Aston Martin V8 Vantage

A long-anticipated road trip sees the Vantage in its element

EVER SINCE I BOUGHT THE VANTAGE I’VE promised myself a modest road trip, and this summer it was finally going to happen. So where to go? Before petrol prices went nuts, the North Coast 500 was an obvious contender, but by early summer I’d calculated that the cost of fuel alone, including getting from Cambridgeshire to Scotland and back, would be a thumping six hundred quid. Oof.

For roughly a third of that, either North Wales or the North York Moors would be suitable stand-ins, but which to choose? Both offered the kind of roads and scenery that would make for a memorable trip. Then a text landed from ace photographer and all-round good bloke Drew Gibson to say he was organising a rendezvous for a bunch of writers and snappers on the Moors. I figured that if I turned it into a three-day trip, then Mrs T would come along and we could also explore the rather lovely coastline that runs from Scarborough to Staithes.

And so in early August, just on the cusp of a heat-wave, off we headed up the A1, a couple of squashy bags swallowed with ease by the Aston’s very decent boot. And as the dual-carriageway miles ticked by, I was struck anew by the V8 Vantage’s grand touring qualities: the ride is certainly firm but rarely jarring; the road noise subdued on anything bar the coarsest surfaces; the air-con keeps the cabin chilled even when the thermometer hits the high-30s, and the firstgeneration seats, while not quite as supportive as the later items, are perfectly comfortable for a couple of hours at a time.

All of that said, it was a release to turn off the A1 and head for the Moors via the A64, peeling onto the A169 at Malton and aiming for Whitby. The run across the top, past banks of purple heather and the radar station at RAF Fylingdales, is one I know well from numerous evo group tests. It’s a cracking road, rapid and well-sighted, and it was great to find the Aston feeling so at home here.

Even better was to come the following day when the gang met at the NY500 – a car and bikedthemed café just outside Pickering – before heading in loose convoy towards Castleton. This road, Blakey Ridge, like many others in the area, is a wonderful test of a car’s balance and composure, the tarmac bucking and compressing as it twists over the landscape. Again, the Vantage wasn’t found wanting. It finds plenty of bite from its Pilot Sport 5s, spreading the work evenly between axles, with enough feedback from both ends of the car to keep you fully immersed in its progress and know that you’re edging towards its limits.

The only area where it felt wanting when pushed as hard as this was in the braking, with a rather wooden feel through the pedal and quite high pressures required to bring it down from high speed repeatedly. That said, both discs and pads are getting towards the end of their useful life, so replacements – and possibly upgrades – are probably overdue.

It didn’t detract from three thoroughly enjoyable days. As the Aston and I both took a breather on top of the moors, the Vantage’s allround appeal shone brighter than ever.

Date acquired March 2021 Total mileage 45,012 Mileage this month 675 Costs this month £0 mpg this month 20.8