One of the nice things about new leadership is that you can admit to past mistakes. Aston was in bullish mood when it launched the DB12 last year; it had known for yonks about the DB11's shortcomings, yet hadn’t always had the resources or the clear-sighted strategy needed to fix them. While this encapsulated the obvious stuff like an outdated interior, it also included slightly more abstract issues like how its models were positioned in the market - specifically, their proximity to each other.
Given that the firm was adamant that its new ‘super-GT’ be super to drive (a pronouncement that turned out to be true) it seemed feasible - inevitable, really - that the DB12 would unavoidably step on the toes of a Vantage that shares its Mercedes-built 4.0-litre V8. But the closer we’ve got to the unveiling of the updated version, the more adamant Aston has become: the latest Vantage would be its new boss-level sports car, and a ‘completely different’ prospect to its other offerings.
Now, with the reveal officially confirmed for February 12th, the manufacturer has transitioned from nods and winks to bold statements, suggesting in print that nothing less than the ‘fastest and most exhilarating example’ of the Vantage is inbound. And when you consider that the new model’s immediate antecedent was the nothing-if-not-dramatic 700hp V12 derivative, it’s fair to say that Aston has established a very high bar for the MY2024 car to clear.
On the basis that the press release accompanying the teaser shot goes on to clarify that ‘this isn’t just a numbers game’ it’s probably safe to say that Gaydon hasn’t endeavoured to overshadow the V12’s output - but when it declares the latest car ‘an authentic, unadulterated celebration of pure performance’ it’s clear enough that previous hints about ramping up the Vantage’s relative sportiness have been seen through to production.
So what else do we know? Well, the smart money has always been on a facelift in the DB12 mould (i.e. far-reaching and tangible, though not radical) and the picture - not to mention previous spy images of the car testing - certainly suggests that you won’t need any help recognising the newcomer. But that’s on the outside; inside, you can expect the Vantage’s cabin to have been treated to a full makeover, partly to accommodate the introduction of Aston’s new infotainment system.
Experience suggests that will make for the most usable, habitable variant yet, although its maker is likely to downplay that aspect in favour of going big elsewhere. ‘A sports car engineered for real drivers; for those that crave driving purity and revel at the limit’ will be the vibe next month, and to make sure we all get the message, Aston will pull the covers off the Vantage GT3 race car and the AMR24 F1 car at the same event. Consider us primed.
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