New Vantage?

[RichB]

jonby said:

cayman-black said:

Upperworks said:

2 weeks ago? What a peasant. Important people like moi saw it 6 weeks ago.

pmsl... Also that's the worst configurator i have ever used.

Don't agree - the previous gen configurator was much worse. Or should that be even worse

Indeed, it's rather annoying that it doesn't provide a cost for the specification at the end. The Porsche configurator does. I can only assume that Aston are afraid to expose their pricing, that or they've not made it up yet?

And... I know one might say "if you have to ask you can't afford it" but in my experience it's asking that puts one in a position of being able to afford it.

[AMLAndrew]

dbs2000 said:

Does look great in the grey/dark silver. Very similar to what I would opt for - but with black roof, black mirrors - yellow calipers & yellow stitching. Much better IMO than the red car at the reveal at Gaydon. In the flesh its more aggressive looking than the outgoing model. I think it should do very well. The proof is in the driving; which I doubt will disappoint - a fantastic AMG V8. Look forward to seeing a manual.

Just hope its paint doesn't bubble like the outgoing one

[Squaremeal]

rossyl said:

David W. said:

This is from Twitter, (sorry if its been posted already).

CSK1 said:

The guy who photoshopped this deserves a designer job at Aston Martin. It looks much better than the original!
And the number plate hints at a V12 under the bonnet, that's even better!

This is simply brilliant and much better than the original AM design.

Edited by rossyl on Wednesday 22 November 09:59

I quite agree!

[Chris Stott]

AdamV12V said:

I ticked all the Carbon Fibre exterior and interior options, plus a Q special paint and was told my likely spec would run to £175k

Feck!!

That's only £7k below the list on my mates V12 DB11 - which was pretty highly specced (£15k of extras inc. Q paint).

[jonby]

Chris Stott said:

AdamV12V said:

I ticked all the Carbon Fibre exterior and interior options, plus a Q special paint and was told my likely spec would run to £175k

Feck!!

That's only £7k below the list on my mates V12 DB11 - which was pretty highly specced (£15k of extras inc. Q paint).

I'm not having a go at you, because I think you're in the majority and I'm in the minority, but to me there is no reason why a similarly specced vantage should be substantially different in price to a DB11 with the same engine

The only difference in the interiors are some basic rear seats. Body, transmission, engine, brakes, wheels, etc are all by & large the same. So why should there be more than c 10% price difference on like for like specced cars ?

As for the comparison above, a vantage with over £50k of extras is having an awful lot of boxes ticked whereas respectfully, a DB11 with just £15k of extras including Q paint is in relative terms, not what most would call 'highly specced' - I suspect the average extras bill for Astons these days most be over £20k

[ajr550]

Chris Stott said:

AdamV12V said:

I ticked all the Carbon Fibre exterior and interior options, plus a Q special paint and was told my likely spec would run to £175k

Feck!!

That's only £7k below the list on my mates V12 DB11 - which was pretty highly specced (£15k of extras inc. Q paint).

It also pitches it against a low spec Portofino which has the advantage of a folding metal roof.

[IanV12VR]

RobDown said:

This is all just my opinion. But I disagree with the view that Tesla provides genuine competition here

I would be very happy to have a Tesla as a daily driver

But when it comes to a weekend car (and most Vantages are weekend cars really) I would think that most people are after something beautiful, fast, makes a good SOUND and has a touch of practicality (for weekends away).

I don’t care how fast a Tesla can go in a straight line (that novelty will soon wear off) if it sounds like a sewing machine

As I said, just my opinion. Maybe I’m in a minority here. But for these types of car a petrol engine is a must

Spot on Rob. Can you imagine doing 30/40mph in a low gear in a Tesla and having a big grin on your face with the sound of the car. I can’t.

I know that our DD’s will probably end up being hybrids or fully electric but I would still hope to have an Aston for the weekend for as long as possible.

[BamfordMike]

NFC 85 Vette said:

I'm glad they're still fighting and not throwing in the towel prematurely.

The towel if not prematurely will inevitably have to be thrown, the fork in the road point of not going electric sooner will then bite harder later because others will be on Gen 2/3 release cars whilst Aston will be dipping a first toe in the market, but hey, that’s all crystal ball stuff. But with that in mind unlike the outgoing Vantage which served them for 12 years, with looming electrification this car has a much shorter life span. Across the DB11 / new Vantage / DBX / Vanquish-DBS range I wouldn’t relish the bean counters job to reconcile the ICE projects into production then mid cycle shoe-horn battery packs into the same chassis, because if each chassis can’t smoothly transition to electric they will have the next 10 years of extremely high development costs to find which will be tricky to fund from sales.

