From the mid-2000s into the 2010s, no one made cooler cars than Aston Martin. Beautiful to behold, wonderful to listen to, and great to drive. But, the company fell into a malaise. The lineup got stale, and when Aston finally brought out new models, like the DB11 and second-generation Vantage, none lived up to its predecessors. Finally, Aston Martin appears to be righting the ship, and the new Vantage is proof.

The last Vantage appealed mainly because of the winged badge on the hood; This new one obviously still has the infamous badge, but also a hell of a lot more substance to back it up. Underneath, it’s largely the same car, complete with a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter Mercedes-AMG V-8, but a heavy rework of essentially every component has proved transformative.

Traditionally, the Vantage has been rivaled lower-end 911s, but this time, Aston is pretty clear in going after the 911 Turbo. The Vantage’s $194,500 base price just about undercuts the regular Turbo’s, while its 656 horsepower beats the 911 Turbo S’s 640 (and totally shades the old Vantage’s 503). Yet, the Vantage feels very different from a 911 Turbo.

A 911 Turbo epitomizes “speak softly and carry a big stick.” It’s reserved in demeanor and appearance, and one of the fastest cars in the world, especially in bad weather, whereas this new Vantage is something of a brawler. A heavyweight. A front-engine, rear-drive throwback with more than ample power. Yet there is finesse here too.

Andrew Link | Motor1

Pros: Looks, Sounds, Feels, & Drives Like An Aston Martin Should

There’s great chassis balance and a genuine steering feel, too. Aston has also finally figured out brake pedal feel with carbon-ceramic rotors. Its last generation of cars had no pedal feel whatsoever, but the new Vantage gives the driver confidence to lean on the brakes. 

The damping is generally good, though this is a very firm car, and I often wished for better control of vertical body motions. Over some big bumps, you might come out of your seat. Yet, the last 911 Turbo I drove had an optional sport suspension, and it was quite firm, too. Here, you’ll definitely want to leave the adaptive dampers in their softest setting, Sport, unless you’re on a very smooth road, where you can ramp up to Sport + or even Track. 

This thing is also fast. Like, really fast. Obviously, you expect a car with 656 hp to have some pace, but the Vantage feels a decent bit quicker than the numbers suggest. Aston was able to develop its own version for the AMG V-8, and it feels wonderful, with huge power throughout the rev range. Sounds surprisingly musical, too, a contrast to the rumbly tone of this engine in AMG’s own cars. And while the eight-speed automatic transaxle doesn’t quite have the crispness of a dual-clutch, it’s a hard thing to fault. Smooth at low speeds, fast, and responsive when you’re pushing on. Still, a manual transmission would be very welcome, and we know it’s something Aston Martin is capable of.

The Vantage drives how it looks. There’s a real exuberance to the thing, a sense of occasion, even a sense of humor. 

Andrew Link | Motor1

The driving experience is also matched by a worthy interior. Aston Martin developed its own infotainment system and a center console that bucks the industry trend toward screens by embracing physical buttons. It all works well, and for the most part, feels great. The haptic steering wheel controls and the light switches come from Mercedes-Benz. Those feel cheap, but they’re not a dealbreaker. It’s perhaps not Bentley nice in this Aston’s cabin, but it feels a lot more special than a 911, and most importantly, the interior is no longer a reason not to buy the car. 

We have to talk about the looks, too. Despite sharing hard points with the old Vantage, all of that car’s awkwardness is gone, and in its place is one of the most beautiful cars on sale today. It’s a car I couldn’t stop looking at, and neither could the rest of the world. The Vantage turned heads everywhere, and the attention was overwhelmingly positive. It’s a good-looking car, but not an ostentatious one. Pretty much exactly what an Aston Martin should be.

Andrew Link | Motor1

Cons: Firm Ride, Exorbitant Option Pricing

While the new Vantage undercuts the base price of the current 911 Turbo, option pricing for this car is crazy. Carbon-ceramic brakes are $14,000, the Bowers and Wilkins sound system is $10,000, and all the carbon-fiber exterior trim added up to $18,000. The list goes on and on, and with this tester, the $194,500 base price ballooned all the way up to $292,500. Sheesh. Our advice? Go easy on the options list.

Still, this is a car that grows on you. I’ll stop short of saying it’s a 911 Turbo killer since its personality is so different. Yet, it’s this very personality that makes it appealing—a 911 Turbo simply isn’t this much fun. If we handed out awards for the most improved cars, surely the new Vantage would be a shoo-in. It nullifies the disappointment of the last car and helps restore Aston Martin to a place of true desirability. 

Competitors

Ferrari Roma Lamborghini Temerario Porsche 911 Turbo

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