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Aston Martin V8 VantageThe V8 Vantage is a hand-crafted sports car that offers electrifying performance and outstanding agility. The most affordable of all Aston Martins, it fuses traditional Aston Martin style and everyday usability. The result is the world's most desirable sports car. Design The design brief for the V8 Vantage dictated a style that could not be anything else but Aston Martin. Elegant, yet with a controlled aggression. Perfectly proportioned, with a low purposeful stance. Modern, yet incorporating classic Aston Martin design cues. Like all Aston Martin sports cars, it is simple, understated and beautiful. And like all Aston Martin sports cars, its beauty is more than skin deep. Outside, the V8 Vantage displays beautiful sports car lines, while maintaining a unique identity. Inside, its traditional craftsmanship is matched to striking 21st century style. Hand-trimmed in the finest quality materials, the cabin is that of an authentic sports car. Driver and passenger sit low, close to the car's centre of gravity, where they can feel the car reacting to the input of the driver - it's a special sensation, usually only experienced in racing cars. The connection between car and driver is very direct. Very sporting. Instantaneous. The long, low bonnet line and two-seater cabin of the V8 Vantage offer an attractive balance between beauty and pure aggression. The car sits low and close to the road, while the front and rear overhangs have been purposely minimised. Essentially it's a sports car with a simple goal - to provide maximum exhilaration - yet it is also one of the world's most beautiful cars. The side profile is an elegant, simple sweep, creating a curved line rather like a bow under tension, while the rear haunches are wide and muscular, like those of a powerful animal. It is a pure, elegant design - but, above all, instantly recognisable as an Aston Martin. The design team's brief was to give the V8 Vantage the look of a well-toned athlete wearing a skin-tight suit. With its taut, almost stretched surfaces, the car achieves perfectly that muscular, close-cut look. The V8 Vantage is very much a pure sports car, so the Aston Martin engineers' priority from the outset was to focus on light weight, compact size, agility and power. At just 4.38 metres (172.5 in) long, not only is it the smallest model in the Aston Martin range and one of the leanest cars in its class, but it is light, too, and very nimble. Hand-finished body panels provide delectable shapes and perfect fit, while an all-alloy underbody structure - derived from aerospace technology - incorporates bonded aluminium extrusions and castings for superb rigidity and minimal weight. The bonnet and roof are also constructed from lightweight alloy, while the front wings, tailgate and sills are produced from advanced composites. The large single-piece body sides are hand-finished steel pressings, and include the entire rear three-quarter area - or haunches - of the car. A single pressing means the side and rear three-quarter style is especially clean, with the minimum of unsightly shut lines. The V8 Vantage could not be anything else but an Aston Martin. It is a modern shape that bears a direct lineage to some of the great Aston Martin models of the past, such as the Aston Martin DB2 - praised at the time as 'one of the most beautiful cars in the world' by Motor Magazine in April 1950 - and its successors, the DB2/4 and DB4. They were not just handsome, but very fast sports cars that were also immensely practical and could be used every day. Just like the V8 Vantage. Beauty From Within Like all Aston Martins, the V8 Vantage is hand-assembled and hand-finished. Hand-craftsmanship not only improves quality, but can also improve styling. Aston Martin's designers enjoy fewer constraints than those faced in mass production, giving them the freedom to produce the perfect form. Hand-assembly also avoids unsightly solutions to the inflexibility of mass production. For instance, the bonnet of the V8 Vantage has shut lines that travel all the way to the front of the car, without the need for a separate nose cone, so providing a cleaner, crisper design. Furthermore, the V8 Vantage uses metal mesh grilles and trims instead of the typical plastic alternatives. Integrity is a cornerstone at Aston Martin and we believe that everything has to be right. Soul Mate From the moment you first sit in the V8 Vantage, you connect with it. It's a bond created partly by the natural agility of the car, but also by the embrace of the authentic sports car cabin. Hand-trimmed in the finest quality materials, it is simple, logical and beautifully designed; everything you and your passenger touch is unique to