Design

The V8 Vantage is one of the world’s most beautiful cars: elegant, yet with a controlled aggression; perfectly proportioned, with a low, purposeful stance; modern, yet incorporating classic Aston Martin design cues. A stunning example of design purity, the V8 Vantage is, above all, instantly recognisable as an Aston Martin. The long, low bonnet line and two-seater cabin provide the perfect balance between beauty and sporting intent. The V8 Vantage sits low and close to the road, while the front and rear overhangs have been purposely minimised. The side profile forms a simple sweep, a curved line like a bow under tension, while the rear haunches are wide and muscular, like the flanks of a powerful animal.

From the outset, Aston Martin’s engineers and designers focused on reducing size and weight, as well as optimising weight distribution, to maximise agility. At just 4380 mm (172.5 inches) long, not only is the V8 Vantage the smallest model in the Aston Martin range, but it also benefits from the inherent agility that accompanies compact design and excellent weight distribution. Craft and technology play a crucial role. Hand-finished body panels ensure a perfect fit, while an all-alloy underbody structure – derived from aerospace manufacturing – incorporates bonded aluminium extrusions and castings for superb rigidity and minimal weight. The large side panels are single, hand-finished, steel pressings, ensuring that the side and rear three-quarter views are especially clean, with a minimum of unsightly shut lines.

Inside, traditional craftsmanship is combined with 21st century technology. Hand-trimmed using the finest materials, the cabin places the driver at the heart of an authentic sports car. The two-seater cabin offers generous space, not just for driver and passenger, but for luggage too, making the V8 Vantage the perfect ally for a weekend away. The Coupe’s rear hatchback opens to reveal a substantial 300-litre (10.6 cu ft) luggage area, offering up to three times more space than some rivals, while the V8 Vantage Roadster’s 144-litre (5.1 cu ft) luggage capacity is also class-leading. A large fuel tank means that long stretches between refuelling are easy.

Craftmanship

Starting an Aston Martin is a moment to savour. Sit behind the three-spoke steering wheel and set the multi-position, electrically adjustable seats. Feel the quality of the hand-stitched leather rim and sense the intuitive layout of the primary controls. The driver’s first interaction with the powerful V8 engine is a blend of tradition and high technology, with a touch of theatre. The ignition is controlled by a stainless steel and glass ECU (Emotion Control Unit), designed to be as tactile and refined as a fine timepiece. The ECU is inserted into a special docking station set within the traditional clear glass starter button. Pressing the ECU fully into the starter button fires the engine. After pressing once again to stop the engine, the ECU rises slowly out of its slot within the button so that it can be removed.

The instrument pack is carefully crafted from aluminium and has a three-dimensional profile for easy reading. To maintain a clear, simple design, with the warning lights hidden behind the aluminium mesh faces, becoming visible only when illuminated. The central message displays use organic electroluminescence (OEL) – a process pioneered by Aston Martin – making them easier to read than conventional LCDs.

The V8 Vantage is hand-assembled and hand-finished. Only craftsmen can deliver the design details and level of finish that Aston Martin engineers and designers demand, creating a quality that is simply not possible in high-volume manufacture. Machines can stitch leather, for example, but they cannot do it with the same degree of care as experienced craftsmen. The use of hand-crafted processes and finishing not only means painstaking attention to detail, inside and out, but also gives Aston Martin’s designers freedom to produce the perfect form, avoiding the unsightly solutions generated by the inflexibility of mass production. Mass-produced cars frequently need plastic finishers to hide awkward production line joins, but such cosmetic make-up is unnecessary at Aston Martin. For instance, the shut lines on the bonnet of the V8 Vantage run all the way to the front of the car without the need for a separate nose cone, creating a cleaner, crisper design. Hand-finished metal mesh grilles and trims are used instead of plastic alternatives, while the single aperture cuts for the headlamps in the front wings of the V8 Vantage could not be matched by any machine.

There is no rush with hand assembly; the over-riding concern is always quality. That is why all Aston Martins are built by hand, and it is why all the world’s finest luxury goods, from suits to watches, are still hand-made. When low volumes are desirable, and exclusivity is demanded, it is quite simply the only way to achieve the best finish. Integrity is a key cornerstone of Aston Martin and we believe that everything has to be right.

