Aston Martin Vantage v Porsche 911 2019 Comparison
Aston Martin's new Mercedes-powered Vantage takes on the sports car class benchmark, Porsche's 992-generation 911Aston’s new guard
Heritage is embedded in many elements of the new Aston Martin Vantage, from the opulent interior and craftsmanship to the quintessential British snarl of its exhaust.
But the UK’s latest sports car export is infused with a distinct German flavour in the form of an engine sourced from Mercedes-AMG. The recognisable 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 is familiar with recent AMGs including the GT, C 63, E 63, G 63, GLC 63 and many others, but in this application it is responsible for taking the latest Vantage to new heights.
The bent-eight headlines a new Vantage that is built on a shortened platform of the DB11, and has been central to Aston Martin achieving a lithe 1530kg kerb weight, stubby 4400mm length and 50:50 front-to-rear weight distribution.
But the Aston Martin Vantage arrives in a segment of super sports cars already jostling for position. And the yellow competitor here currently sits at the very top.
Why are we comparing them?
The origins of the Aston Martin Vantage’s engine ultimately prompts comparison with the sportscar king of them all, a German compatriot in Porsche’s 911.
Specifically, it courts comparison with the 992-generation Porsche 911 that landed in Australia earlier in the year.
We’ve driven the 911 at its Australian launch and tested it against the might of another German sledgehammer, the brutish BMW M850i Coupe. The jury is in and the verdict is unequivocally positive around Stuttgart’s latest proponent; faster, a broadened dynamic envelope and smarter, even if bigger and heavier than before.
The 911 Carrera opens its account at $265,000 – considerably less than the Vantage. So purely for a fairer price comparison, we’ve sourced the all-wheel drive Carrera 4S, whose pricing and basic specification is somewhat closer, even if there are two additionally driven wheels.
Its twin-turbo 3.0-litre 331kW/530Nm flat six drives via an eight-speed dual-clutch gearbox, it gets to 100km/h in 3.6sec (0.2sec quicker if you option Sport Chrono), averages a claimed 9.0L/100km and weighs in at a relatively lithe 1565kg.
Comparatively, the Aston’s borrowed V8 doles out 375kW and 685Nm, besting the Porsche on both counts. The all-important 0-100km/h time takes an identical 3.6sec when the 911 isn’t optioned with Sports Chrono.
Fuel use is unsurprisingly heavier in the Aston (10.6L/100km), though it may be a moot point for many looking at either of these machines.
Who will they appeal to?
Costs aside, both the Porsche 911 and the Aston Martin Vantage promise broad skill sets, offering track-ready performance or the long-journey amenity of a modern grand tourer.
In the case of the 911, that means a 2+2 seating arrangement (albeit via restrictive, part-time rear pews), a usable 132-litre ‘frunk’ courtesy of its rear-engined layout and excellent in-car technology including a 10.9-inch display screen atop the centre fascia and driver safety aids such as automated emergency braking as standard.
The Vantage’s layout is restricted to two passengers, though a surprisingly cavernous 280-litre boot does make up key ground. The Aston cannot match the Porsche’s tech and safety repertoire – though, granted, some may consider it a ‘purer’ sports car offering as a result.
By the same token, neither is out of their depth on a fast, twisting road or – better yet – a circuit. As we outline below.
How much do they cost?
It’s a relatively one-sided contest in terms of price, equipment, safety and tech – all in favour of the 911.
Whereas the all-paw Carrera 4S starts at $281,100 (plus on-road costs), the rear-driven Aston chimes in at $299,000 (plus on-road costs).
The 911 manages that with more safety and equipment, future-proofing itself with autonomous emergency braking, (optional) adaptive cruise control and dual screens inside the cockpit, which control everything from navigation, to speed and infotainment.
In one of many tasteful nods to the 911’s ancestry, an analogue tacho still assumes pride of place in the driver instrument cluster.
Comparatively, the Aston’s Mercedes-sourced infotainment and switchgear are all a generation behind, lending it a slightly tired feel against the new-age 992-series 911.
That said, both cars hold up well as practical (ish) daily drivers, the Aston offering two central cupholders, USB ports and usable front and rear vision, along with doors that are hydraulically assisted in their operation.
What do they do well?
This is a typical head-versus-heart comparison.
