Aston Martin Vantage (1993)

Aston Martin Vantage (1993) at a glance

The supercharged car shared its name with the V8 Vantage of 1977, but under the skin it was a Virage. All models of the marque are listed in the Aston Martin catalogue. Its V12 successor is described in our Aston Martin Vanquish article, and the brand's long story is in our Aston Martin history.

A new body on the Virage

The Vantage made its debut at the Birmingham motor show in September 1992, and production began the following year. The base was the Virage of 1989, yet very little was carried over. Wikipedia lists only the roof, the doors and the wing mirrors as common parts, and the mirrors were later replaced by units from the Jaguar XK8 and XKR.

The new body is wider and lower than the Virage and has four round tail lights. The rear suspension and the interior electronics were also new. evo credits the styling to John Heffernan and Ken Greenley.

The panels were made the traditional way. According to evo, each started as a flat sheet of thin aluminium, which craftsmen "wheeled, hammered, dollied and planished" into shape. The cabin was trimmed in hide and burr walnut veneer. Shallow side windows, a tall dashboard and a rising instrument binnacle make it feel snug.

The twin-supercharged V8

The engine is a development of Aston Martin's 5.3-litre V8 that displaces 5,341 cc. One Eaton supercharger is fitted to each cylinder bank. Every engine was assembled by hand at Newport Pagnell, and each carries a plaque with the name of the man who built it.

evo quotes the standard engine at 410 kW (550 bhp) at 6,500 rpm and 550 lb ft. The power went through a six-speed manual gearbox, with an automatic available. Later, Aston Martin made the Vantage's six-speed gearbox an option on the Virage as well.

A popular modification blanked off sixth gear and changed the final drive ratio, which turned the gearbox into a close-ratio five-speed. At launch the front brakes, with 362 mm ventilated discs and AP Racing calipers, were the largest fitted to any road car, according to evo.

Performance and weight

The weight was considerable even for a large grand tourer, but the supercharged V8 gave it about 206 kW per tonne, or 281 bhp per ton in evo's figures. The 18-inch wheels were part of the new design.

V600 upgrade and Vantage Le Mans

From 1998 owners could send their cars to Aston Martin Works Service for the V600 conversion. It raised power to 447 kW (608 PS) at 6,200 rpm and torque to 813 Nm at 4,400 rpm. evo estimates that about 80 cars received it.

The final version was the V8 Vantage Le Mans. Its prototype was unveiled in Geneva in 1999, four decades after Aston Martin had won Le Mans, and the run was limited to 40 cars. Output was 450 kW (612 PS) with 820 Nm, and Aston Martin claimed 320 km/h and 3.9 seconds from rest to 100 km/h. evo says that most of these cars had the V600 engine together with Works brake and chassis upgrades.

The Le Mans can be recognised by its blanked-out grille, modified side vents with DBR1-style strakes, a larger front spoiler and a rear skirt. Koni dampers, stiffer anti-roll bars and Dymag magnesium wheels were fitted. Inside there is a large rev counter, titanium-finished details, Connolly leather and Wilton wool carpets. Each car was built to special order, with a plate bearing the first owner's name.

The Vantage Volante

An open Vantage was never a regular catalogue model. Wikipedia lists eight short-wheelbase Volantes and one long-wheelbase Volante, built by Works Service in 2000 as bespoke Special Edition cars.

On the road

evo drove a V550 decades after its launch. Its tester found light but quick steering, keen turn-in and a car that balances well between front and rear, although body roll is considerable by modern standards. The secondary ride is slightly brittle over sharp potholes, and the throttle can be jerky at low speed. The rear tyres break traction easily in corners, and the magazine warns that a wet road demands extra care.

The end of the line

New European rules on emissions and safety led Aston Martin to end production of the V8 Vantage line in 2000. The company's next flagship, the Vanquish, used a V12. The Vantage therefore closed both the era of the hand-built Newport Pagnell V8s and of the coachbuilt bodies made there.

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