Talking towel throwing, it seems autocar (P36 of today’s issue) have thrown it on the V12 engine, but not in favour of an electric motor, but because the Merc V8 engine drives way better. It’s probably easier to wind the wick up on the Merc engine already fitted to New Vantage than an entire new V12 project. So it would seem making DB11 V8 better than DB11 V12 the factory has thrown their own towel in on the big V12 and questions if new Vantage will ever see the V12 especially considering Merc V8 C02 is 230g/km and the V12 is 270?

[bogie]

RobDown said:

This is all just my opinion. But I disagree with the view that Tesla provides genuine competition here

I would be very happy to have a Tesla as a daily driver

But when it comes to a weekend car (and most Vantages are weekend cars really) I would think that most people are after something beautiful, fast, makes a good SOUND and has a touch of practicality (for weekends away).

I don’t care how fast a Tesla can go in a straight line (that novelty will soon wear off) if it sounds like a sewing machine

As I said, just my opinion. Maybe I’m in a minority here. But for these types of car a petrol engine is a must

Completely agree, im not buying into this electric thing. For an auto driving motorway commuter, I dont really care, I would have an electric car to take me to work whilst I sit in the back chilling out with a coffee and my feet up.

However for weekend driving pleasure, I want petrol V8 or V12...and will have one until they get banned

[ChilliWhizz]

BamfordMike said:

NFC 85 Vette said:

I'm glad they're still fighting and not throwing in the towel prematurely.

The towel if not prematurely will inevitably have to be thrown, the fork in the road point of not going electric sooner will then bite harder later because others will be on Gen 2/3 release cars whilst Aston will be dipping a first toe in the market, but hey, that’s all crystal ball stuff. But with that in mind unlike the outgoing Vantage which served them for 12 years, with looming electrification this car has a much shorter life span. Across the DB11 / new Vantage / DBX / Vanquish-DBS range I wouldn’t relish the bean counters job to reconcile the ICE projects into production then mid cycle shoe-horn battery packs into the same chassis, because if each chassis can’t smoothly transition to electric they will have the next 10 years of extremely high development costs to find which will be tricky to fund from sales.

Talking towel throwing, it seems autocar (P36 of today’s issue) have thrown it on the V12 engine, but not in favour of an electric motor, but because the Merc V8 engine drives way better. It’s probably easier to wind the wick up on the Merc engine already fitted to New Vantage than an entire new V12 project. So it would seem making DB11 V8 better than DB11 V12 the factory has thrown their own towel in on the big V12 and questions if new Vantage will ever see the V12 especially considering Merc V8 C02 is 230g/km and the V12 is 270?

This so reminds me of Clarkson doing the V12V piece a few years back (possibly the best piece he's ever done) and calling it an ending rather than a beginning...... Great car, stunning photography and scenery, superb musical score... and Clarkson only saying about five words Looking back it was somewhat prophetic.....

[Chris Stott]

jonby said:

Chris Stott said:

AdamV12V said:

I ticked all the Carbon Fibre exterior and interior options, plus a Q special paint and was told my likely spec would run to £175k

Feck!!

That's only £7k below the list on my mates V12 DB11 - which was pretty highly specced (£15k of extras inc. Q paint).

I'm not having a go at you, because I think you're in the majority and I'm in the minority, but to me there is no reason why a similarly specced vantage should be substantially different in price to a DB11 with the same engine

The only difference in the interiors are some basic rear seats. Body, transmission, engine, brakes, wheels, etc are all by & large the same. So why should there be more than c 10% price difference on like for like specced cars ?

As for the comparison above, a vantage with over £50k of extras is having an awful lot of boxes ticked whereas respectfully, a DB11 with just £15k of extras including Q paint is in relative terms, not what most would call 'highly specced' - I suspect the average extras bill for Astons these days most be over £20k

Hmmmm... by that reasoning, Porsche could have charged the same for a Cayman as a 911 when they both had 6cyl NA engines.

Other than a few bits in carbon (instead of gloss black), there's not much you can spec on a DB11 beyond this...



Edit... clearly I'm st at maths... £22k of extras, not £15k!

Edited by Chris Stott on Wednesday 22 November 17:27

[BamfordMike]

IanV12VR said:

Spot on Rob. Can you imagine doing 30/40mph in a low gear in a Tesla and having a big grin on your face with the sound of the car. I can’t.

I know that our DD’s will probably end up being hybrids or fully electric but I would still hope to have an Aston for the weekend for as long as possible.

