Engineering a Modern Classic

Aston Martin is an interesting company. Although they build cars to play in the big leagues alongside brands like Porsche and Ferrari, when it comes to dynamics, they just never quite live up to the competition. 

The Vantage is pegged as the entry-level Aston Martin, and the first generation went on sale in 2005. Its price put it in the range of a nicely specced 911, but with drop-dead good looks and a sonorous V8, the first-generation Vantage became an overnight hit for Aston and secured the model’s place in the lineup for good. The next generation car got a bit more expensive, but also received a Mercedes-AMG twin-turbo V8, putting its performance on a whole new level. 

These cars were great in their own respects, and for those looking to put a grand-touring sports car in their garage, they remain difficult to beat. But when it came to hard driving in the twisties, the performance its looks promised just wasn’t quite there. 

So, when Aston Martin first showed the all-new 2025 Vantage, the question remained - how would it handle? There was no doubt that the design was absolutely stunning - easily the most attractive since the original Vantage of 2005, and the 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 propels the car to 100 km/h in just over 3 seconds. 

We had a chance to get behind the wheel of a stunning silver Vantage for a couple of days to see what the new car is about. The specification of this car is gorgeous with its silver exterior, bronze wheels and green leather interior, it is reminiscent of cars from the DB4 and DB5 golden era for the brand and certainly makes a great first impression. 

Turn on the car, and a deep bark from the exhaust meets you - there are hints of AMG, but the sound from this Aston is its own. Almost immediately, the car feels more athletic than the outgoing variant. Where the previous generation felt more like a louder Bentley Continental GT in terms of its dynamics, the new car is sharper and far more willing to change direction. 

On these switchback-lined roads, a flick of the steering gets you pointed in the right direction for the next straightaway, and when you turn off the traction control, the tail is more than happy to step out in a controlled, pleasant manner. 

With a base price of just under €170,000, this Vantage is situated just between a 911 Turbo and Turbo S - but Aston’s enormous levels of customization mean that number can nearly double if you’re not careful. If the ultimate goal is competing on the track and winning, we would still choose the Porsche, but for an afternoon on some of our favorite roads? The Aston takes it every single time. 

There is no doubt that Aston Martin has vastly improved the Vantage, and this is easily the most capable and exciting generation to drive. The interior design and materials are beautiful and simple to operate, and perhaps the most important thing for an Aston Martin, the car looks outstanding speeding up a mountain pass. 

Aston Martin didn’t make a track weapon with this car, because they know that isn’t what their customers want. Instead, they have developed what may be the best driving grand touring car sub €200,000, and at that task, they absolutely excelled.

Many thanks to Aston Martin Verona