Vantage points,
This brutish power plant is mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission — enabling the rear wheels to propel the car from a standstill to 100kph in 3.5 seconds and up to a claimed top rate of 314kph.
Inspiration has undoubtedly been drawn from the track-only, limited-edition Vulcan, Aston Martin’s two-door, two-seat car boasting a 7.0-liter, naturally aspirated V12 putting forth 820hp and 800Nm.
Visually, the Vantage echoes the Vulcan’s huge, muscular hood, and annexes the front mid-engine, rear wheel-drive configuration as well. Aston Martin says that aerodynamics play a big part in why the Vantage looks as it does. A front splitter “directs airflow underneath the car, where a system of fences channels cooling air where it is needed, and also ensures the rear diffuser is fed with clean airflow.” Through the diffuser, an area of low pressure is created while preventing rearwheel turbulence from disrupting the flow of air exiting centrally from beneath the rear of the car. Additionally, the company stresses that the “significant level of downforce” on the Vantage is a “rarity on a production car and a first for a core production Aston Martin model.”
Inside, the aggressive design concept plays out similarly. “Sharp, focused lines [denote] the more aggressive nature of the car. A high waist interior theme and lower driving position creates a more immersive driving experience, and contributes to significant gains in occupant space and significant improvement in headroom compared with the outgoing Vantage.”
Rotary- and toggle-style controls are used, while the familiar PRND transmission buttons have been arranged in a triangular formation. There is room behind the seats for stowage, in addition to the trunk.
In an interview with BusinessWorld held on the sidelines of the Vantage launch a Pasay City hotel, Aston Martin Manila president Marc Louie Y. Tagle described the vehicle as “very aggressive, younger, more dynamic, and sprightly,” adding that the front mid-mounted engine “contributes to [the] nice handling” of the car. Overall, it is a “fun, good, value-for-money car.”
Mr. Tagle lauded Aston Martin CEO Andy Palmer for making each vehicle in the portfolio unique. “They’re differentiating each model in both design and ride quality,” underscored Mr. Tagle. “This signifies a new era in Aston Martin.”
The executive revealed that the brand has been the leader in the ultra-high-end luxury automobile segment for the last two years.