Aston Martin V8 Vantage

	Aston Martin V8 Vantage
	Debut: 2005 Maker: Aston Martin Predecessor: no

Published on 5 Oct 2005

In my mind the name "Aston V8 Vantage" always refer to an old fashion, big V8 British grand tourer. It sat on the top of Aston's lineup and was hand-produced at a rate of a few dozens a year, if lucky. Now Aston use the same name for a modern, high-tech and nimble sports car. On the contrary to its predecessor, it becomes the entry-level Aston and will be produced at 3,000 cars a year. It will be Aston Martin's 911.

All the good changes happened recently at Aston should be down to Ulrich Bez, the Aston boss who had been the father of Porsche 993 during his long service at the German sports car maker. Bez knows so well what made Porsche so successful - quality, image and character, apart from performance and driving fun. I guess he should also know his flyweight company cannot match Porsche in engineering expertise. No wonder he doesn't like to call the V8 Vantage a 911 fighter. Unfortunately, almost all motoring writers do this, and many compare both cars side by side to find out which one is better. And you can guess the result. Yes, Aston may be David, but Porsche is far smarter than Goliath.

Sorry for telling you the result so early, but I just want to say we had better to understand V8 Vantage. At £80,000, it is in a segment where subjective feeling like image and character dominate the buying habit. If you think a 911 Carrera S is better simply because it goes faster, handles better and £15,000 cheaper, then you would be wrong. Does the 911 possess a look so beautiful as the Aston? does its cabin feel as bespoke as the Aston? can it match the rarity of the Aston? when you spend so much money, do you want to be treated as a royal customer, or just one of the 100,000 customers every year purchasing a Porsche vehicle?

The V8 Vantage's beautiful shape is again penned by Henrik Fisker. Compare with the 2+2 DB9, the 2-seater V8 Vantage looks sportier. It is a true sports car shape - unlike 911 which is still a coupe shape - with flared fenders, very short tail and a sleek rising wedge shape. Aston signature grille dominates the nose, as is the side ventilation behind the front wheels.

The car shares the VH platform with DB9 to make cost feasible. Because it switches to a small-capacity V8 instead of the big V12, the engine can be mounted further back and, when mated to the rear mounted transaxle, achieves an excellent balance of 49:51 front to rear. The 2-seater chassis is 315 mm shorter than DB9, but the wheelbase is just 140 mm shorter, implying the wheels are pushed towards the corners to aid handling.

The chassis is made of aluminum space frames, bonded by rivets and glue like its sister car. Chassis rigidity is increased to 27,000 Nm/degree. The body consists of various lightweight materials, such as aluminum (doors and bonnet), steel (side panels and rear fenders), composites (front fenders and hatchback) and magnesium (inner door panels). However, the whole car tips the scale at 1570 kg, just 140 kg lighter than DB9. Porsche engineers must be proud that its steel monocoque 911 Carrera S undercuts that by 150 kilograms.

On paper, the 4.3-litre V8 of the baby Aston is also considered to be sub-standard. The origin of the engine is the 300 hp 4.2-litre Jaguar V8. Although Aston tried very hard to improve it with its own cylinder heads, intake manifolds, pistons, con-rods and crankshafts to loosen its top end, it can only liberate another 80 horsepower at 7000 rpm. The 302 lbft torque is as unimpressive. With variable valve timing at the intake side only (this is untouched from the Jaguar engine), and the lack of variable intake manifolds, no wonder it produces power without the efficiency of Porsche's boxer engine, let alone Ferrari's 4.3-litre V8. The F430 engine produces an astonishing 110 more horsepower from the same capacity and 40 lbft more torque. That car stormed to 60 mph in 3.6 seconds and tops 196 mph. This makes the Aston's 4.9 seconds and 175 mph almost leisure. Even the Carrera S' 4.4 sec and 182 mph can easily leave the Aston in dust.

So what did Ulrich Bez bring to Aston?

The answer is desirability. We always know desirability is not necessarily related to measurable performance. I prefer to use Smart Roadster as an example: it runs like a turtle, but its desirability matches a 911. The same can apply to the baby Aston.

