Aston Martin Vantage 2024: From Warwickshire with love

The new Aston Martin model squeezes its 4.0 Biturbo V8 up to 665 horses

Back in 1950, Aston Martin was preparing the DB2 for competition and needed a set of engine improvements to evolve it to win endurance races. Fourteen years later, in 1964, a name was needed to designate the (more) high-performance version of the DB5, already coining the historical relationship between the brand’s models and the secret agent par excellence on the big screen, James Bond. In both cases, the name chosen was the same: Vantage. A name that, 74 years later, we see again in the new Aston Martin Vantage, a revised version with a car that takes a real leap forward with respect to the Vantage it replaces. A model linked to competition, having its GT3 version, as well as to the company’s own future.

Aston Martin, throughout its impressive 111 years of history, has gone through all kinds of phases, boasting one of the most established legacies in car brands around the world. Despite the injection of money since the arrival of Lawrence Stroll, Aston Martin’s stock market problems are more than known, being a brand that continues trying to get back on its feet financially. And no, the successes achieved in Formula 1 during the 2023 season with Fernando Alonso or the victories achieved by the previous Vantage GT3 and Vantage GTE in endurance are neither sufficient nor do they represent rebounds for the parent company Aston Martin Lagonda.

The company, located in the town of Gaydon in the center of England – halfway between Oxford and Birmingham – continues trying to stay afloat and to do so they are launching this new Vantage, presented at the same time as the new AMR24 that Alonso and Lance will pilot. Stroll in the 2024 Formula 1 season. The car with which they hope to be the best in the middle of the table and occasionally face the big teams after all the podiums achieved by the Oviedo driver in 2023. Of course, the The first half of the year turned out to be a mirage, with Aston Martin seen overtaken by Mercedes, Ferrari and McLaren as the races went by.

In addition to the Aston Martin Vantage for the street, the brand has also presented the Vantage GT3 with which the brand will compete in championships such as the World Endurance Championship (WEC), IMSA, Fanatec GT World Challenge, the NLS or the European Le Mans Series. With an aesthetic similar to that of the production Vantage and with a renewed aerodynamic set, in addition to a new suspension scheme, the Vantage GT3 Evo replaces the existing model since 2018 as well as the Vantage GT3. Aston Martin’s calculations, according to various media, are that it expects that by the end of the year there will already be thirty Vantage GT3s competing on circuits around the world.

Mechanics of the Aston Martin Vantage 2024

Under the hood is the same engine that Aston Martin used until now in the Vantage: the 4.0 Biturbo V8 from AMG, which is maintained in both the street and racing models. In the case of the series production Vantage, it will provide no less than 665 horsepower and 800 Nm of torque – this represents an increase of 155 horsepower and 115 Nm compared to the previous Vantage, an increase of 30% and 15% respectively. The brand provides figures from 0 to 100 kilometers per hour in three and a half seconds, reaching a maximum speed of 325 kilometers per hour.

A spectacular increase in power that has been achieved thanks to a modification of the cam profiles, an optimization of the compression ratio and greater cooling. Although the engine is the same as before, the turbochargers have been changed for larger ones to blow at more bars. The engine is mated to an eight-speed automatic gearbox with torque converter courtesy of ZF, as well as an electronic rear self-locking differential. A curious detail, choosing an automatic transmission as the only option for a car that, supposedly, is oriented towards driving pleasure “for real drivers” says Aston Martin literally. The eight gears shorten the shift time, having a lower transmission ratio, adapting to the different driving modes it incorporates.

Through the adjustable traction control (ATC), the stability system and the electronic differential (E-Diff) the driver can adjust the amount of slip each time he makes a start. Even, of course, deactivate the traction control to have direct control with the right pedal. Another great advance of the Vantage, in addition to the complete redesign of the cooling system, is the 50% weight distribution between the two axles, which together with the suspension scheme used by the car should significantly improve the handling and dynamics of the car. car. The rear suspension turrets have been reinforced so that it has gained 29% rigidity.

Now, it is inside where many changes and advances can be seen with respect to the previous Vantage thanks to a new architecture. Of course, it has all the infotainment technology (the same system already seen in the 2023 Aston Martin DB12) that you would expect from a modern car, mixed with artisanal details such as Bridge of Weir hand-stitched leather. Aston Martin also highlights the Halo system developed together with sound specialists Bowers & Wilkins, an optional element that enhances the sound experience inside the Vantage.

Marek Reichman, Creative Director of Aston Martin, commented: “Aston Martin has numerous very evocative model names, but none brings to mind the excitement and dynamism like the Vantage. To convey the incredible increase in power and performance of the new model, we have enhanced its presence, more athletic and with more accentuated sculptural shapes. We took inspiration from the One-77 supercar, but we wanted the Vantage to express its intent and power more explicitly. Just by looking at it, you can appreciate the power it is capable of offering, but it has an elegance in its shapes and proportions that appeals to the sophistication that sustains its brute force. This balance between its instant visual impact and its calm charisma reflects the driving experience of the Vantage and perfectly captures its essence.”

The first units of the new Aston Martin Vantage will begin to be seen from the second quarter of 2024, with many units expected in its native Great Britain – a supercar in which one could believe James Bond or Fernando Alonso, depending on the day. A new Vantage with which Aston Martin shows that it is still alive and has the ability to fight against the big dream car brands.

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