Aston Martin has been firing on all cylinders as of late. From the DB11 grand tourer (starting at $200,000) to track-focused hypercar the Vulcan (starting at much higher), the English luxury car maker has been impressing critics and customers. Now it’s showing its “entry-level” offering, the V8 Vantage, some love.
The V8 Vantage had started to look a little long-in-the-tooth after having gone mostly unchanged since it was unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in 2005. Still, it’s the most popular model in the company’s history thanks to its price (sub $200,000) and sporting performance.
The new V8 Vantage, unveiled today, might be a new best seller. It takes the design language of the DB11— like its rear wheel arches that are flared in a way that’s simultaneously beautiful and aggressive depending on the viewing angle—and translates it into a two-seater sports car.
Under the hood, as the car’s name suggests, is a 4-liter twin-turbo V8 provided by Aston Martin’s partner Mercedes-AMG, that generates 503 horsepower and a whopping 505 lb/feet of torque. The transmission is the same 8-speed automatic found on the DB11, which is admirably quick, though lags behind dual-clutch systems like Porsche’s PDK for shifting crispness.
More signs of the Mercedes-AMG partnership can be found in the cabin, with an infotainment system and switches that will be familiar to any Mercedes owner. The stitched leather interior though—that’s all Aston.
Aston Martin is claiming a 195 mph top speed and 0-60 mph in 3.6 seconds, which puts it in the same territory as the Porsche 911 GTS and Mercedes-AMG GT. At a base price of $150,000 it competes with those cars on price, too.
The V8 Vantage will ship in the second quarter of 2018, and orders are open now.