The desirability starts when you drop in its hand-stitched leather buckets. The V8 Vantage employs a metallic instrument panel and center console almost exactly the same as DB9. The bespoke feel is not mass production sports cars like Porsche can reproduce.

Then you press the start button and the V8 comes alive. Squeeze the throttle and it roars loudly in a raw and violent sound, like an angry lion. What a sound ! how it cheated those noise regulations is a mystery, but this unique sound definitely adds to the unique experience in the Aston.

I suspect the engine sound is one of the secret weapons of Bez to fight against his ex-employer, because it comes at no extra cost and it lets the V8 Vantage feel faster than it is. In fact, the car cannot keep up with Carrera S, let alone GT3 and the similarly priced 911 Turbo. BMW M6 is also faster. But these German cars have a common problem: they are mass production, or based on a mass production model. People buy them to exploit their performance. In contrast, the baby Aston is more like Ferrari (its production rate is the same as F430) - people buy them to enjoy their style and character, plus the premium image they deliver.

That said, the V8 Vantage is the most user friendly Aston Martin to date. Its power delivery is smooth and linear, its clutch is light and progressive, its gearshift is even one of the best in the industry, being crisp and short. The driveline refinement is impressive.

On the other hand, the V8 Vantage also rides and handles brilliantly. Compare with the stiffly sprung DB9, the baby Aston rides much more comfortable, thanks to the lighter engine, stronger chassis and the extra time it spent to refine the damping. The ride is firm but supple enough to be a long distance cruiser. On poorly surfaced B roads, it is even more absorbent than the 911 Carrera S.

Steers into corners, the baby Aston's flat body control and superb balance inspires confidence. It might be just 140 kg lighter than the DB9, but it feels much more nimble and the difference is the same as their type suggest: sports car vs grand tourer. The steering, having lost speed sensitive power assistance, is more precise and faithful than the DB9.

That said, Porsche 911 Carrera S is even sharper – its steering has more feedback at lock, its tires provide more traction, its brakes are more powerful, and it corners with higher limit than the Aston can manage. The margin is small, but in every objective area the German car outperforms the British car even though it is considerably cheaper. It proves that Porsche is still the standard of sports car industry.

However, the high level of precision, refinement and user friendliness achieved by the baby Aston is already sufficient to impress its wealthy target customers. Then they will consider the subjective aspects – design, engine sound, exclusivity.... Bez knows this business very well.

Verdict:

Published on 18 Feb 2008

V8 Vantage N400

The best handling Aston ever made...

Have you ever heard Aston Martin mentioned how fast its cars lapped Nurburgring Nordschleife ? Five years ago no one could have imagined that, because the British luxury sports car brand used to stress brutal power and impeccable craftsmanship more than anything else. But time as changed since German guy Ulrich Bez sitting at the top of the company. He copied the know-how trained in Porsche to Gaydon and started measuring the absolute performance of his cars according to Nurburgring lap time. In this way, a sportier version of V8 Vantage was produced. It lapped Nurburgring Nordschleife in less than 8 minutes, which matched a 911 Carrera S. Aston would call it N400, where N stands for Nurburgring and 400 is the horsepower count. Some 480 units of this car will be produced before most of its technology is transferred to the production V8 Vantage. Each one will cost 13 percent more than the standard car.

Externally, the V8 Vantage N400 doesn't differ much from the regular car. What impress us most are the tuned engine and suspensions. The 4280 cc V8 gets a smoother intake system and revised engine management program to liberate more power from the mid-range to the top end. Now it generates 400 horsepower at 7300 rpm instead of 380 hp / 7000 rpm. Maximum torque increases a little bit as well. Subjectively, the engine feels livelier than the numbers suggested. However, Aston claims 0-60 mph is reduced by only 0.1 seconds while top speed is increased by 2 mph.

That means most of the reduction in lap time is down to the suspension upgrade. Stiffer springs (40% up at front and 30% up at the rear), stiffer dampers and thicker rear anti-roll bars improves the body control a lot, resulting in flat cornering and excellent high-speed stability. Amazingly, the ride quality is actually improved over the regular V8 Vantage, thanks to the well-judged damping as well as the lower unsprung mass contributed by lighter alloy wheels. Unquestionably, N400 is the best handling Aston ever made. However, a 911 Carrera S is considerably cheaper, while GT3 is faster and sharper still. The Aston will need more muscle to justify its price.

