£120,000 ASTON MARTIN THAT WANTS TO BEAT THE PORSCHE

ASTON Martin has launched a £120,000 195 mph two-seater designed to take on Germany’s Porsche’s 911.

The James Bond car maker is hoping the Vantage will propel it towards its first pre-tax profit since 2010. It also moves its recovery plan up a gear ahead of a speculated stock-market flotation.

Chief executive Andy Palmer said the car ‘will be our biggest seller, accounting for 50pc of our total current volume. That’ll be around 3,500 cars by 2019’.

He said the Vantage was the most beautiful car he had worked on in his 38-year motor industry career.

Aston Martin announce third quarter results today, which are expected to show that its turnaround plan, due to complete in 2022, is accelerating well. And its Second Century plan to launch a car every year for seven years is on track.

Even before it was off the design board, the Vantage inspired the DB10. Only ten were made for Spectre, the last Bond movie. First deliveries of the Vantage are planned from May next year.

Aston Martin also took the wraps off a racing version of the car called Vantage GTE yesterday. It will compete in the World Endurance Championships where it hopes to emulate the Le Mans-winning success of its predecessor.