famous 4-liter twin-turbo V8 (800 Nm, 0 to 100 km/h in 3.5 s, 325 km/h – the fastest in its history!) and that’s a good thing. The sound of this machine delights novice pilots and experienced drivers alike. And if she seems to emphasize her sporty style, she starts by revealing her beauty, inside and out.
In detail, as for the exterior, we admire the completely redesigned front axle, with a larger ribbed opening of the grille, with reworked lines, with a new, wider integrated blade, new air intake ducts located at the level of the bumpers, on both sides of the grille, not forgetting brand new Matrix LED headlights with integrated daytime running lights, the new lighting signature of Aston Martin. Purists will especially notice the return of the emblematic side grille, which now forms the centerpiece of the air ducts on each side. A rear bumper with side vents and an increased-diameter quad exhaust system ensure the Vantage looks just as spectacular, while wider wheel arches perfectly accommodate the 5-spoke 21-inch forged alloy wheels as standard. The interior does not live up to the elegance. Sporty maybe, refined for sure. The new generation Vantage stands out with its new ultra-luxurious interior, selected materials, sophisticated connected technologies, not to mention the exceptional surround sound system, developed by Bowers & Wilkins.
From road to track: the same satisfaction
Going on the trip was a (long) awaited moment. We started with a long journey through the very winding roads of Andalusia. Above all, we must not forget that it is a drive system and that, even with very well designed systems, we must be attentive to our driving, unless we immediately put ourselves in “track” position, for the track. And there the day continued, on the magnificent Monteblanco circuit for three sets of 6 mesmerizing laps that allowed us to test this magnificent machine with controlled weight (1605 kilos) as its own limit. I know mine well, but I admit that I am amazed by this wild beauty who has shown her abilities, far beyond my modest talent.
Always closely associated with the world of James Bond, this Vantage therefore plays both ways, a little naughty at times, very smart in the city, and located in the comfortable comfort of our hotel, we enjoy the cuisine of the place, to exchange our feelings. For champagne it will be Bollinger…
The first cars will be delivered during the second quarter of 2024. Base price: from €199,700
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