Verdict:

Published on 5 Jun 2008

V8 Vantage 4.7

AM V8 no longer feels second-class to 911 Carrera S and Audi R8...

Soon after the completion of V8 Vantage N400, Aston Martin introduced an evolutionary upgrade to the whole V8 Vantage line. This is certainly not a “facelift”, because apart from a different wheel design there is no changes at all to the exterior – no complaints here, considering how good the V8 Vantage always looks. There are some refinements made to the interior, but they are too minor to be mentioned in AutoZine, too. The biggest change is the V8 engine, which has grown from 4.3 to 4.7 liters.

By lengthening the stroke by 5mm and enlarging the bore by 2mm, Ford’s Cologne engine plant (which builds all Aston Martin engines) increased the capacity of the V8 to 4735 cc. Predictably, a larger bore requires larger valves, intake ports and manifolds, while the longer stroke requires a new forged crankshaft and conrods. Cologne also took this chance to lighten the conrods and counter weights to improve engine response. As a result, horsepower has been up by 40 to 420. Max torque is 347 lb-ft, a considerable improvement from the previous 302 lb-ft. Aston claims top speed is raised from 175 mph to 180 mph, while 0-60 mph acceleration is reduced from 4.9 to 4.7 seconds.

In normal driving, you can feel the extra punch from 3500 rpm upwards, but the magnitude (and sound) is not as sensational as the similarly-sized V8 of Maserati GranTurismo S or Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione. Among 2-seater sports cars it is not particularly quick. In fact, it is still slower than Porsche 911 Carrera S, which is quite disappointing because it has a larger engine, a more sophisticated aluminum chassis and a higher price tag. We heard Cologne will build a 5.0-liter version V8 for Jaguar. Why doesn’t Aston Martin employ an engine at least as large ? You know, the name “V8 Vantage” used to refer to a 5.3-liter V8 model, so there is still plenty of space for upgrade.

Why doesn't it employ a 5.0 V8 like the future Jaguar ?

To save the day, at least the new engine is more economical and clean. Fuel economy is improved from 18.8 mpg to 20.4 mpg, while CO2 emission is reduced from 358g/km to 328g/km. Like many other cases, a larger and torquer engine actually reduces fuel consumption as it does not need to be revved so hard.

Apart from engine, Aston also refined the drivetrain by introducing a lighter clutch and flywheel, refined software of Sportshift semi-automatic to improve response in Sport mode and improve smoothness in Comfort mode. That said, this gearbox is still far from world class, thus the standard 6-speed manual is always recommended. At the chassis, suspensions have received stiffer springs (up 11% front and 5% rear), revised upper damper mountings and bump stops and standard low-friction Bilstein dampers. Steering feel and accuracy is improved by revised steering geometry and stiffer bushings at front lower suspension arms. New 19-inch alloy wheels complete the chassis modifications.

On the road, there is a slight improvement to ride and handling. However, to enjoy the full effect you must equip this car with the optional Sports Pack, which includes 45% stiffer springs, retuned dampers and lighter forged alloy wheels. For sure, low speed ride is quite hard, but once you push the car its damping improves, its body control is excellent, its rear end feels more planted and its steering is meaty and responsive. On back roads the AM V8 no longer feels second-class to 911 Carrera S and Audi R8. It still lacks the tactile steering feel of Porsche and the controls are physical compare with Audi, but it is engaging to drive nonetheless. Putting style and exclusivity into the equation, the revised V8 Vantage is still a sensible choice, if not the best of the class objectively.

Verdict:

Published on 19 Jun 2009

V12 Vantage

Combines the best of the both worlds: V8 Vantage's chassis and DBS' V12...

