The moment is unforgettable. Rounding the corner of the Monteblanco race track just outside Barcelona, Spain, in the brand new Aston Martin Vantage with the smooth straightaway laid out in front – wide open and beckoning. It is time. Flooring it with the pedal to the metal, the engine roars as the speedometer quickly rises. The car’s momentum pulls me deeper into the plush leather bucket seat as I hit 152 miles an hour (244.6 kmph) before activating the carbon ceramic brakes to take the first corner turn to start another lap. What a rush.
I have never flown an F-14 Tomcat like Maverick in Top Gun, but it has to feel something like driving the Vantage on this circuit. That’s the thought that springs to mind as I zip along the track one sunny morning this past May. And it’s not a farfetched idea, considering that this new model has made massive improvements when it comes to engine power. Meaning – for all you gearheads out there – the AMG-sourced 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine puts out a mighty 656bhp at 6,000rpm and 590lb ft from 2,750 -6,000rpm. This translates to a whopping 30 per cent increase in overall power, which makes it possible for the car to effortlessly pass the 200mph threshold and go from zero to 60mph in 3.4 seconds.
The sensation is visceral, the energy potent and the pure delight of this car is all-encompassing. Which is to say there is also something very purposeful about Vantage’s design.
Being low to the ground, the car grips the road with ease. It also has a sense of weight to it that makes you instantly feel safe and relaxed even at higher speeds or taking on the curving back road of the Barcelona countryside.
And if ever this car were to come up behind you on the highway (before you understandably move to the right to give way), you would not be able to help but admire its new larger graphic grille design, alluring almond-shaped headlights and eye-catching front air vents.
But, as appealing as the Vantage’s ferocious engine and exterior are, there are so many other reasons to be drawn to this svelte and stylish automobile. With its 50/50 weight distribution and low driving position, the minute you slide into the driver’s seat, the feeling is not unlike entering a roomy cockpit. Albeit one crafted with butter-soft leather interiors and a wide and inviting centre console. This last features not only in-house crafted digital screens and software for tech lovers, but also respects the old-school pleasure of physically fine-tuning your automobile. The Vantage’s roller toggles that can adjust climate and volume, prominent central start/stop button and tactile gear shift all make the car feel grounded in reality, which feels both fresh and respectful of the good old days of great interior design.
And then there is the impressive Bowers & Wilkins sound system that cocoons you in its immersive crystal clear music from 15 different speakers. It rounds out the many exceptional features and subtle new touches the Vantage has seamlessly woven into its dynamic design. Between the purr of the engine and the auditory pleasure of Bowers & Wilkins blasting out a bit of Blur’s Song 2 through its vibrating speakers, this car has created something of a siren’s call. It beckons you to hit the road for no other reason than to simply enjoy the ride.