Monday 20th February 2012

Aston Martin Vantage gets 2012 refresh

'S'-derived changes for 'entry-level' Aston

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Aston Martin has been playing around with its Vantage range again, this time making the most extensive changes to the car since 2008.

The most significant changes are to the 'basic' Vantage, which gets a raft of tweaks inspired by its more focused 'S' cousin.

The 4.7-litre 426hp V8 and six-speed manual stay, but the six-speed Sportshift automated manual is now replaced by the seven-speed Sportshift II from the Vantage S. The Vantage's chassis also gets quicker steering (15:1 compared to 17:1), bigger brakes (380mm two-piece ventilated cast-iron front discs and six piston calipers as well as hill-start assist) and wider tyres.

There are visual tweaks too, including a lower bumper - complete with an aerodynamic splitter - that houses a larger air intake. At the rear there's a new (working) diffuser and what Aston calls 'race-derived' side sills.

Both the Vantage coupe and roadster get these tweaks, and the car now starts from £84,995. The Vantage S continues largely unchanged, meanwhile, at £99,995.

[s2000db]

They'll have to try harder than that imo..

[ZOLLAR]

Looks very "rounded", hard to explain what I mean just doesn't look right.



I'm not liking it.

I can't stop editing, is it just the front bumper they've changed?.

[Agoogy]

That's not a nice publicity shot of the two of them.
In 99% of shots, or in reality, it's top 5 "most gorgeous looking car ever" for me...

[UH-Matt]

So really it looks like they just took some bits from the current "s" and made them standard on the standard vantage for 2012?

... so whats the point in the S?

[Ex Boy Racer]

The first ones were the nicest looking.
Each change just makes it look fatter

[Stew2000]

The black did ruin it. Bare-able on the Virage. but this is just wrong.

[BBS-LM]

Is it me, or is it about time Aston Martin redesign the car, I hope they are not doing the old jag way of thinking, just keep updating a dead horse and hope the punters buy into it.

[J4CKO]

Now, dont get me wrong, I love AM's, they are jaw dropping but they make Porsche look radical with 911 refreshes.

I am a proper car geek, petrolhead but the AM range just confuses me, ok the rapide is easy to spot as it has four doors, the Cygnet also as its, well its a Toyota IQ that someone has stuck AM badges on, but after that, I am lost, they all look the same with varying amounts of agression, different wheels, different noises and colour schemes, I kind of switch off when there is one on Top Gear or a new one announced as I cant tell the bloody difference from the last one.

Is there an Idiots guide to Aston Martin for AM duffers like me ?


It is strange as I know like a Top Trump addled eight year old every Porsche variant since they started, Lambo's and Ferraris are no problem either but I go blank when it comes to Astons !

[George H]

J4CKO said:

Is there an Idiots guide to Aston Martin for AM duffers like me ?

Get this book - http://pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f...

[E38Ross]

when are aston going to replace the DB9 and the V8 vantage? the DB9 seems like it's been around for donkey's years now....?

[Cheib]

I fear for the future of AM....they make some of the few cars that I genuinely lust after but how long can they keep re-inventing the wheel? It's hardly going to being new customers to the brand.

[George H]

E38Ross said:

when are aston going to replace the DB9 and the V8 vantage? the DB9 seems like it's been around for donkey's years now....?

Next gen DBS is due early 2013 apparently. New DB9 will follow that.

[RTH]

Need to see it in darker colours and from not such low camera angles. Given a sizeable premium bond win it is a car that you could use daily, still a highly desirable car and not too big.

[MrTappets]

George H said:

Next gen DBS is due early 2013 apparently. New DB9 will follow that.

It's interesting that the new DBS is coming before the DB9 (DB10?). Perhaps it'll actually be a different model this time and not just a "DB9-S".

[annodomini2]

ZOLLAR said:

Looks very "rounded", hard to explain what I mean just doesn't look right.



I'm not liking it.

I can't stop editing, is it just the front bumper they've changed?.

With the splitter in black it makes the nose look too high and they've changed the line of the rear arch which looks wrong.

[Wills2]

George H said:

E38Ross said:

when are aston going to replace the DB9 and the V8 vantage? the DB9 seems like it's been around for donkey's years now....?

Next gen DBS is due early 2013 apparently. New DB9 will follow that.

Isn't their problem they have no cash to invest in new models?

[GFWilliams]

You forgot about the V12 Zagato! Lovely looking thing....

[yeti]

J4CKO said:

I am a proper car geek, petrolhead... I go blank when it comes to Astons !

Are you sure? It's not that complex.

J4CKO said:

Is there an Idiots guide to Aston Martin for AM duffers like me?

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=aston+martin

Click on view all cars.

[mlj]

Can AM just make a new car rather than keep updating the same models. They are starting to fall behind the other marques and need to release a new performance car. The Virage had the potential to replace the DB9, but as James May said the ride is perhaps a bit harsh.

[yeti]

Wills2 said:

Isn't their problem they have no cash to invest in new models?

Pretty much, certainly nowhere near what their rivals have sadly. The VH platform has gone from cutting edge stuff to pretty much the norm now. It still makes a fabulously stiff and light car, but the others have caught up.