We prefer the handling of V8 Vantage to the bigger DBS as it is nimbler and better balanced. However, its V8 engine, even in the latest 4.7-liter form, is no where as powerful and aurally desirable as the 5.9-liter V12 sitting under the bonnet of DBS. Now Aston Martin is going to give you the best of both worlds in V12 Vantage. The concept behind this car is simple: drop a big V12 into the compact chassis of Vantage, then beef up its suspensions, brakes, tires etc. to create a hardcore driving machine. A £135,000 price tag is closer to the level of DBS (£160,000) than the standard V8 Vantage (£83,000), but its exclusivity is guaranteed by limiting annual production to 300-500 units. In other words, it will be rarer than the small Ferraris, Lamborghini and Porsche GT3 / GT2.

V12 Vantage measures the same length, width and wheelbase as its V8 brother. Externally, it can be easily recognized by four cooling scoops opened on the bonnet. The rest is similar to N400, including the aggressive side skirts and tail spoiler. If you have eagle eyes, you may notice its wider and lower profile Pirelli P-Zero Corsa tires. Inside, everything is identical to the standard car except a few minor alternations, such as carbon-fiber door handles, aluminum gearstick and, if you pay an extra £1800, a pair of lightweight carbon-fiber bucket seats by Recaro. The latter saves some 17 kilograms.

The 5935cc V12 has the same specifications as DBS, which means 510 horsepower and 420 lb-ft of torque. The only difference is that it is mounted closer to the ground, so close that the depth of its sump has to be cut by 15 mm and the smooth undertray of DBS has to go away. The latter explains why its top speed is “only” 190 mph, or 1 mph lower than DBS. Transmission is again that 6-speed manual transaxle – what else can you expect for the most hardcore Aston Martin?

N400 donated its aggressive side skirts and tail spoiler.

Because the V12 is heavier than the V8 by 87 kg, some weight has to be trimmed elsewhere. Apart from the aforementioned Recaro seats, this car employs Brembo carbon-cermaic brake as standard (same size and specifications as DBS again), lightweight forged alloy wheels and thinner inner rear quarter panels. In the end, V12 Vantage carries only 50 kg more than V8 Vantage. As a result, power-to-weight ratio has been lifted from 258 to 304 hp per ton. On the downside, as the engine bay does not have enough room to accommodate the whole V12 behind front axle, its static weight distribution is reversed from 49:51 to 51:49.

Modifications to the chassis is business as usual. Its ride height has been dropped by 15 mm to lower center of gravity. Front springs have been stiffened by 70% to take on the extra weight of engine, versus 45% at the rear. Front and rear anti-roll bars have gained 45% and 75% stiffness respectively. Designed as a hardcore machine, the car forgoes DBS’ electronic adaptive dampers.

On the road, V12 Vantage feels stronger, sharper and angrier than any other current Aston Martins. Its big engine produces tremendous torque so that the first two gears are superfluous. 3rd and 4th are what you need to attack most roads. 0-60 mph can be easily done in 4.1 seconds, very fast considering it doesn’t have Ferrari’s clever gearbox and launch control. The engine is very responsive to your right foot. Press the Sport button, its throttle response gets sharper still, so sharp that you could feel a little nervous. The thunder coming from the V12 is another warning signal.

510hp V12 barely fits the small engine compartment...

Surprisingly, despite of the extra weight over the front axle, the V12 Vantage doesn’t feel nose heavy. For sure it is not as flickable as 911 GT3, but it still steers accurately into bends as its front tires grip hard and its body hardly rolls. Those semi-slick Pirelli Corsas generate tremendous grip on dry surface – just beware of wet. What really feel heavy are its controls, i.e. steering and gearshift. It needs its pilot to work hard to deliver the best results, very much like older generations of supercars. Should you do that, it will reward you with accuracy and keen response. The ride quality is similar, hard at low speed – but with just enough compliance to deal with pot holes – and composed at high speed. Body control is always excellent, ditto the powerful braking.

Ultimately, the car is not as agile as those lighter mid or rear-engined rivals. You can storm a GT3 or Scuderia into bends more fluently than the 1680 kg Aston, which needs a slow-in / fast-out technique to avoid unsettling its balance. You may also ask for more feel from its heavy helm. Otherwise, there are not many faults.

