2005 Aston Martin V8 Vantage 4.3 Manual

Highlights

• Fabulous-sounding 4.3-litre V8

• 380bhp

• Six-speed manual

• Just 33,327 miles from new

• Extensive history

Overview

When Aston Martin unveiled the V8 Vantage at Geneva in 2005, it was a huge boost for the marque. Here was a car built on the same VH aluminium platform as the DB9, powered by a bespoke 4.3-litre quad-cam V8, and priced to go toe-to-toe with the Porsche 911. It looked at least as gorgeous as its bigger brother, sounded like thunder rolling through a cathedral, and it put Gaydon on the map as a more serious volume manufacturer for the first time. 

Two decades on, the original 4.3 manual retains its own unique appeal. That dry sump V8 demands commitment (peak power arrives at 7,000 rpm, after all), and by that stage the noise is glorious. Added to that , the six-speed manual's weighty, mechanical shift action is exactly the kind of driver involvement that modern paddle-shift cars have engineered away, and the Coke bottle styling of the early cars still takes your breath away.

This particular car was first registered on 21 October 2005, making it one of the earliest V8 Vantages to reach UK roads. It wears red, which suits the car really well and stands out from the usual safer choices, and it has covered a mere 33,327 miles. The MOT history tells an interesting story: between 2012 and 2017, the car added just 15 miles in four years, suggesting a period of careful storage before returning to more regular use at a gentle 2,000 miles or so per year. 

There’s a stack of paperwork and the black leather cockpit is in excellent order. While the bodywork retains its original paint with consistent colour across every panel, it has had a few minor scrapes and touch-ups and has scratches all over - check out the gallery. The paintwork might be a bit of a project if you're so inclined. But you could enjoy the car from day one and address it as you see fit. In the meantime, you’ve still got a great-sounding, beautiful-looking sports car.

History and Documentation

• First registered 21 October 2005

• Stamped service book with entries as follows: Oct 2005 @ 68 miles (PDI, Harwoods Chichester), Sep 2006 @ 3,444 miles (Harwoods Chichester), Aug 2007 @ 7,405 miles (Michael Powles/Bentley Norwich), Nov 2010 @ 13,003 miles (Car Autohaus Norwich), Jun 2012 @ 15,499 miles (Stratton Motor Company), Apr 2018 @ 19,124 miles (Stratton Motor Company), Apr 2019 @ 19,957 miles (Stratton Heritage), Apr 2020 @ 21,872 miles (Stratton Heritage), Nov 2021 @ 23,618 miles (Stratton Heritage), Nov 2022 @ 25,778 miles (Stratton Heritage), Nov 2023 @ 26,916 miles (TDS Vehicle Services), Dec 2024 @ 28,888 miles (TDS Vehicle Services)

• Rear brake pads and discs replaced December 2024 at 28,888 miles (TDS Vehicle Services)

• Front suspension legs replaced October 2009 at 11,366 miles (Car Autohaus Norwich)

• Collection of invoices, MOT certificates, health check reports and service records present

• Tracker Locate fitted January 2019

• MOT valid until 11 December 2026

• HPI clear

• ULEZ compliant

• Current odometer reading: 33,327 miles

Interior

• Black leather sport seats with integrated headrests in excellent condition; bolsters firm, stitching intact, no cracking or significant wear

• Perforated leather steering wheel with Aston Martin wings badge centred and unworn

• Linn audio system with sat nav, CD player and analogue clock, all functioning correctly

• Climate control with three rotary aluminium dials; heated front and rear screens fitted

• Seats are heated and electrically adjusted, including lumbar support

• Parking sensors fitted and operational

• Alcantara headlining is clean and sag-free throughout

• Six-speed manual gear knob with chrome bezel and clear gate diagramCentre console brushed-aluminium trim has a couple of light surface scuffs

• Boot carpet clean

• "V8 Vantage, Hand built in England" sill plates in excellent condition

Exterior

• Red paintwork presents with strong gloss and depth across the majority of panels

• All panels appear factory-original with consistent colour match and even shut lines

• Numerous scracthes, light scuffs and paint touch ups around the car - see pictures for details

• Factory silver alloy wheels in presentable condition with minor kerb rash on the nearside front rim

• Bridgestone Potenza tyres fitted with decent tread remaining

• All glass, headlamps and tail lamps clear and undamaged; rear screen tint shows no delamination

Mechanical

• 4,282cc naturally aspirated quad-cam V8 producing 380 bhp at 7,000 rpm and 302 lb ft at 5,000 rpm

• Six-speed manual gearbox, rear-wheel drive; 0-62 mph in 5.0 seconds, 174 mph top speed

• Engine bay presents as factory-standard with no aftermarket modifications; aluminium strut brace unblemished

• Build plaque on bonnet underside present and legible with factory-original rivets

• Minor paint lifting on the scuttle cross-member near the wiper pivot; cosmetic rather than structural but probably worth sealing

• Front brake discs carry an MOT advisory for light wear and scoring; serviceable but worth budgeting for replacement in due course

• Rear brakes were addressed between the November 2024 MOT fail and subsequent pass 11 days later

Summary

Twenty years and 33,327 miles. That works out at fewer than 1,600 miles per year, which is barely a long weekend every month. And yet this isn't a museum piece. It's a first-year V8 Vantage in the colour that Aston Martin was born to wear, with the manual gearbox that makes the 4.3-litre V8's high-revving character feel like a proper event every time you turn the key. 

The black leather interior is in genuinely excellent shape, the engine bay is reassuringly standard, and the paintwork is liveable with for most but also an opportunity for improvement. Take a clear-eyed view on the paint and for anyone who understands what an otherwise well-preserved, early-production Vantage represents, this is one worth a bid.

To arrange a viewing, click the Book Viewing button located under the Place Bid button. Viewings can be booked up until the day before the auction ends, after which the option will change to Contact Seller for further enquiries. This seller is located in London.