Aston Martin. The instrument pack is beautifully crafted from aluminium and has a three-dimensional profile for easy reading. To create a clear, simple design, most of the warning lights are hidden behind the aluminium faces, becoming visible only when illuminated. The central message displays, meanwhile, are organic electroluminescent (OEL) - a process pioneered by Aston Martin - making them easier to read than conventional LCDs. A synthesis of high technology and hand-crafted elegance, the interior features an optional pop-up satellite navigation screen, class-leading audio system and even a glass starter button. The V8 Vantage is a pure two-seater, a car dedicated to providing the most exhilarating driving experience possible, but that doesn't mean it is not practical. As well as a generous rear shelf, ideal for soft bags and holdalls, there's another, surprisingly large, luggage area, easily accessed via a one-piece lightweight composite tailgate. It's the only sports car of its type today to feature a 'hatchback' - a design first used by Aston Martin on the DB2/4 of the early 1950s. Dimensions
Exhilarating Performance At the heart of every great sports car is a great engine; and in the case of the V8 Vantage, this has never been more true. The V8 Vantage has a powerful 4.3 litre 283 kW (380 bhp) engine, unique to Aston Martin. This is an engine designed and built by Aston Martin for Aston Martin. Developed for flexibility as well as outright performance, the front mid-mounted V8 also delivers an outstanding aural experience, as one would expect of an Aston Martin with a potential maximum speed of 280 km/h (175 mph). Extraordinary engine power is not the only reason for the superb performance of the V8 Vantage. Just as important is its lightweight, all-alloy structure, which offers class-leading strength and rigidity. The front mid-engined layout - the dry sump lubrication system allows the engine to sit low - and rear-mid transmission help provide optimum front to rear weight distribution as well as a low centre of gravity. The result is exceptional agility and inspired balance and handling. Powerful, Musical V8 Engine The V8 Vantage is a very fast sports car. With 0-100 km/h (62 mph) in 5.0 seconds and a potential maximum speed of 280 km/h (175 mph) its performance figures are as heady as you would expect of an Aston Martin. Although there are many reasons for this excellent performance - light weight and efficient aerodynamics among them - the key is the engine, the heart of any great sports car. This new V8 has been specifically designed and developed for the V8 Vantage. Hand-assembled at Aston Martin's new, purpose-built engine facility in Cologne, Germany, it is a light, compact, all-alloy unit - high-performance, yet responsive even at the lower end of the rev range. Its maximum torque is an impressive 410 Nm (302 lb ft) @ 5000 rpm, 75 per cent of which is delivered at just 1500 rpm - barely more than idle - making the V8 Vantage extremely tractable and great fun to drive. Push harder, and the V8 engine revs freely, delivering refined, exhilarating pace. True to Aston Martin tradition, it is as musical as it is muscular: an engine that entertains in every sense. The bore and stroke dimensions are optimised to provide an excellent balance between outright power and torque, while a resonance induction system improves tractability and performance, and contributes to that inspired engine note. The inlet camshaft timing also varies, improving low-end throttle response and mid-range torque in particular. The exhaust system is highly effective. Each bank of cylinders features a four-into-two-into-one manifold - an arrangement more usually found on racing cars - which improves breathing and therefore performance. Special bypass valves provide a quieter exhaust note at low speed, opening at higher engine speeds to reduce the pressure in the exhaust system, raise the power output and provide a more rousing accompaniment. Class-Leading Rigidity The advanced body structure of the V8 Vantage is the key to its superb handling and responsiveness. The unique-to-Aston Martin all-alloy VH (Vertical Horizontal) architecture provides an excellent backbone, while the use of sophisticated materials such as lightweight alloys, magnesium and advanced composites for the body further contributes to the car's low weight and class-leading rigidity. The immense strength and rigidity of this structure has a number of benefits: it provides a stable platform from which the suspension can control the car, gives the driver enhanced control and feel, effectively increases the strength and safety of the passenger cell and improves build quality. For rivals who use conventional materials, boosting strength means adding