Just looking – Aston Martin V8 Vantage - Evo
Has there been a more successful interpretation of Aston Martin’s family look than the V8 Vantage, launched in 2005. You might say the original Vanquish, but the subsequent DB9 made that car look a little heavy-handed. The DB9 itself is beautiful, but less dazzling now than it was when it debuted in 2004. The Vantage also makes it look a little soft. The DBS was an improvement, but lost the DB9’s purity. Little wonder the V8 was chosen to underpin James Bond’s new Aston Martin DB10 – perhaps the purest Aston Martin design since the Vantage itself. That the V8 Vantage is now conspicuously good value makes it even more appealing. Darker colours tend to work better on Aston Martins, but the Vantage seems more accommodating of lighter shades. Little detail is given in the advert to the car’s service history, but remember that this was a £79,995 car when new, and maintenance is vital. We covered the V8 Vantage in our buying guide in issue 198 – engines are generally solid, but clutches are pricey at £2500 fitted by Aston Martin Works, and dying batteries can be troublesome. There’s plenty to like about the way Vantages drive though, from the 380bhp, 4281cc V8, to the six-speed manual – as fitted to this car. Source: www.evo.co.uk
