First came the DB11 series, then the Second Century platform was shortened and stiffened for the V8 Vantage. The fixed-head coupe is a proper sports car on paper, but have you wondered how does it handle the world’s most challenging racing circuit?
Sport Auto had a go in the V8 Vantage at the Green Hell with test driver Christian Gebhardt behind the steering wheel. Having crossed the finish line in 7:43.92, the two-seat sports car has bettered the times of the Pagani Zonda S, Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, and the Renault Megane R.S. Trophy-R uber hatchback. Curiously enough, the outgoing Honda Civic Type R without rear seats is one-tenth of a second faster.
Considering that the lap was posted by a third party with a series-production vehicle, you got to hand it over to the Aston Martin V8 Vantage for being so eager to carve corners. The 4.0-liter V8 from Mercedes-AMG is also rather capable in terms of straight-line performance, developing 503 horsepower and plenty of torque.
Only an eight-speed automatic transmission is available for the time being, but Aston Martin did offer a dog-leg manual for a limited time and at a premium. AMR is the name of the special edition, priced at $200,000 as opposed to $153,000 for the standard model.
Another thing that needs mentioning is that Aston Martins have never been about outright speed but a combination of styling, comfort, and performance. If the go-faster attribute ranks high on your priorities list, the British automaker has exactly the car for you in the guise of the Valkyrie. Next-gen supercars like the Valhalla and Vanquish also promise to lap the Nurburgring Nordschleife a little faster than the V8 Vantage.
On a related note, have you heard the roadster is finally available to order? Starting at 126,950 pounds sterling in the United Kingdom, this body style also boasts the fastest folding soft-top roof in the biz while tipping the scales at 60 kilograms more than the coupe.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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