656bhp! Ten shy of that devilish trio. 800Nm of torque. And a 0-100kmph sprint in a scarcely believable 3.5 seconds, all culminating in a top speed of 325kmph. Those are some properly big numbers. But the real headline? This astonishing performance comes from Aston Martin’s entry-level car—the new Vantage. The so-called “junior” Aston with its front-engine, rear-wheel-drive setup, a formula that enthusiasts (and let’s face it, romantics) have always loved. Today, we’ve got our hands on it to test Aston’s claim that this Vantage is “engineered for real drivers.” Let’s see if it delivers.
Verdict:
So, what’s the verdict? Well, the Aston Martin Vantage is exactly what you’d hope it would be. It’s loud, fast, aggressive, and utterly engaging. It’s not a GT car; it’s not pretending to be comfortable, and it doesn’t care if your spine feels like it’s been through a meat grinder after a spirited drive. It’s a proper entertainer. A sports car, through and through. And what makes it particularly brilliant is that it’s Aston Martin reminding us they still know how to make cars for people who love to drive.
Under the bonnet, there's AMG DNA coursing through the Vantage’s twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8. But don’t think this is simply a carryover. The engine has been significantly reworked with larger turbos, revised cam profiles, optimised compression ratios, and enhanced cooling. The result? 656 horsepower and 800Nm of torque, thats an amazing 128hp and 115Nm more than the previous most potent variant, the Vantage F1 Edition.
The power is sent to the rear wheels via an eight-speed automatic gearbox, and there’s a suite of revisions to keep that power in check. A chassis that’s 7% stiffer, returned active dampers, and ticky new Michelin Pilot Sport 5S tyres co-developed by the two to contribute to a car that feels alive in your hands. The brakes get an optional carbon ceramics treatment, in this case, and offer superb feedback with bespoke servos tailored to either cast-iron or carbon setups. The steering, too, has been recalibrated, giving you precise, neutral handling and a sense of connection that’s hard to come by these days. Obviously, on our roads, I couldn’t test the final shorter final-drive eight-speed automatic gearbox. It’s quick and aggressive when you want it to be, but it can dial things down when you’re cruising. The throttle response is sharper than before, and the engine feels eager all the way to its redline.
What really stands out, though, is the engine’s character. It has enormous torque, 800Nm, to be precise, despite feeling eager and rev-hungry, especially at the top end. The larger turbos don’t make it feel lazy; in fact, it’s quicker to respond than the DB12s setup, which I'll admit I drove very briefly last year. Even the sound you hear is pure, unfiltered V8 thunder, louder and brasher than the DB12 and twice as thrilling. No electronically synthesised sound from the speakers here!
And then there’s the focus. This is not a grand tourer masquerading as a sports car. Unlike the DB12, which pampers you with a relaxed GT mode, the Vantage doesn’t do comfort. The Vantage starts in Sport, escalates to Sport Plus, and culminates in Track. That’s it. You do get an Individual mode to fine-tune the settings, but this is unapologetically a sports car - no comfort nor a GT driving mode. On smooth tarmac, the body control is lovely, letting you confidently throw the car into corners. Track mode, though, is best saved for, well, the track. It’s brutal, stiff, and demands your full attention.
Thankfully, there’s help at hand. The adjustable traction control system is great. Disable DSC, and it will activate at level 5, giving you a nice middle ground. From there, you can dial it up to 8 as your confidence grows or scale it back for tighter control. It’s intuitive and effective and ensures you can explore the car’s balance without feeling on a cliff edge.
And yet the Vantage always feels true to its core. It’s wide, yes, but you sit low, right near the rear axle, and every input feels connected. Throttle adjustments translate immediately to movement; it’s a car that rewards precision and involvement. The 50:50 weight distribution and front-mid-engine layout mean the car rotates around you, making it feel intuitive and natural. Yes, the 1,745kg kerb weight is noticeable when you’re really hustling, but the Vantage more than makes up for it with its agility and feedback. The overall result is a car that feels alive, eager, and perfectly balanced.
Inside, the updates feel substantial. You sit 10mm lower, which doesn’t sound like much but makes a world of difference. You’re cocooned in a space that feels bespoke and driver-focused, with every control falling naturally to hand. While it remains a snug, two-seat cabin, the centre console has been modernised, and the infotainment finally feels like it belongs in 2025. Gone is the old 8-inch screen, replaced by a new 12.5-inch unit developed entirely in-house by Aston Martin, now equipped with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard. Audiophiles can opt for an 1170-watt, 15-speaker Bowers & Wilkins system if the standard setup doesn’t suffice. Storage? Sparse, as you’d expect, but there are door pockets and a shallow centre console bin to stash the essentials, thats it. It's not a minivan, after all.
The Vantage has always been a car with gorgeous proportions and a perfectly sculpted silhouette. But now, the details are even sweeter. The older car’s narrow headlights had a charm, but they often looked like they were squinting into the sun. Not anymore. The new, larger lamps balance the frankly enormous grille, which hints at its performance demands. It’s a lot to take in, but it brings to mind Zagato specials of old. The grille is 38% larger and tipped forward, and it now feels more cohesive with the design, unlike the previous car, which looked like it had a mouth missing its lower lip.
Look closely, and you’ll spot cooling gills on either side. They give a faint nod to the One-77, Aston’s halo car of a decade ago, and they work well with the car’s increased width, 30mm wider than before, to be exact. Supporting the stance are 21-inch wheels with 275-section tyres up front and 325 at the rear. Around the back, the essential shape and rear lights might seem familiar. Still, Aston Martin insists that nearly every panel has been reworked, resulting in the diffuser and underbody aero generating 77kg of downforce at speed. Practicality hasn’t been overlooked either; there’s enough boot space for a set of golf clubs Because Aston owners don’t just drive fast, they also play slow.
Specs:
Engine: 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 (AMG-derived)
Power: 656bhp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 800Nm @ 2,000-5,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic, rear-wheel drive
0-100 kmph: 3.5 seconds
Top Speed: 320 kmph
Weight Distribution: 50:50 front-mid-engine layout
Kerb Weight: 1,745kg
Suspension: Adaptive Bilstein DTX dampers
Brakes: Carbon-ceramic discs with 6-piston front callipers
Wheelstyress: 21-inch alloys, 275-section front, 325-section rear
Price: Rs 3.99 crore onwards
