Geneva 2011: Aston Martin V8 Vantage S

Aston Martin has brought the coming of age model of its smaller sportscar offering, called the V8 Vantage S, to this year’s Geneva Motor Show. We were there to see the car in person and can report it is thoroughly impressive in its blue disguise.

However good looking it might be, a car like this is built to excite all the senses, not just our sight. Sit behind the wheel of such a beast and you are immediately impressed by the growl of its powerful 4.7-liter engine, producing 424 hp (321 kW) and 490 Nm (361 lb-ft) of torque. The engine is mated to a newly developed Sportshift II transmission with seven short ratio gears.

In order to excite your ears even further, Aston has fitted the car with a new exhaust muffler and bypass valve map, creating “a very distinctive and highly vocal exhaust note,” which we can’t wait to hear.

The Vantage S handles even better than the standard model, thanks to new springs and dampers, and wider rear wheels contribute significantly to chassis’ revision. A new dynamic stability control (DSC) system was specifically developed for the Vantage S, together with a new brake module that provides features such as Hydraulic Brake Assist (HBA), which gives assistance in emergency braking situations, and Hill Start Assist (HSA)

"The Vantage S epitomizes every attribute of the V8 Vantage and pushes the driver experience beyond what we have offered before. It combines dynamic exhilaration with all the charming finesse, beauty and practicality already associated with the Vantage range," says Dr. Ulrich Bez, CEO of Aston Martin, in a recent press release.