SimplyAbuDhabi XLIII

A re you ready for the quintessential Aston Martin sports car – the most driver-focused and fastest Vantage in the famous nameplate’s 74-year history? The latest iteration of this iconic line is an authentic, unadulterated celebration of pure performance, engineered to deliver maximum thrills with maximum confidence. A design refocused through a contemporary lens, Vantage champions the qualities that have gripped enthusiasts for generations but are increasingly hard to find in today’s sports car market. As such, Vantage makes a stand for devotees with breath-taking power, razor-sharp handling and the perfect balance of a finely tuned front-engine, rear-wheel drive chassis. The announcement of a new Vantage follows the successful introduction of the acclaimed DB12 Coupe and Volante. Further strengthening Aston Martin’s next generation of sports cars, Vantage reaffirms the brand’s position in the ultra-luxury, performance sports car market alongside its leading roles in the ultra-luxury sporting GT, SUV and hypercar arenas, and the highest echelons of world championship motorsport. The new generation Vantage continues a remarkable lineage that can be traced back to 1950, when the Vantage name was first used to denote an uprated engine package for the race-proven DB2. The first time Vantage was applied as a model designation was in 1964, when a high-performance Vantage-badged version of the DB5 became the new flagship of the range. A standalone Vantage model was introduced in the early 1970s, from which point the nameplate has played an increasingly prominent role in Aston Martin’s model line-up. Synonymous with immaculate style, unforgettable performance and inimitable character, Vantage embodies the sporting qualities for which this evocative name has become renowned. Performance – huge gains in engine output deliver next-level potency Powered by a heavily reworked, hand-built 4.0 Twin-Turbo V8 engine, the new Vantage is the fastest in the nameplate’s history. With peaks of 665PS and a colossal 800Nm of torque it also makes the biggest-ever jump in power and torque compared to the model it succeeds, those increases of 155PS and 115Nm equating to gains of 30% and 15% respectively. These higher outputs have been achieved through extensive tuning by Aston Martin engineers, the adoption of modified cam profiles, optimised compression ratios, larger turbos, and increased cooling yielding the impressive new figures and creating an engine with a sharper, more visceral and more vocal character. Mated to an 8-speed ZF automatic transmission, this is enough to propel the two-seater sports car to a top speed of 202mph and punch it from a standstill to 60mph in just 3.4sec. Both the shortened Final Drive Ratio (3.083:1) and transmission shift calibration have been honed to maximise response and enjoyment, the former delivering punchier in-gear acceleration, while the latter reduces shift speeds and offers different shift characteristics to suit each of the Vantage’s dynamic modes. Standing start acceleration has been perfected with the introduction of a new Launch Control system. Fully integrated with the powertrain, transmission and Electronic Stability Programme (ESP), when engaged by the driver, Launch Control allows the car to deploy as much torque as conditions allow, using the E-Diff, ESP slip control and engine torque management to keep wheel slip in the optimal range throughout the launch. The driver can also dial-in the precise amount of slip they desire during the launch by Simply Abu Dhabi | 247