Vantage cranks up the power struggle

With the majority of its changes under the skin, Aston was understandably reluctant to start messing with the styling of one of the most elegant cars in the class.

Despite having arrived just three years ago, the V8 Vantage has become the bestselling Aston Martin ever, with more than 10,000 sold worldwide in the past three years. And for a company no longer under the protective wing of Ford, it certainly doesn’t want to risk the V8’s popularity and future sales.

Aston CEO Dr Ulrich Bez talks about a continuous development of the cars from now on (the DB9 is about to get a similar mild refresh), with lots of small changes adding up to a big step forward overall.

So, while the exterior of the new Vantage may have barely changed (barring the addition of some gorgeous five-spoke alloy wheels on the newly available Sports Pack), clearly Aston’s engineers have been busy underneath the exterior of the vehicle.

As well as that Sports Pack, there’s a new, larger 4.7-litre engine with more power and grunt, a revised interior, gearbox tweaks and numerous suspension improvements.

Even better, unlike many car makers at this level, which always have one eye on the purse strings, all these minor changes have brought only a relatively minor £2,000 price rise on both the Coupé and Roadster versions – to £85,000 and £93,000 respectively. OK, so that’s still 85 and 93 grand too expensive for most of us, but it’s tiny compared to some of the competition.

Thankfully, the new Vantage boasts more changes under the surface than to its exterior. The V8 engine has been increased from 4.3 to 4.7-litres and now boasts an extra 40 horses up to 420bhp. On paper, that’s enough to lower the 0 to 60mph time down to 4.7 seconds and raise the top speed to 180mph (from 4.9 seconds and 175mph before).

But, in reality, Aston’s latest changes weren’t about outright performance and were more about making the Vantage more driveable on a daily basis.

The old car sometimes needed to be worked hard to get the best from it; the latest alterations are meant to make the V8 engine more flexible and easier to use.

Certainly, when accelerating hard through the mid-range, such as when overtaking or driving on a motorway slip road, the grunt of the V8 engine will pull you through, rather than necessitating a change down of gear which you might have needed in the old car. You’ll still want to visit the higher numbers on the rev counter though, if only to hear the gorgeous howl, both inside and out, of that V8 engine above 4,000rpm.

Your enjoyment behind the wheel of the Vantage goes further still when you start to drive it down a twisty road.

The changes to the Sportshift semi-automatic gearbox have made it easier to use, especially when pressing on, so it’s no wonder 75 per cent of customers choose it, despite the £3,000 optional cost.

Your confidence with the gearshift paddles behind the wheel allows you to brake hard up towards corners, flick down the gears with the paddles and then slingshot out of them with a huge grin on your face.

With improved feedback, you can also feel more of the car through the seat and steering wheel and lean on the tyres with far more confidence than you could have done in the old car. It may not be quite on the same symbiotic level as the likes of the Porsche 911 but it’s closer than before.

If it seems odd that we should be recommending the £3,000 Sportshift gearbox over the six-speed manual in a sports car, it certainly isn’t the case when driving them. By comparison, the gearchange on the manual feels stiff and clunky at speed and, due in part to a brake pedal that’s too soft in its initial feel, almost hinders you driving both smoothly and quickly at the same time.

It’s a similar story with the optional Sports Pack, as its uprated suspension makes the car feel too skittish and fidgety and detracts from the overall experience. Inside the Vantage there’s a new centre console, comparable to last year’s flagship DBS.

At long last, the old Jaguar-style ignition key has gone, replaced instead by the same type of glass and plastic transponder used on the DBS.

With the DB9 about to get the same treatment, a push-in style ignition key isn’t ideal or to everyone’s tastes (they’re problematic in stressful situations, such as when you’ve stalled) but it’s a big improvement on the old key.

Appearances can be deceptive, if the new Aston Martin Vantage is anything to go by.

On the surface, it barely looks to have changed, while on the road it’s more purposeful and desirable than ever.

While the Vantage has undoubtedly improved, whether it’s enough to see off the threat posed by the new Porsche 911 is another matter.

The existing 911 offers a sharper, more involving driving experience but the Vantage has exclusivity on its side and a more approachable image than the German car.

The Aston’s attributes are probably enough to settle the argument in the Vantage’s direction but nobody would blame keen driving enthusiasts for heading down to the Porsche showroom.

The hard-fought battle continues.

Logbook lowdown

Model: Aston Martin V8 Vantage

Price range: £85,000-£93,000

Engine: Petrol – 4.7-litre V8

Power: 0 to 60mph in 4.7 seconds, 180mph top speed

Average fuel economy: 21.4mpg

CO2 emissions: 312-328g/km

Insurance group: 20

Rivals: Audi R8, Maserati Granturismo, Porsche 911