Until the minds behind the James Bond franchise inevitably give in to the autonomous car temptation to let the hero focus on the shooting while his ride drives itself, we can all enjoy the idea of a Bond car. And while Aston Martin went as far as assigning the DB11 badge, anybody can now feel like the British hero with the help of the 2019 Vantage.
Built in the midsts of Gaydon's reinvention, the newcomer refines the showoff look of the DB11. From the predator-look front grille, throught the atheltic sculpted hips to the tech-refined taillights, this compact go-fast machine talks about Aston's newfound technical sophistication.
Unrsurprisingly, the designers have strived to hide the aero bits under the elegant skin of the machine. As such, the air that gets sent beneath the car with the help of the front splitter is channeled using a multitude of elements and then sent out with the help of the diffuser. Oh, and that ducktail spoiler isn't there just for the look.
Measuring 175.78 inches, the new Vantage is 11.18 inches shorter than the DB11, riding on the a shortened version of the latter's new extruded aluminum architecture. Even so, the Brtis brag about the two-seater having a structure that's 70 percent new.
Tipping the scales at 3,373 lbs and employing a front-mid-engined configuratioun, this athlete comes with a 50:50 weight distribution, while being the first Aston Martin to pack an electronically-controlled rear diff with torque vectoring. Factor in the adaptive dampers and electronic powersterring, as well as the Sport, Sport Plus and Track modes and you'll end up with a machine prepared to please both its driver and the Bond girl riding shotgun (perhaps things could be the other way around).
As with the V8 version of the DB11, firepower comes from a 510 hp incarnation of the Mercedes-AMG 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8, with the unit delivering 505 lb-ft of twist in this application (make that 513 lb-ft for the DB11).
Sending its power to the rear wheels (duuuh) with the help of a ZF-supplied eight-speed auto (mounted at the rear for better weight distribution), the V8 sends the Vantage to 60 mph in 3.6 seconds and can push the car all the way to 195 mph.
Keep in mind that a six-speed stick shift, as well as twin-turbo V12 motivation are expected to arrive later on in the vehicle's life cycle.
The connection to the road is established via 20-inch forged wheels all-round, which are shod in 255/40 tires up front and 295/35 tires at the back. Keep in mind that Pirelli adjusted the P Zero rubber specifically for this application.
While similar to the interior of the DB11, the cabin of the newcomer brings a more focused driving position, while a Sports Plus Pack involving more aggressive seat bolstering, carbon fiber trim and a sports steering wheel is ready to cater to your hooning needs.
The 2019 Aston Martin Vantage will greet us in the flesh at the 2017 Los Angeles Auto Show. While the pricing kicks off at $149,995 (make that £120,900 in the UK and €154,000 in Germany), the first owners will take delivery of their cars in the second quarter of 2018.
P.S.: Thanks to the velocity-obsessed crew over at Carfection, you can check out a studio walkaround of the freshest Gaydon offering in the piece of footage below.
In his quest to bring you the most impressive automotive creations, Andrei relies on learning as a superpower. There's quite a bit of room in the garage that is this aficionado's heart, so factory-condition classics and widebody contraptions with turbos poking through the hood can peacefully coexist. Full profile
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