RE: Driven: Aston Martin Vantage prototype
Discussion
I don't like the trend of taller bodywork and lower glasshouse. It makes the top of the car look like a turret. The Mercedes C-Class Coupe is very guilty of this! Also the cut in the bodywork makes the car look bent. Wheels are too big. The increased slope towards the front of bonnet is too obvious.
Amanitin said:
the previous dashboard was relatively clean and simple, elegant even.
in this one, the lower middle console is tolerable. The rest is horror
It's subjective when it comes to the aesthetics and ease of use (I agree, the outgoing car has a clean look to it), but the use of materials in the new car is a noticeable upgrade; higher quality materials throughout the cabin, so it feels more premium than the outgoing car.in this one, the lower middle console is tolerable. The rest is horror
Whether the car will be popular or not is still unclear. There's been a very vocal outcry over the aesthetics, as if the marque has completely lost its way. The harsh reality is a traditional looking Aston has a small target audience, and to be a profitable business, it needs to attract a wider spectrum of buyers. Some existing Vantage owners will prefer their current car and stick with it, some will like the new car and perhaps move to one shortly or in a year or two.
The overriding response has been that despite the new car outperforming a V12VS, despite it being the entry level model, many are more concerned about its looks. Personally I quite like it, as an evolution of the Vantage, and in the same way as the DB11, it looks better as time passes, and much better in the metal than in press photos.
As noted in the other thread, the test of a truly beautiful car is speccing it as garishly as you can and seeing if it's still photogenic. The outgoing car was, this one isn't and is particularly sensitive to colour choice to show off its good bits. I cant wait to test drive it.
Thorburn said:
PhantomPH said:
I used to dislike the 'tablet on the dash' look, but having (and currently having) the floating tablet/integrated screen/folding away options, I can say with 100% conviction, that the 'tablet on the dash' is really not a problem. What matters is that the screen is a good quality, the bezels are not too thick and that the software works.
On my S5 there screen just hangs there and looks strange in pictures - but in reality, I actually just had to Google it to remind myself what it looks like - and I drove it to work this morning! It's really not something that causes any issue, as you see the content, not the physical unit - if that makes sense?
Not tried it in the DB11, but looking for a daily for the missus we looked at a couple Mercs and the Mazda CX-5 which had this arrangement and thought it looked crap in all its implementations. I guess over time you just phase it out, but I don't WANT a screen permanently in my eye-line.On my S5 there screen just hangs there and looks strange in pictures - but in reality, I actually just had to Google it to remind myself what it looks like - and I drove it to work this morning! It's really not something that causes any issue, as you see the content, not the physical unit - if that makes sense?
Gets into the issue of too much distracting crap in cars in general now encouraging people not to actually focus on the driving.
I have never felt like a screen was in my eyeline, but your point about distractions is fair. My S5 has the screens in front of the driver (forget what it's called) and they seem to take me longer to read. So much information (and I have things mostly turned off/to minimum) I find myself looking down at the binnacle a few seconds longer than I do in other analogue cars. Even worse when you make the display your map!
Strangely, I would absolutely spec it again! After everything I have said above, it's still nice new tech and elevates the modernity of the car. I guess form over function a little bit...but then that's all good!
Thorburn said:
Shame they kept the Merc "cheap Android tablet slapped on top of the dash" display. Hate this in pretty much any car - much prefer the setup on the older cars where you can fold it away when you aren't using it.
And there was me thinking we were going to have another thread on why Aston haven't updated their designs for years.....
a red and black one for me please 
jl4069 said:
Im sure most here wont care but this thing is literally wider than a freaking Chevy Truck. That is what is called an unforgivable mistake for those who designed this this. Sports car, absolutely not. j
It's wider than the Gen 2 Vanquish and DB11 at the rear, yes, but until you've driven one it's odd to discount its credentials, especially based on its width?By the same token, you must dislike the aventador even more
jl4069 said:
I'm sure most here wont care but this thing is literally wider than a freaking Chevy Truck. That is what is called an unforgivable mistake for those who designed this "Sports car," j
I see where you’re coming from here and have to agree... it’s definitely a good bit wider than an MX5 Edited by jl4069 on Wednesday 14th March 18:55
Sat next to a green one in traffic for a while on a dual carriageway yesterday and it looks f
king lethal in the flesh. Low, wide, menacing, hugging the ground; exotic, partly in a very modern, Lamborghini kind of way (particularly painted acid green) but also with plenty of shades of classically pretty Aston about it, from the waist up.
