English
Italian
Aston Martin V8 Vantage: Still One Of The Most Beautiful GT In History
ASTON MARTIN V8 VANTAGE
Words Carlo Brema / Photos Aston Martin Lagonda
Misunderstood in first place, thankfully re-evaluated today. It came out of what maybe was the darkest period of the Gaydon brand and although it presented everything that was needed for being considered another great Aston Martin, it seems that many have put it into oblivion for a few years. Outrageous, a real shame, because it would have been enough to pay more attention, read between the lines and listen to the hum of that extraordinary engine so as to realize that the V8 Vantage was destined to become an immortal classic.
It showed up to the public at the 1992 Birmingham Motor Show and while based on the Virage, they only shared roof and doors. The lines, however, were not distorted, thus respecting the shapes that to an unwary eye could have almost passed unnoticed. The Vantage was wider, lower and with thinner headlights at the front, while at the rear the old rectangular headlights left spaces for four circular elements. It had a fundamental and at the same time difficult role to play, as it would be the brand’s new flagship grand tourer, while thanks to the numerous mechanical interventions it would also have offered benchmark performance for the segment. We thus find a deeply renewed car, which was aimed at those customers who could never set for just one skill between performance and the possibility of using an elegant 2+2 all year round.
The V8 Vantage is no joke and the radical transformation that takes place under the hood is proof of this. Here we find a glorious V8 supercharged by two gigantic mechanically operated Eaton compressors, preferred to turbochargers due to their improved acceleration response. The maximum power released by the 5.3-liter is 550 horses and 745 Nm of torque available at 4,000 rpm, just over half of the available revs curve. These are impressive figures even for today’s standards and thirty years ago they guaranteed the top step as the fastest front-engined coupe in the world. The delivery was full-bodied, strong at any revs and, especially in low gears, brutal to the point of forgetting the generous dimensions and a total weight of 1,990 kg.
These two tons carry a mechanics mainly aimed at a grand touring use and as it is easy to guess the V8 Vantage was in all respects one of the fastest, most comfortable and refined methods to cross an entire continent in the shortest possible time. The charm of a typically 90s design, a cockpit that swallows driver and passengers in a refined living room made of leather, wood and cutting-edge technology go hand in hand with the astounding record-breaking performance that it was able to provide. 0-100 kph in 4.6 seconds, maximum speed of 299 per hour and a surprising handling through corners, also boasting a braking system with 362 mm ventilated discs and AP racing calipers, another primacy for the era.
It is crazy to think that such a car has ended up becoming one of the greatest misunderstandings in automotive history, especially taking into account an exquisite aesthetic purity and absolute reference performance. Production went on from 1993 to 1999, introducing in 1996 the less powerful 350 horsepower V8, which differed for a less aggressive look and performance that despite the gap between the two versions remained more than enough. The V8 Vantage is one of those latest analog sports cars that, thanks to a direct on-road behavior without too much electronics, rewards the driver once the courage necessary to unleash such a cavalry and a torque always ready to slaughter the rear tires enter the game. The 6-speed manual gearbox stands out and remembers what it really means to tinker with the steering wheel, three pedals and a lever when the road incites some hooligan-like behavior. In 1998, the swan song of the Vantage was represented by the exaggerated V8 Vantage Le Mans V600, a special celebratory series that paid tribute to the victory of the DBR1 at the 1959 24 Hours of Le Mans. Only 280 units were produced, all handcrafted and with aluminum body that differed from the other Vantages for the side air intakes on the front wheel arches, ducted hood and a faired front grille. At the rear there was a redesigned spoiler incorporating rear fog lights and reversing lights. Finally, there were magnesium wheels and a manual gearbox with only 5 gears with shortened ratios that unloaded the 600 horsepower of the improved 5.3. One last cry for a car that never imagined it would have then obtain the acclaim denied during its first coming.
Related tags to article
