Aston Martin’s much-loved V8 Vantage just got better
A special-edition V8 Vantage is a fitting celebration of a new era for Aston Martin. Nicole Garcia Merida reports
At first glance the latest Aston Martin Vantage “might appear to be little more than an extreme and expensive new version of a car we already know and mostly love”, says Steve Sutcliffe in AutoExpress magazine. “But in reality, it is a sign of things to come under the new regime at Aston Martin, and it’s a good sign.”
The luxury car brand re-entered Formula One just over a year ago as a manufacturer in its own right, having taken a break from 1960. It has also appointed Tobias Moers as its new boss. It felt right, then, to “launch a new version of an existing road car” to commemorate both events. The Vantage F1 has been made “sharper, quicker and more focused than the V8 Vantage on which it’s based”.
And it’s far from just a “stripes and fancy paint special edition”, says Adam Towler on Evo. A myriad of structural improvements have delivered a new “calmness and precision” to the way the F1 changes direction “that simply wasn’t there before”. Drivers can feel “genuinely connected to the car now”, accurately placing it on the road thanks to its stable steering, “which in turn makes you... enthusiastic about dispatching a sequence of curves with gusto”. Although “barely different on paper”, the engine “certainly feels more energetic” and gear shifts have become more sophisticated. This upgrade has made it “a lot less intimidating, while simultaneously being much more effective and enjoyable at the same time”.
Subscribe to MoneyWeek
Subscribe to MoneyWeek today and get your first six magazine issues absolutely FREE
Sign up to Money Morning
Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter
Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter
It is “a thorough dynamic revision of a car that was already pretty well sorted”, says Matt Bird on Piston Heads. Anyone who “feels a modern sports car lacks a sense of occasion owes it to themselves to drive an F1”.
Price: from £142,000. Engine: 3,982cc, twin turbocharged V8. Power: 535bhp at 6,000rpm. Torque: 505 lb ft at 2,000-5,000rpm. Top speed: 195mph; 0-62mph: 3.6 seconds.
Nic studied for a BA in journalism at Cardiff University, and has an MA in magazine journalism from City University. She joined MoneyWeek in 2019.
-
Coventry Building Society bids £780m for Co-operative Bank - what could it mean for customers?
Coventry Building Society has put in an offer of £780 million to buy Co-operative Bank. When will the potential deal happen and what could it mean for customers?
By Vaishali Varu Published
-
Review: Three magnificent Beachcomber resorts in Mauritius
MoneyWeek Travel Ruth Emery explores the Indian Ocean island from Beachcomber resorts Shandrani, Trou aux Biches and Paradis
By Ruth Emery Published
-
Val d’Isère is a valley of delights
MoneyWeek Travel Matthew Partridge reviews Airelles Val d’Isere and Hotel Mont-Blanc in the famous French ski resort
By Dr Matthew Partridge Published
-
Review: The Ozen Collection – a dream stay in the Maldives
MoneyWeek Travel Ozen Life Maadhoo and Ozen Reserve Bolifushi, where luxury meets nature, are almost too good to be true, says Nicole García Mérida.
By Nicole García Mérida Published
-
Review: An odyssey through Sri Lanka
MoneyWeek Travel Merryn Somerset Webb explores the South Asian country’s ruins, jungle and fabulous food.
By Merryn Somerset Webb Published
-
Flexjet review: the only way to fly
MoneyWeek Travel Chris Carter flies with Flexjet, a provider of fractional ownership of private jets, to St Moritz in Switzerland for the Snow Polo World Cup.
By Chris Carter Published
-
South American nature holidays – take a walk on the wild side
Travel We find holidays in South America where you can explore nature in all its diversity.
By Chris Carter Published
-
10 most affordable places to rent (and least) in England
As rent prices increase, it’s good to know where renters can get the best value. And which are the least affordable areas, to avoid.
By Nicole García Mérida Published
-
Collectables: The Christmas gift for people who have everything
A collectable is deeply personal. It is the archetypal thoughtful Christmas gift.
By Chris Carter Published
-
Lucknam Park Hotel review: a stately stay in the country
MoneyWeek Travel Matthew Partridge tries his hand at horse riding at the luxury Lucknam Park Hotel in Wiltshire.
By Dr Matthew Partridge Published