I cannot bloody wait for mine.
king lethal in the flesh. Low, wide, menacing, hugging the ground; exotic, partly in a very modern, Lamborghini kind of way (particularly painted acid green) but also with plenty of shades of classically pretty Aston about it, from the waist up. I cannot bloody wait for mine.
I hope this is a success for Aston, as I get the impression they're struggling a little these days.. You used to see a Vantage on every corner for a while, and a DB9 around the next.. I've not seen a DB11 yet, or noticed any of the other things they're still making, whatever they are, for that matter.
I think it looks decent though. Predictable, but inoffensive. I hope it looks good enough is my worry... I don't see many AMG GTs, but my first thought is that that's a far more interesting proposition..
I agree with most about the interior though.. I wish it was better. The TVR is coming too, and if they get their interior to actually work, it'll be very interesting.. It looks like TVR have had a go with their modest budget, whereas the Aston looks a little like they....didn't. I mean, what are those airvents all about? I'm not one to focus on small details, but they look like that Saab with the broken nose mask. The architecture is very conservative, with a clutter of buttons and a screen that looks neither here nor there.. It bugs me. You know they had a whole wall of fantastic looking interior designs, because they'll have great people working for them, but they've pulled back. Designed by committee a little.. All because financially this is an important car for them, and they don't want to shake things up. I hope it's enough..
I think it looks decent though. Predictable, but inoffensive. I hope it looks good enough is my worry... I don't see many AMG GTs, but my first thought is that that's a far more interesting proposition..
I agree with most about the interior though.. I wish it was better. The TVR is coming too, and if they get their interior to actually work, it'll be very interesting.. It looks like TVR have had a go with their modest budget, whereas the Aston looks a little like they....didn't. I mean, what are those airvents all about? I'm not one to focus on small details, but they look like that Saab with the broken nose mask. The architecture is very conservative, with a clutter of buttons and a screen that looks neither here nor there.. It bugs me. You know they had a whole wall of fantastic looking interior designs, because they'll have great people working for them, but they've pulled back. Designed by committee a little.. All because financially this is an important car for them, and they don't want to shake things up. I hope it's enough..
jl4069 said:
I'm sure most here wont care but this thing is literally wider than a freaking Chevy Truck. That is what is called an unforgivable mistake for those who designed this "Sports car," j
I didn't realise this. How much wider is it than the outgoing car? My garage may need surgery in the future!Edited by jl4069 on Wednesday 14th March 18:55
Venturist said:
Sat next to a green one in traffic for a while on a dual carriageway yesterday and it looks fking lethal in the flesh. Low, wide, menacing, hugging the ground; exotic, partly in a very modern, Lamborghini kind of way (particularly painted acid green) but also with plenty of shades of classically pretty Aston about it, from the waist up.
I cannot bloody wait for mine.
Not helping with my want! Sheesh. king lethal in the flesh. Low, wide, menacing, hugging the ground; exotic, partly in a very modern, Lamborghini kind of way (particularly painted acid green) but also with plenty of shades of classically pretty Aston about it, from the waist up. I cannot bloody wait for mine.
PunterCam said:
I hope this is a success for Aston, as I get the impression they're struggling a little these days..
http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/cars/article-54...
NFC 85 Vette said:
The interior's a step up on the outgoing Vantage, and has all the good bits developed for the DB11. Every other manufacturer appears to be moving toward digital gauges and displays, so for the first time in a while, Aston are keeping up with rivals, and the infotainment system is fairly current (due to the Daimler partnership).
Some piccies of the Zaffre Blue example last week at Brizzle:
Such a good looking car but that cabin looks terrible. No elegance or style. Very odd. Some piccies of the Zaffre Blue example last week at Brizzle:
spagbogdog said:
Go sit in the new RR Velar..and ask...tell.. Aston’s designers to wake up.
Actually I have - fingermarks (and, I suspect, scratches over time and use) left all over the touch screens when they're turned off are hideous too. As if the fact that touch-screens themselves are not the way forward as I believe they're more of a distraction when you're driving as there's very little to 'feel'; one has to look away from the road to really confirm what they're doing...
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