weight, which dulls both performance and agility. Aston Martin's no-compromise approach ensures the driver gets not only a safer, sounder car, but improved performance and sharper responses, too. No Compromise The light, strong body structure of the V8 Vantage is perfectly matched to the specially designed fully independent double wishbone suspension, resulting in outstanding handling and excellent ride quality. Fundamental to its handling capabilities is the fact that the V8 Vantage is naturally well balanced. And because it does not have to compensate for an excess of weight over either the front or the rear of the car, the suspension is uncompromised - tuned for optimal handling and control. The suspension wishbones are aluminium, as are the dampers to save even more weight. The steering rack is solidly mounted forward of the front wheels - common on racing cars but rarely seen on road cars - for better control, and to provide the driver with greater feedback and response. Weighting Game If a car is to have natural agility it must also have a low polar moment of inertia and excellent weight distribution. In order to achieve this, the V8 Vantage is designed to concentrate as much weight as possible within the wheelbase, with minimal front and rear overhangs. The engine is positioned ahead of the cabin but well behind the front axle line, making the V8 Vantage a front mid-engined car. Dry sump lubrication, normally a motorsport application, enables the engine to sit lower in the car, which further improves handling by lowering the centre of gravity. Dry sump lubrication also allows for greater cornering speeds, as there is minimal danger of g-forces denying oil supply to the engine. Improving weight distribution still further, the transmission is mid-rear mounted - forward of the rear 'axle' line - and connected to the engine by a rigid, cast aluminium torque tube, which houses the immensely strong and light carbon-fibre propeller shaft. A fast-shifting, six-speed manual gearbox is standard, its ratios perfectly matched to the performance of the V8 engine. Dynamic Delight Dynamically, the V8 Vantage has enviable credentials: a high-performance, advanced, lightweight V8 engine, one of the most lightweight, rigid body structures available, fully independent double wishbone suspension and optimum weight distribution. Put them together and it's little wonder that the result is a supremely agile and entertaining sports car. The flexibility of the engine and the easy-to-use controls make everyday town or city driving simple and uncomplicated. Electronic safety controls provide further reassurance. Braking power is awesome, with massive disc brakes - 355 mm diameter at the front, 330 mm at the rear - that are both ventilated and grooved. For the V8 Vantage, grooving is a better solution than conventional cross-drilling of the discs, as they work more effectively with the brake pads and do not fill with brake pad dust. Dynamic Stability Control, ABS, Traction Control and Electronic Brakeforce Distribution also feature as standard for added peace of mind. There's a choice of two alloy wheel styles - 18 inch or 19 inch in diameter - fitted with specially tuned high-performance tyres. On-road communication and feel are essential to a sports car, for any elasticity between the driver and the contact point of the tyre diminishes the driving experience. The driver needs to know exactly how the car is behaving. That's why the body structure of the V8 Vantage is so rigid: it ensures maximum communication between road and hand, between tyre and torso. The car's behaviour is relayed faithfully and accurately, ensuring an undiluted driving experience, yet it remains tractable and easy to drive - fast or slow. Hand-Craftsmanship 21st Century Craftsmanship All Aston Martins are built by hand - not for sentimental reasons but because only craftsmen can deliver the design details and level of finish that Aston Martin engineers and designers demand. This level of detail and finish is simply not possible in high-volume manufacture. At Gaydon in England, Aston Martin's new headquarters, hand-made meets high technology. The all-alloy structure, the lightweight body, the hand-assembled V8 engine, the sophisticated electronic controls and audio systems: all are engineered to a level of technology rarely seen in the automotive industry. This mix of technology, tradition and low volume makes for an exclusive, advanced and uniquely desirable sports car. People Power True, there is a certain cachet to a car being both hand-built and modern - it is rare these days and getting rarer all the time. But there are a host of sensible engineering and design reasons why Aston Martins are still hand-assembled. Expert craftsmen can perform the