New car news

23 May 2008 - 11:00

The same... but better

Had Aston Martin come to us and asked us what we'd change about the V8 Vantage, we'd probably have said: "A bit more power and sharper handling, please, and if you could make it less thirsty that'd be great. But whatever you do, don't mess with the looks."

But they didn't ask us, so the revised Vantage gets, erm, a bit more power, sharper handling, better fuel economy... but exactly the same looks. It's almost like they're psychic.

The Vantage's 4.3-litre has been bored out to 4.7 litres, with power jumping from 380bhp to 420. Peak torque is up from 302 to 347lb ft too, helping to shave 0.2 seconds off the 0-60 sprint, which is now down at 4.7 seconds. Top speed is extended to 180mph, boosting the Vantage into proper 911-bashing territory.

And as if all that wasn't good news enough, Aston has managed to reduce economy and CO2 emissions by 13 per cent on the Sportshift. It's the green choice. Sort of.

The Vantage also gets a bunch of suspension tweaks to sharpen it up, with stiffer springs and Bilstein dampers as standard, while the paddle-shift gearbox will now hold onto low gears for longer.

The only thing that might put you off the revised Vantage is the appearance of the Emotional Control Unit from the DBS. Or the Big Lumpy Key, as it's better known. Still, some people love it, and we reckon it's a fair trade-off for all the extra power... and those same fantastic looks.

The revised Vantage goes on sale this autumn. Form an orderly queue.