New Aston Martin Vantage looks like baby DB12, goes like scalded feline

With styling to die for and performance to rival Stuttgart’s champion thoroughbreds, Aston’s smallest time machine proves dreams do come true – if you have a spare c. £160,000 to realise them…

Car facelifts usually fall into one of two opposing camps: the indiscernible nip and tuck, or the full-face transplant. With its entirely new nose, interior, and internals, Aston’s latest junior supercar is a card-carrying member of the latter group.  

However, while its face appears to have little in common with the outgoing Vantage, the mini-Aston does bear a striking resemblance to another relative: the new DB12. Remember in the early noughties when BMW truncated its handsome E46 saloon to create the stubby 3 Series Compact? Well, you can think of this as Aston’s (resolutely more successful) attempt to do the same; a DB12 Compact, if you will.  

We doubt that’s a comparison the folks at Gaydon will enjoy, but it’s hard to deny the strength of similarity between this and Aston’s lengthier GT express.

Such blatant corporate parts bin rummaging would normally attract our derision but, in this instance, we think the combination of old and new is a triumph. From that gaping 38 percent larger front grille and sleek Matrix LED headlights, to the signature Aston side strakes running down its wings, the Vantage is pure automotive art. 

Incredibly, this svelte styling is merely a prelude to the Aston’s anthemic chorus of enormous, class-dominating power and performance. With the 4.0-litre AMG V8 still at its source, thrust has been turned up to 11. Rated at 658 bhp and 3.4 seconds to 60 mph, the Vantage torches the competition when it comes all-out firepower - Ferrari’s Roma and Porsche’s 911 GT3 included. 

But, despite boasting more than twice the bhp of a VW Golf R, the Vantage drives two fewer wheels. Sounds like a bit of an unruly beast, doesn’t it? Well, not so fast, as Aston’s team has pulled out all the stops to ensure the chassis is up to the job.

Fittingly, the person at the helm of this physics-defying operation shares a surname with the man who quite literally wrote the book: Issac Newton. And, while AM’s Director of Vehicle Performance, Simon Newton, might not actually be related to the father of gravity, he certainly knows a thing or two about vehicle dynamics. 

As such, the Vantage is significantly lighter than it’s comparatively powerful V12 Vantage ancestor. Similarly, aero has been streamlined to the tune of 29% — half of which terminates at the car’s various cooling systems. Moreover, it’s ‘highly evolved aluminum structure' is notably stiffer than before, with an optimal 50:50 weight distribution and intelligent suspension ensuring agility in abundance.  

Arguably, though, the most crucial inclusion for sharp handling and plentiful traction is the rubber at all four corners. To this end, AM has commissioned Michelin to produce a bespoke version of its Pilot Sport S 5 tyre, complete with a unique compound and suitably enormous 325/30/21 rear / 275/35/21 front sizing, to offer unimpeachable roadholding.

Inside, ambiance has improved thanks to an almost identical dash and infotainment layout to DB12. More noteworthy is the inclusion of a stumpy automatic gear selector between the seats, perpetuating the manual-no-more trend we’ve recently seen in the new Golf GTI and Puma ST. This is a move some purists will be quick to criticise, although in this application —with a shortened final drive and 8 speeds— we reckon the constant cog swapping required to make progress would be more of a hindrance than a highlight.  

Is this the best-looking new car on sale? Only you can decide. One thing is for sure though: it’s a country mile quicker than the car it replaces. With beauty, brawn, and brains, do you think the new Vantage will be worth an expected £160,000 asking price?

Hero image credit:  Aston Martin