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Aston Martin's revitalised lineup and F1 exploits inject much-needed vigour and return the once-revered brand to pundits' radars as exclusive and sporty models for the discerning buyer. At its bottom rung sits the Vantage, which has always been the gateway to the Gaydon-based luxury brand but perhaps up to now has been considered a wee bit humdrum in the driving stakes and not quite as sharp a driving tool as it should have been.
Well, it turns out that the engineers metaphorically asked someone to hold their beer while they returned to the lab to tend to the latest Vantage. Avon travelled to Spain earlier this year and came away mightily impressed at what has been thrown at this car to make it that much more engaging and, more importantly, exciting. So when the opportunity came for me to recently assess the model and form my opinion, I jumped at the opportunity.
When the current generation Vantage was launched back in 2018, it had one and only one task: to engage the driver. And, while it did engage, it was a little rough around the edges and had a fairly tail-happy disposition, but not in a way that would flatter the driver, but rather scare them silly to the point of curbing their enthusiasm if they attempted to exploit the vehicle’s performance envelope. Also, the fact that it was aimed squarely at a completely new Aston audience meant that the design was less signature and more left-field to what we have become accustomed to, particularly that front end.
So, for the 2024 facelifted model, Aston decided to throw everything at this car. This started with tightening up the face by sculpting with a scalpel rather than injecting Botox, as some facelifts usually dictate. Both the front and rear have been given a more menacing appearance, thanks to a wider front grille and reworked rear, replete with more pronounced haunches, a wider diffuser, and larger quad exhaust pipes. Overall, it has a more cohesive design that captivates and will have you poring over every panel.
Thankfully, the cabin has also been given the once-over, thanks to the 10.25-inch infotainment screen lifted wholesale from the DB12 that offers a better UX and crisper graphics. Build quality, too, feels good with a solidly hewn tactile feel that brings it up to date with German rivals. Cabin space for oddments is on the scant side if I’m honest, so you might have to be deliberate with what you can and cannot take along. Boot space for a 2-seat sportscar is adequate at best, but don’t expect to lug large amounts of luggage; it just isn’t going to happen. There is also a parcel shelf behind the seats, which is handy.
Shoehorned under the bonnet is the AMG-sourced 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 that now pushes out 489kW and 800Nm to the rear wheels and is shuffled through an 8-speed automatic gearbox. It is a characterful powerplant that fires to life with a guttural roar before settling into a burbling idle note. Flick it into Drive and ease off, and it remains a civil thing with a surprisingly compliant ride quality and good visibility from the driver's seat. Sport is the default drive mode setting, but you also get Sport+ and Race as you cycle up the modes. On the other end, you get Comfort, Wet, and Individual—the latter giving you a choice to tailor individual vehicle parameters to suit your needs.
On the road, from the outset, the Vantage feels muscular—a proper bruiser with a deep well of power. It is a car that demands you to calibrate your senses and take stock as soon as you settle into those comfy yet supportive sports seats. Whereas the Porsche 911’s performance is usable and better exploitable, the Vantage requires a smoother driving style to extract the most out of it. Rush it and try to take liberties with it, and it will bite you. Not discreetly, but rather take chunks out of you. It can be intimidating to the novice, but I prefer sportscars to instill a feeling of respect in the driver, and the Vantage does this in spades.
There’s an 8-stage traction system to allow varying degrees of slip the higher you go, with 8 being TC and ESP off. I quite like the new eDiff, which offers prodigious traction, particularly out of corners, and the fact that you are sitting almost nigh on the rear axle means you feel what the chassis is doing and how the vehicle behaves under throttle inputs. While the engine remains at the centre of the drivetrain, it does not completely overshadow other aspects of the vehicle but rather plays a supporting role in extracting the best performance out of the vehicle. There is so much power and performance that you wonder if the 489kW and 800Nm are not under-quoted figures because the Vantage feels like it packs far more muscle than the figures suggest.
It might not be a precision tool like the Porsche 911, but this updated Aston Martin is a raw, unfiltered driving machine that requires your undivided attention to exploit, and that, if little else, makes it a rather compelling and exciting proposition—enough to don our 2024 “Performance Car of the Year” award.
At a cool R4 949 999, the Aston Martin Vantage is for the well-heeled individual who rates style, exclusivity, and performance above all else. It might not be a clinical proposition, but that adds to its charm rather than detract from it, and we quite like that character.
Finally, the Aston Vantage has found its mojo of being an entertaining sportscar with huge reserves of power and torque to keep you wide awake behind the wheel. And fact that it drips with achingly good looks gets our rubber stamp of approval.
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