ASTON MARTIN V8 VANTAGE COUPE 2005- Review
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Good Points
- Spectacular performance
- Stunning looks
- Sublime handling
- Amazing engine sounds
Bad Points
- Poor fuel efficiency
- High price
Engines
Over its life the Vantage has received two engines. The first was a 4.3-litre V8 engine producing 380bhp. This was replaced in 2008 by the same 4.3-litre engine, but that had been tweaked to get and extra 40bhp out of it taking it up to a whopping 420bhp. It comes with a six speed manual gearbox as standard.
Performance & Economy
The original 4.3 litre engine with its 380bhp was more than powerful enough, but now with the newer and more powerful model on the scene the Vantage is even faster flying from 0-60mph in just 4.7 seconds and surprisingly has an improved fuel efficiency as well managing 20mpg compared to the older engines 16mpg. However, you will be hard pressed to get anywhere near these official stats and will be more likely to be managing around the low teens. The six speed manual gearbox is a lot better than the paddle shift gearboxes found in previous cars from Aston but does require sharp, accurate and deliberate changes.
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Introduction
The Aston Martin Vantage may be the baby of the company, but don't let that fool you as it is blisteringly with its V8 engine. It is arguably the best looking car Aston has built to date, comes with an interior that is even more beautiful to behold than the outside and the handling and driving experience is just phenomenal proving to be just as at home cruising down the motorway, weaving your way through the Alps or driving around town as an everyday car.
Exterior & Interior
The Vantage is the baby of the Aston range and is based around the same platform as the DB9. The Vantage offers everything that Aston Martin is famous for with stunning good looks, superb speeds and high quality engineering. The interior is possibly even better than the exterior with aluminium dials, deep leather seats, crystal key mark and a neat instrument panel with the heating knobs being made out of machined alloy, taking away any sign of plastic trim. The seats are comfortable and low slung giving the feeling of a true sports car and there is plenty of head, shoulder and leg room. The boot is fairly large too at 300litres which is big enough for a couple of golf sets or overnight bags. There is also a small storage area behind the two seats for small items of luggage or coats and jackets. Additional storage space comes in the form of door bins, a cubby hole and two cup holders in between the two seats. It comes with a six CD multichanger, electrically adjustable seats, parking sensors, side airbags as well as traction, stability and climate control. Added options include heated seats, sat-nav and cruise control.
Drive
The Vantage is one seriously agile car thanks to the stiff chassis, short wheelbase and the engine that is mounted further back that enables it to react quickly with sharp, precise steering. There is plenty of grip that just keeps on coming enabling you to take the corners extremely quickly and with plenty of feel coming through the chassis and steering wheel you can feel how close you are to the edge. This is all thanks to bracing arms that are situated in the bonnet and behind the seats that help to keep the body rigid. The lightweight body structure is made out of composite alloys which combine to maintain perfect body control.
There is also an optional Sports Pack that comes with stiffer suspension, revised dampers and new lightweight alloys. It isn't just a sports car that you drive once in a while though as it makes a good everyday car that feels just at home driving through town as it does cruising down the motorway. The only down sides are that the steering doesn't transfer as much feedback to the driver as the chassis does and the visibility is poor when pulling out of junctions.
Faults & Repairs
Aston Martin has improved its reliability stats ten fold over the years and especially under Fords ownership, but that doesn't mean that the Vantage is problem free. There was one recall affecting cars built between the 27th October 2005 and 23rd May 2006 as they were prone to suffering from engine starts where they often wouldn't start at all. Other than that though there have been no problems or complaints from customers as the Vantage has to be the finest built Aston to date. Obviously service and repair costs are going to cost a small fortune.