complicated, labour-intensive work that robots on production lines cannot. They can craft designs and finishes that defeat machines. Take, for instance, the single aperture cuts for the headlamps in the front wings of the V8 Vantage. This design can be achieved only because the V8 Vantage is painstakingly built by hand. Then there is the beautiful stitching of the leather seats. Automated machines can stitch leather, but they cannot do it with the same lively care, or quality, as craftsmen. The same is applicable to the finish of the bodies. Mass-produced cars frequently need plastic finishers to hide awkward production line joins, but cosmetic make-up is unnecessary at Aston Martin, where each car is expertly hand-finished and tended by craftsmen. Engines, too, are individually hand-assembled, just as they always have been at Aston Martin, although now at a brand-new, dedicated, high-technology facility in Cologne, Germany. There is no rush with hand-assembly; the over-riding concern is always quality. That is why Aston Martins - all Aston Martins - are built by hand, and it is why all the world's finest luxury goods, from suits to watches, are still hand-made. When low volumes are desirable, and exclusivity is demanded, it is quite simply the best way. Uniquely Aston Martin At Aston Martin's headquarters in rural Warwickshire, England, heritage is fused with high technology. Highly trained engineers work alongside master craftsmen in a large, open, airy and hushed facility. A special area is allocated to the hand-crafting of the cabins, and here you'll find the many different materials that feature inside the V8 Vantage. There are aluminium alloys used for switches, instruments and the facia; fabric and leather in myriad colours and finishes, including many different stitching treatments, as well as the option of piano black facia trim. All of these come together to make an interior that is unique to Aston Martin. Many of the cabin details are aluminium - such as the instrument pack and the door handles - and the coolness of the metal is complemented perfectly by the warm, hand-finished, hand-stitched leather upholstery. You just have to step inside the car to know that it is something special. Sit behind the three-spoke steering wheel and set the multi-position, electronically adjustable seats. Put your hands on the wheel and immediately you feel the quality of that chunky, hand-stitched leather rim. Turn the key and watch the clear glass starter button colour change from blue to red, as ignition is engaged. Depress the start button and hear the V8 engine burst into life. Move off and you'll be amazed by the precise gear shifts - and reassured by the excellent visibility from the generously glazed cabin. Of course, all the switches and controls are perfectly placed, for driving enjoyment is the priority in this cabin built around you, the driver. Styling Classic Aston Martin Style The design brief for the V8 Vantage dictated a style that could not be anything else but Aston Martin. Elegant, yet with a controlled aggression. Perfectly proportioned, with a low, purposeful stance. Modern, yet incorporating classic Aston Martin design cues. Like all Aston Martin sports cars, it is simple, understated and beautiful. And like all Aston Martin sports cars, its beauty is more than skin deep. Outside, the V8 Vantage displays beautiful sports car lines, while maintaining a unique identity. Inside, its traditional craftsmanship is matched to striking 21st century style. Hand-trimmed in the finest quality materials, the cabin is that of an authentic sports car. Driver and passenger sit low, close to the car's centre of gravity, where they can feel the car reacting to the input of the driver - it's a special sensation, usually only experienced in racing cars. The connection between car and driver is very direct. Very sporting. Instantaneous. Usability 24-Hour Sports Car The V8 Vantage is a high-performance sports car, yet the engine is so tractable, the handling so predictable, the visibility so good and the controls so easy to use that it is as comfortable in town or city as it is on country roads or even the track. The car's tailgate adds to its day-to-day practicality, while high safety standards provide reassurance whatever the driving conditions. All of which means the V8 Vantage can be a weekday working car, as well as a weekend treat. This is a car that will thrill you on the track, yet serve you just as well in town. It's an exhilarating drive on the world's most demanding race circuits, yet is quite happy on motorways, in traffic or across country. One of the world's most inspiring after-hours sports cars, it is nonetheless quite happy labouring from nine to five. As you would expect of an Aston