Aston gunning for Porsche

The sportiest regular production Aston Martin ever is priced to take on Porsche and Mercedes-AMG head on. The new twin-turbo V8 Aston Martin Vantage arrives Down Under from mid-year priced at $299,950 plus on road costs.

That price tag means the new 375kW/685Nm two-seater coupe parallels its key competitors and benchmarks, the Porsche 911 GTS and Mercedes-AMG GT S, dollar for dollar. The mid-grade 911 is currently pegged at $289,790 in rear-drive PDK form, while the AMG speedster range spans $258,711 to $348,711 for the powered-up GT R.

The new Aston Martin Vantage is the second model range to be developed under the British marque’s Second Century product plan. Just a single model at this stage, the Vantage is expected to be joined by S and AMR versions of the car to match the ranges offered by its competitors.

The Vantage is based on the same modular platform as the DB11 but is shorter, lighter and more driver-focused than the GT. Unlike the DB11, there is no V12-engined model in the Vantage range. The sporty V12 Aston will debut later this year via a re-interpretation of the front-engine range-topping Vanquish.

motoring.com.au drove the new Aston Martin Vantage at its international launch in Portugal this week. Drive impressions from the launch are embargoed until April 11. We can say, however, this is the most capable and track-ready car the storied brand has ever produced.

The cabin of the Aston Martin Vantage also reflects the significant improvements made in materials and quality control ushered in by the DB11. Aston has vowed to further differentiate each of its new models. The Vantage’s cabin is a case in point – while undeniably related to the DB11 it has a more racecar-like, pared-down feel.

The Vantage is the first Aston to pair its eight-speed ZF transaxle-style auto with a BMW M-style electronically-controlled limited slip differential for maximum agility.

Aston is claiming a top speed in excess of 310km/h (195mph) and 0-100km/h time of just 3.6sec. Fuel economy is 10.5L/100km.

The Vantage has myriad other detail changes when compared with its DB11 stablemate. Aston claims 70 per cent of the Vantage’s components are new. No visible parts are shared.

At 4465mm long the new Vantage is over 30mm shorter than the current 991.2 series 911 Carrera S but 80mm longer than the long-serving Vantage series it replaces.

The new Aston rides on a considerably longer wheelbase (2704mm) than the previous generation (2601) and the 911 (2450). It’s also substantially wider than both the German car (1942mm v 1808) and the outgoing Vantage (1866).

The AMG GT is longer than the new Aston (4544mm) but is marginally narrower (1939) and rides on a shorter wheelbase (2630).

Of the trio, the Porsche is lightest. The new Aston weighs in at 1530kg – about 70kg heavier than the 911.

The new Aston Martin Vantage rides on bespoke Pirelli P Zero tyres and a revised version of Aston’s adaptive suspension technology. Settings are stepped up from the DB with the driver able to choose from Sport, Sport Plus and Track modes.

Australian Vantages will sport a higher level of standard equipment than markets like the UK and USA, Aston Martin’s local chief, Kevin Wall told motoring.com.au.

Although optional in most markets, the Aussie Vantage will sport a ‘tech pack’ and 360-degree camera as standard. The pack includes keyless entry, blind spot monitoring, auto park assist, Mercedes-derived infotainment touchpad, glass switchgear, electronically-adjustable steering column and conventional cruise control.

Adaptive cruise control is still not offered on any Aston Martin. This is a glaring omission on a $300K car – even one this sporting.

Interior trim is a mix of Strathmore leather and Alcantara, with various other leather and heated/cooled sports seat options offered. The prodigious use of carbon-fibre inside and out on the launch cars is also optional, as are carbon-ceramic brakes (CCB) and the quad pipe sports exhaust system.

There is expected to be a delay before the CCB option is offered in series production cars, Wall says. When the option does arrive officially, you best factor in a hefty premium.

Australia is expected to account for around 100 Vantage sales a year, Wall says. And already order take-up is healthy.

“We’re very pleased with the interest in the car,” he told motoring.com.au.

“We are not offering Aston Martin Q [personalisation options] on the car for the first six months or so of on-sale, so some buyers who want to personalise their cars to a high degree are holding off until early 2019.

“Most of our production is in the late months of 2018 so that works well,” he said.

Unlike other Aston models, many customers are spec’ing their Vantages as “daily drivers”, Wall said.