The Aston Martin is unapologetically positioned to tug on the heart strings courtesy of a throaty, evocative V8 sound track, subjectively alluring styling and an interior that is dressed in exquisite leather.
That said, the Vantage is no longer a car you’d buy purely for aesthetics. Its new powertrain and chassis offer some genuinely redeeming features, resulting in a fleet-footed and engaging supercar.
The basic front/mid-mounted V8 engine hails from Affalterbach in Germany but it has been given thorough once-over by Aston engineers: a new software tune, inlet and exhaust systems to name a few changes. A rear-mounted eight-speed automatic gearbox creates another point of difference from transmissions offered by Mercedes-Benz.
The car’s punchy V8 and stumpy proportions imbue it with excellent levels of grip, a natural lightness through fast changes in direction, and a degree of dynamic finesse unlike other recent Aston Martin efforts. The Superleggera DBS comes close, but in the Vantage’s company it feels like a sledgehammer wrapped in a fancy velvet glove.
The Aston’s engine and transmission combination is almost seamless, allowing it to match every driving scenario we encounter with the right ratio. Similarly, the car’s longer wheelbase compared with the 911 means the Vantage breathes over niggly bumps more proficiently than the 911, though it cannot control larger washouts with the same efficacy.
The Aston is also a tad quieter to this tester’s ears in terms of road noise, though definitely not engine noise. In that vein, there’s no replacement for displacement.
What does the 911 do well? On a twisting road, just about everything. The rear-engined ethos shines bright in the company of the Vantage, endowing with Porsche with superior mechanical grip over the rear axle and lending it unrivalled confidence through faster corners.
This point is exacerbated by our yellow tester’s fat rubber: staggered Goodyear Eagle F1s measuring 245/35 20-inch up front and 305/30 21-inch at the back, against the Astons still-mammoth Pirelli P-Zero hoops (255/40 20-inch front and 295/35 20-inch rear).
In the pursuit of replicating the legendary wail of 911s of yesterday, the 992-generation pipes artificial sound into the cabin. The note certainly isn’t as satisfying as the Aston’s brutish tones, though it does make the most of the turbocharged layout.
The 911 gets full marks for steering weighting, response and feel, providing the kind of intricate feedback that drivers desire. Ditto the brakes. The 911 is down on key power and torque metrics against the Aston, but the immediacy of the engine and a crisp throttle response leave you wanting for very little out of corners.
Porsche’s new ‘wet’ mode is another boon in this company, keeping the car on the straight and narrow in wetter conditions and reinforcing driver confidence.
What could they do better?
The Aston’s biggest downfall arguably arrives in the form of its interior, which feels well off the pace of a $300K supercar. Materials and craftsmanship are well received, but the clunky assortment of buttons and switchgear and the sticky driver’s door on our test car fall short of expectations.
There are little complaints about its driving experience however. It is only possible to tell the two apart when pushing; at which point the narrow windscreen line, seat and A-pillar positioning mean that faster corners tend to rush up on you.
The aforementioned traits are only exacerbated in the company of the airy 911, whose sleek dashboard and digital instrument cluster manage the ‘starship command’ brief while still adhering to tradition in the form of an analogue tacho and clock.
Quibbles over the 911 are limited, meanwhile. Tyre roar remains quite prominent, even if improved from the predecessor, and the Sport Chrono pack should arguably be standard at this price point, especially since the asking price was bumped $10,000 when the 992 lobbed in April.
Annoyingly, the outer gauges in the 911’s swish new driver instrument cluster are obscured by the steering wheel.
Which wins, and why?
This comparison is much closer than originally anticipated. The new Aston Martin Vantage is genuinely fast, fun to drive and evocative on the road, endowed with a new lightness and immediacy partially generated by its AMG-sourced engine.
Ultimately, a lack of equipment, more expensive price tag and the Porsche 911’s final layer of dynamic polish hand it the win. But you certainly wouldn’t question anyone’s decision to follow their heart.
Either way, these are both fantastic sports cars, German origins or otherwise.
How much does the 2019 Aston Martin Vantage cost?
Price: $299,950 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 4.0-litre eight-cylinder twin-turbo-petrol
Output: 375kW/685Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel: 10.3L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 236g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: N/A
How much does the 2019 Porsche 911 Carrera 4S cost?
Price: $281,100 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 331kW/530Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel: 9.0L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 206g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: N/A
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