I would have agreed with the biggest grin comment 100% until last week. I was at traffic lights alongside a Tesla. On green we both went for it, never had a tussle with a Tesla before, at the next set of lights I’m sure he had a big grin whilst I in the V12 motor looked away as I’d been totally mullered! But yes, whilst I went nowhere fast burning fossil fuel, it sounded great, the Tesla quietly ‘whooosed’ off into the distance with absolutely no ‘theatre’.

[IanV12VR]

BamfordMike said:

IanV12VR said:

Spot on Rob. Can you imagine doing 30/40mph in a low gear in a Tesla and having a big grin on your face with the sound of the car. I can’t.

I know that our DD’s will probably end up being hybrids or fully electric but I would still hope to have an Aston for the weekend for as long as possible.

I would have agreed with the biggest grin comment 100% until last week. I was at traffic lights alongside a Tesla. On green we both went for it, never had a tussle with a Tesla before, at the next set of lights I’m sure he had a big grin whilst I in the V12 motor looked away as I’d been totally mullered! But yes, whilst I went nowhere fast burning fossil fuel, it sounded great, the Tesla quietly ‘whooosed’ off into the distance with absolutely no ‘theatre’.

Agree Mike that on a straight run he probably would have which is why I was talking about pottering around in a low gear but making a fun noise.

[silverspeed]

BamfordMike said:

IanV12VR said:

Spot on Rob. Can you imagine doing 30/40mph in a low gear in a Tesla and having a big grin on your face with the sound of the car. I can’t.

I know that our DD’s will probably end up being hybrids or fully electric but I would still hope to have an Aston for the weekend for as long as possible.

I would have agreed with the biggest grin comment 100% until last week. I was at traffic lights alongside a Tesla. On green we both went for it, never had a tussle with a Tesla before, at the next set of lights I’m sure he had a big grin whilst I in the V12 motor looked away as I’d been totally mullered! But yes, whilst I went nowhere fast burning fossil fuel, it sounded great, the Tesla quietly ‘whooosed’ off into the distance with absolutely no ‘theatre’.

And then around the next corner you saw him parked up with a 50 metre extension reel trying to find a power socket to plug his car in

[ChilliWhizz]

It's just a big scalextric car without the slot in the road

[Squaremeal]

BamfordMike said:

IanV12VR said:

Spot on Rob. Can you imagine doing 30/40mph in a low gear in a Tesla and having a big grin on your face with the sound of the car. I can’t.

I know that our DD’s will probably end up being hybrids or fully electric but I would still hope to have an Aston for the weekend for as long as possible.

I would have agreed with the biggest grin comment 100% until last week. I was at traffic lights alongside a Tesla. On green we both went for it, never had a tussle with a Tesla before, at the next set of lights I’m sure he had a big grin whilst I in the V12 motor looked away as I’d been totally mullered! But yes, whilst I went nowhere fast burning fossil fuel, it sounded great, the Tesla quietly ‘whooosed’ off into the distance with absolutely no ‘theatre’.

ICE vs Electric.

To me it's a little like watches. We all know our phones, iWatchs etc are more accurate but... not many actually desire one to be on your arm. The mechanical watch is what one most people who are privileged to aspire to or own an Aston want.

So a DD yes but I can't see how a pure electric (rather than hybrid) could ever tick those boxes as a car for pleasure.

Edited by Squaremeal on Wednesday 22 November 17:36

[V8 Vantage GT]

ChilliWhizz said:

It's just a big scalextric car without the slot in the road

And we all know what can happen if a lithium ion battery suffers trauma.

[RobDown]

ajr550 said:

It also pitches it against a low spec Portofino which has the advantage of a folding metal roof.

I understand the appeal of the metal folding roof. But what’s the weight penalty? (And that’s weight right at the of the car too, so bad for the centre of gravity).

[SFO]

https://youtu.be/AMv7Xe13EQ4

Very Hollywood

[ajr550]

RobDown said:

ajr550 said:

It also pitches it against a low spec Portofino which has the advantage of a folding metal roof.

I understand the appeal of the metal folding roof. But what’s the weight penalty? (And that’s weight right at the of the car too, so bad for the centre of gravity).

Agreed.
I am not a convertible fan anyway but I just wonder how long Aston can continue with fabric hoods and was interested that the price of the new Vantage rises to the low end of Portofino price when highly specced.
As an aside I like the Portofino styling and am a committed Ferrari man but personally I would take the new Vantage over the Portofino so as far as I am concerned Aston is doing something right.