It will also feature an adjustable traction control system to help maintain control when the rear tires are pushed beyond their limits. A new six-axis accelerometer and faster-acting software allow for quicker and more progressive stability control intervention, something that Aston's director of vehicle performance, Simon Newton, tells C/D is critical to maintaining drivability given the amount of power being delivered through a single axle. There will be five dynamic modes-Wet, Sport, Sport Plus, Track, and Individual-which modify engine, damper, and power steering settings as well as the reactions of the electrically controlled torque-biasing rear differential. The old Vantage had separate control switches for its adjustable powertrain and chassis settings, but the new one has a single controller for all functions. Buyers will also be able to choose between cast iron and carbon-ceramic brakes. Adaptive dampers will be standard, offering a much greater range of force adjustability than in the old car. Top speed is claimed to be 202 mph.īeneath the surface, the Vantage's body structure has been stiffened with new reinforcement pieces the improvement across the whole car is quoted as 7 percent, but in key areas close to suspension attachment points, it is much more than that. (Sadly, there will never be a manual option.) Aston claims the new car gets to 60 mph in 3.4 seconds, but we would be surprised if we didn't beat that given the F1 Edition blasted its way through the benchmark in 3.5 seconds with 158 less horsepower. The final-drive ratio for the standard ZF-supplied eight-speed auto has also been lowered, improving acceleration further. Peak torque has risen to 590 pound-feet, an 85-pound-foot increase over the Vantage F1 Edition, available all the way from 2750 to 6000 rpm. But as with the DB12, it has been given numerous internal upgrades to boost performance, with new turbos and a heavily revised top end, as well as much better cooling. The new Vantage's engine shares its layout, capacity, and Mercedes-AMG bloodline with its predecessor: a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8. Other than that, having seen the new car up close, our overall impression was of a dramatic upgrade in both design and ergonomics. They have been replaced by a small, stubby gear selector for the standard automatic gearbox. The old Vantage's three-part digital dashboard, with a central rev counter, has also been replaced by a single instrument display.Īs on the DB12, a mild disappointment is the loss of the PRND transmission control buttons that have been a characteristic feature for a generation of Astons. The new car has been given a set of updates very similar to those of the DB12, with a redesigned center console that rises at a shallow angle to a new touch-sensitive infotainment screen physical switchgear is identical in both cars. Much bigger changes have been made where they were really needed: inside the Vantage's cabin. That means if the new Vantage continues its predecessor's Formula 1 safety car duties-which seems likely, given Aston's close connection to the sport-it will apparently be able to do so without any extra cooling. The increase in area is driven by both form and function, with the amount of air reaching the revised car's radiators increased by a full 50 percent. The front end gets a new bumper and fenders to wrap around what will be standard LED headlights and also a substantially larger radiator grille. The outgoing Vantage was already a handsome beast, so we aren't surprised that visual changes are limited. The revised car still carries the Vantage name, although we know that thought was given to changing it, but Aston insiders say that the overall scale of the changes is even greater than the one that turned the DB11 into the DB12. Other revisions include a stiffened body structure, smarter active dynamics, and an all-new infotainment system. Aston insiders say that the overall scale of the changes is even greater than the one that turned the DB11 into the DB12. This new Vantage boasts an enormous 656 horsepower and output that sees it leapfrogging rivals such as the Porsche 911 Turbo S and the Mercedes-AMG GT63. In V-8 guise, the outgoing Vantage boasted a maximum output of 528 horsepower in turned-up F1 Edition guise. Bodywork changes are limited-there was little wrong with the looks of the outgoing version-but the Vantage has also been given an all-new interior and a huge power increase. Midlife facelifts of successful models normally bring small revisions.
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