“The V8 Vantage is a significant car for us“, explained Dr Ulrich Bez, CEO of Aston Martin. “It is now the third model in our range and is the culmination of the first phase of reinvigorating the Aston Martin brand around the world that began in the year 2000.”
Joining the flagship Vanquish and the DB9 line, the V8 Vantage is a sleek two-seat sports car with a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout. “The V8 Vantage features many of the design cues that have become basic DNA for all Aston Martin models and are leading edge in car design,” added Dr Bez.
Under the hood is a 4.3-liter V8 engine producing 380 horsepower. The engine, unique to Aston Martin, is positioned ahead of the driver, but well back in the chassis. Combined with a rear-mounted 6-speed manual transaxle, the V8 Vantage achieves a nearly perfect 49/51 weight balance. Performance should be impressive, with a promised top speed of 175 mph and 0-60 mph in just 4.9 seconds
The interior is all Aston Martin, with much of the styling for the switches and instruments derived from exclusive watches and premium audio gear. The interior makes extensive use of leather and anodized aluminum, and the V8 Vantage features a full complement of custom-fitted luggage.
Aston Martin hopes to go head-to-head with the Porsche 911 with its new V8 Vantage, but has no plans to match production numbers with the German sports car. Plans call for around 2,500 V8 Vantages to be built annually.