Martin, it has been thoroughly - and painstakingly - tested. The V8 Vantage has endured the most extensive testing and development programme in the company's long history, during which 50 prototypes were rigorously tested over more than half a million miles. Over 12,000 miles of testing, including maximum speed runs, were carried out in Dubai, where the ambient temperature regularly hit 48?C and the bodywork of the cars reached 87?C. 37,000 miles of high-speed testing was also conducted at the Nardo test track in Italy, where the car ran at high speed for hours on end. Extensive testing was carried out at the Nurburgring's Nordschleife in Germany, the world's most daunting motor racing circuit, and cold weather testing, in temperatures as low as -30?C, was undertaken in Sweden. There is a surprising amount of space inside the two-seater cabin - not just for driver and passenger, but for luggage too, making the V8 Vantage the perfect ally for a weekend away. The practical shelf behind the seats is easily large enough for everyday items such as soft bags, jackets and a briefcase, but behind that is a more substantial luggage area that's up to three times larger than those of some rivals, with 300 litres (10.6 cu ft) of carrying space. So you can take a set of golf clubs with you too, if you choose. Skis are no problem, either: there is no partition between cabin and boot, so they can be loaded through the tailgate. The large fuel tank and efficient engine mean that long stretches between refuelling are easy: up to 560 km (350 miles) of touring is possible. The cabin is full of everyday conveniences: as well as the good stowage space, there's a satellite navigation option with a six and a quarter inch screen that retracts automatically when not in use and an integrated GSM telephone (simply insert your SIM card into a drawer in the main instrument console) or Voice Activated Bluetooth telephone preparation. Everything is in place to ensure that time spent in the cabin of the V8 Vantage is as efficient and pleasurable as possible. Full Strength The V8 Vantage is one of the safest Aston Martin sports cars ever made - thanks in part to an array of electronic safety features, but also to the inherent strength of the car itself. Its all-alloy structure makes for a very strong passenger cell and further protection is offered by deformable front and rear crumple zones, which absorb crash energy so that the driver and passenger do not. Excellent side impact protection is also inbuilt, thanks to the large sills, strong roof pillars, door impact beams, and the substantial dashboard and footwell structures. The fuel tank, meanwhile, is mounted amidships - good not only for safety but also for balance and handling - and encased in its own aluminium compartment. Both driver and passenger benefit from dual-stage airbags (deployed in one of two stages depending on the severity of the accident) and side airbags. In addition to all this, the V8 Vantage incorporates a suite of electronic safety aids to help keep it away from accidents. These include Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) to prevent wheel slippage or loss of traction, Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD) to achieve optimal braking balance, and Emergency Brake Assist (EBA) which automatically applies full braking power when the driver brakes in an emergency. Positive Torque Control (PTC) also acts to help prevent the rear wheels from locking in an engine braking situation. Headlamps feature innovative LED (light emitting diode) indicators and side lights, and optional xenon dipped beam headlights are available. The rear lamps employ 360 LEDs for lights, brake and indicators. As a result, they illuminate 200 milliseconds faster than conventional brake lights, providing an additional full car length of stopping distance at 100 km/h (62 mph) for the following car. In real-life situations, that kind of detail can be critical, so it is reassuring to know that the V8 Vantage pays as much attention to safety as it does to performance and handling.
While we strive to keep this website current, certain changes in standard equipment, options, prices, availability or delays may occur that may not be immediately reflected on this site. Your Aston Martin Dealer is your best source for up-to-date information. Aston Martin reserves the right to change product specifications at any time without incurring obligations. Options shown or described are available at an extra cost and may be offered only in combination with other options or subject to additional ordering requirements or limitations. Aston Martin (V8 Vantage, DB9, DB9 Volante, Vanquish S): Volvo; Jaguar; Land Rover; Aston Martin |
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