Control

The V8 Vantage delivers superb, responsive handling. Aston Martin’s unique all-alloy VH (Vertical Horizontal) architecture provides an excellent backbone, while the use of lightweight alloys, magnesium and advanced composites reduces body weight and creates class-leading rigidity. The car’s natural agility is also aided by a low polar moment of inertia and excellent weight distribution. Engineered to accommodate as much weight as possible within the wheelbase, the V8 Vantage has minimal front and rear overhangs. The engine is positioned well behind the front axle line, just ahead of the cabin, creating what is effectively a front mid-engined car. Dry sump lubrication enables the engine to sit lower in the car, dropping the centre of gravity and preventing cornering G-forces from restricting oil supply to the engine.

The transmission is rear mid-mounted forward of the rear axle line, improving weight distribution still further. The transmission is connected to the engine by a rigid, cast aluminium torque tube, housing the immensely strong and light carbon-fibre propeller shaft. A fast-shifting, six-speed manual gearbox is standard, its ratios perfectly matched to the performance of the V8 engine. Aston Martin’s acclaimed electro-hydraulic Sportshift transmission is available as an option. Offering precision gearshifts in around 200 milliseconds, the paddle-operated gearbox brings the sporting driver even closer to the car. When the paddles are not in use, Sportshift includes a user-selected ‘Auto Drive’ mode that will automatically select the right gear for the conditions. A ‘comfort’ setting allows for more relaxed changes.

The light, strong body structure of the V8 Vantage is combined with fully independent double wishbone suspension, resulting in outstanding handling and excellent ride quality. The suspension wishbones and dampers are aluminium, while the steering rack is solidly mounted forward of the front wheels – common on race cars but rarely seen on road cars – for better control, and to provide the driver with greater feedback and response.

The optional Sports Pack consists of forged, lightweight, five-spoke alloy wheels, revised dampers with an improved dynamic response, uprated springs and, for the Coupe, a revised rear anti-roll bar. The Sports Pack option provides improved high-speed body control, greater agility and more precise driver feedback.

The rigid body structure of the V8 Vantage ensures maximum communication between road and hand, relaying the car’s behaviour faithfully and accurately, and providing an undiluted driving experience that is well mannered and predictable at any speed.

Engineering

The V8 Vantage is inherently taut and agile. Its all-alloy structure creates an immensely strong passenger cell, and further protection is provided by deformable front and rear crumple zones designed to absorb crash energy. Excellent side impact protection is also inbuilt, thanks to the large sills, strong roof pillars, door impact beams and the substantial dashboard and footwell structures. Both driver and passenger benefit from dual-stage airbags (deployed in one of two stages, depending on the severity of the accident) and side airbags. The mid-mounted aluminium-encased fuel cell is not only safe but also improves balance and handling.

A suite of electronic safety aids helps to keep the V8 Vantage away from accidents. In addition to ABS and Traction Control, Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) prevents wheel slippage or loss of traction, Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD) achieves optimal braking balance and Emergency Brake Assist (EBA) automatically applies full braking power in an emergency situation. Positive Torque Control (PTC) also acts to help prevent the rear wheels from locking under engine braking. Monumental braking power is provided by sizeable disc brakes – 355 mm diameter at the front, 330 mm at the rear – which are both ventilated and grooved.

Front LED indicators and side lamps are joined by rear lamps employing 360 LEDs for lights, brakes and indicators, while optional xenon dipped beam headlights are also available. The ultra-quick illumination of the LEDs provides crucial additional reaction time for the car behind in the event of an emergency stop. In a potential roll-over situation, sensors in the Vantage Roadster instantly deploy two roll-hoops from the rear tonneau cover.

The V8 Vantage underwent an extensive testing and development programme, during which 50 prototypes were vigorously tested over more than half a million miles. Over 12,000 miles of desert driving, including maximum speed runs, were carried out in Dubai, where the ambient temperature regularly hit 48 degrees C and the bodywork of the cars reached 87 degrees C. Some 37,000 miles of high-speed testing were conducted at the Nardo test track in Italy, as well as on the Nürburgring Nordschleife in Germany, the world’s most daunting motor racing circuit. Cold-weather endurance testing was undertaken in Sweden, in temperatures as low as minus 30 degrees C.