2019 Aston Martin Vantage Specifications Teased: M177 V8 Develops 500+ HP

None other than dynamics chief engineer Matt Becker announced the numbers in question, and based on Formula 1 driver Max Verstappen’s hooning action, the all-new Vantage drives a lot better than the DB11. Speaking of the DB11, the Vantage shares the Second Century platform with the grand tourer, but the tires are different. To the point, 20-inch Pirelli P Zero tires are on the menu instead of Bridgestone Potenza S007s.

Lighter than the Vantage it replaces, the newcomer differs under the hood as well. Here you’ll find the Mercedes-AMG M177 4.0-liter V8, which features two turbos. By comparison, the 4.3- and 4.7-liter V8 engines in the former model are naturally aspirated and feature dry-sump lubrication.

What boggles the mind is that Aston Martin chose to ramp up the torque in the V8 Vantage, with the M177 developing 10 Newton-meters more than in the DB11 V8. Couple the additional get-up-and-go with the shorter wheelbase, and you know the Vantage will easily light up the rear tires.

The car driven by Max at Rockingham is a verification prototype, which in R&D talk means there are two more build phases to go until the production-ready Vantage arrives in dealer showrooms. Speaking of production, early 2018 is when Job #1 will roll off the assembly line in Gaydon. And from the looks of it, the ZF 8HP eight-speed automatic will be the only transmission available for the Vantage in the first instance.

Aston Martin chief executive officer Andy Palmer is convined the stick shift isn’t dead, having declared that “the manual gearbox remains an integral part of our product plans and will do for many years to come.”