In terms of usability, V12 Vantage is at the extreme of the GT spectrum. If you want to go long distance travel, it will give you just enough bump absorption, luggage space or creature comfort to do so. However, its true character is clearly in the sporting side. This is the GT2 of Aston Martin. One that combines maneuverability of modern sports cars and some brutal character of traditional supercars.

Verdict:

Published on 19 Mar 2011

V8 Vantage S

If you expect a big leap in performance, you might be disappointed with Aston Martin V8 Vantage S. This car follows the mild evolution strategy of Porsche, something no stranger to Aston boss Dr. Bez. In his words, the existing V8 Vantage is so right that no big changes but fine polishing are necessary. Its VH aluminum platform is still state of the art. Its V8 still produces the loveliest noise around. Its exterior is still beautiful and its interior is as tasteful as before. I mostly agree his arguments, but I believe the mildness of its evolution is more due to the company's lack of funding since its independence from Ford three years ago.

As a result, the S version – even the S stands for Sport – is not as powerful as you would expect. The 4.7-liter V8 gets only a boost of 10 horsepower and 14 pound-foot of torque through revised intake and ignition and new mufflers. It is not as punchy as Maserati MC Stradale's same-capacity V8, especially at mid-range rev. Due to the lack of variable intake manifolds and variable exhaust cam phasing, its power concentrates at the upper end, so you will need to work harder through gearchange to keep the engine boiling within its sweet zone, which lies somewhere between 5000 and 7300 rpm. Fortunately, the new Graziano 7-speed Sportshift II gearbox helps. With an additional ratio, its first 6 ratios can be stacked closer to aid the engine, so you get the desired rev more easily.

Nevertheless, the robotized manual gearbox is by no means the best gearbox around. Aston chose it instead of modern twin-clutch box because it fits into the Vantage without much modifications. Yes, it is much lighter than DCTs – even compare to the old 6-speed Sportshift it is 24 kg lighter, thanks largely to switching from oil to air cooling – but the shift quality is far from perfect, much less smooth than DCTs. It has two modes – normal or sport. In the former, gearshift is sluggish. In Sport mode, gearshift is said to be 20 percent faster than before, but even so it is nowhere as responsive as the one of Maserati MC Stradale, which is also a single-clutch box. That said, the Aston gearbox works well at 100 percent effort. Push the engine harder and you will get better response from the gearbox. Gearchange near redline is fast and incisive, if slightly brutal. The new gearbox might be temperamental, but the reward it brings to hardwork is quite satisfying.

The Sport button not only speeds up gearshifts but also throttle response and switch the new mufflers to "loud" mode. I always think the V8 Vantage produces the angriest noise among road cars, more so than any Ferrari flat-crank V8s. The S version is even crazier once its bypass valves open. It is a race-car-like scream – sharp, raucous and incredibly loud. How it can pass noise regulations is a mystery. If there is any area the car clearly overwhelms its rivals, it is definitely the noise.

Rest of modifications are predictable. The S gets lower and firmer suspension setup (still without adaptive damping though), larger front brake discs (380mm instead of 355mm) with 6-piston calipers, wider Bridgestone rubbers, lightweight wheels and a quicker steering rack (15:1 instead of 17:1). The whole car is 30 kg lighter than the standard Vantage. All these sum up to a better chassis dynamics. The ride is definitely firm on rough surfaces, but in return it brings more composure at speed, and the chassis feels tauter and sharper all the time. The combination of quicker steering and enhanced front-end grip sharpens its turn-in, if not really sorted out its slight nervousness at the limit of adhesion. Overall, the S is more capable and more entertaining than the standard V8 Vantage while losing no friendliness as a road car.

However, I can't help thinking more could have been done if Aston was given a bigger R&D budget. The engine could be more advanced, more powerful and flexible. The ride could be more supple if adaptive dampers are introduced. The gearbox could be quicker and slicker. These weak spots prevent the V8 Vantage S from challenging the laurels of Porsche 911 Turbo, Audi R8 and Nissan GT-R. That said, those buying the Aston are unlikely to make purchasing decisions purely on the ground of objective measurement. If exclusivity, style and engine noise are especially important to you, then it will be a very good choice.

Verdict:

Specifications