My review on the Aston vantage GT

[Ezio]

My good friend just got his brand new 2015 V8 vantage GT. which starts at 99k. All said in done, his was 110k. dealer tinted the windows, and powder coated his rims for no charge also.

I had a decent amount of driving time, and i was able to push the car. Here are my thoughts.

exterior- in my opinion the best part about the car was looks, its simply art on wheels. the car gets a lot of attention on the road. My friend and I went to a nice restaurant for dinner, and the valet parked it right up front. We got to watch people take pictures of the car which was pretty cool.

the cars rear and front fender flares are perfect.

Performance- This is the part where most people would say Aston lacks in regards to the price. Its no GTR or Z06 for that matter. But it has enough perforuamce and power to have fun in. the engine had a torque fell to it.

comparing it to my M3, I feel the M3 is easier to go fast in. The aston felt heavier, and was harder to see out of. If you want a better performance car, look to get a 911.

Sound/drama- When you sit in the car its a totally different feel over my M3. The M3 feels like you are driving a nice BMW. The Aston feels like you are driving something exotic. When you are pushing the Aston to the limits, the car has so much drama. Its kind of hard to explain. His car was also a 6 speed manual.

the car sounds VERY VERY good. Has a more of a muslce car sound to it. He is most likely going to add a exhuast though.

Fit and finish- One thing about the Aston i loved was it had very little electric technology inside. everything was analog not digital. the focus of the interior was more quality materials. soft leather was everywhere, and the entire roof inside was alcantara.

overall the car focus on style, beauty, and emotion less about performance (although still decently fast). I am overall in love with this car, and plan to buy one someday.

[avol3xo]

Nice write up, I've always loved the classic look of the Astons. I agree at the price point I would look at a GTR or 911 instead. Maybe by the time I'm ready to pull the trigger on a vehicle in that price range I will have grown out of the need for the "high performance" aspect. Awesome car!

[signes]

Thanks for posting this. Still love the way this car looks and sounds. Any more comment on steering feel / handling compared to the M3? It has been a long time since I drove a Vantage (right when it came out.)

[Ezio]

Originally Posted by signes

Thanks for posting this. Still love the way this car looks and sounds. Any more comment on steering feel / handling compared to the M3? It has been a long time since I drove a Vantage (right when it came out.)

I will say this, if i was doing a track event I would pick the M3. the M3 feels more nimble, and has a stiffer suspension feel with EDC set to max.

BUT i had more fun in the Aston, because it was harder to drive.

[sgrinavi]

Thanks for taking the time to write it up. On the street I'd have one over just about any BMW, beautiful machine.

Although I don't think I could afford the maintenance :-)

[omegaSMP300]

Nice write up. Thanks for sharing. It is a great car. I wanted more leather and features in mine so I went with the Vantage S. I hope your friend drives the hell out of it!

[clar]

Always loved the Vantage big time. Would have bought one if it had a dual clutch gear box. Next gen will have it, but comes with an AMG twin turbo Will likely have to fork out for the next gen V12 to stay NA.

[REV1]

If someone wanted a lot of attention for 99k that's the car to buy. I love the rear end on those cars. Great looking car.

[GMe90]

I think that the AM Vantage Roadster with MT is the perfect weekend car. Drop the top, rev the V8, enjoy the beautiful sound, and row your own gears. It's about as good as it gets in life.

[Leonardo629]

AM must be giving these out through leases, I saw 4 of them today in my hood.

[Flying Ace]

love it, great write up.

IMO not worth the extra dough to cough up versus the 2012 Vantage S, which is the one I would get. You still get the 430 HP engine but a better value IMO.

Was yours a 6MT or the AT?

[LarThaL]

Originally Posted by Flying Ace

love it, great write up.

IMO not worth the extra dough to cough up versus the 2012 Vantage S, which is the one I would get. You still get the 430 HP engine but a better value IMO.

Was yours a 6MT or the AT?

I would think a 2012 Vantage S would price out pretty much the same as a new GT. The big advantage of the GT is the combo of the 430hp motor with the manual gearbox. The sport shift auto isn't the greatest from what I have heard.

[Ezio]

Originally Posted by Flying Ace

love it, great write up.

IMO not worth the extra dough to cough up versus the 2012 Vantage S, which is the one I would get. You still get the 430 HP engine but a better value IMO.

Was yours a 6MT or the AT?

When buying used its a whole different debate.

the GT is a great value for anyone wanting a new Aston. its also a 6 speed.

[Hujan]

Thanks for posting your experience. My boss is looking seriously at a Vantage GT. I need to convince him to do a test drive and take me along.

First order of business would be a debadge and to remove the stripes on the sides (which it appears your buddy did).

[Ezio]

Originally Posted by Hujan

Thanks for posting your experience. My boss is looking seriously at a Vantage GT. I need to convince him to do a test drive and take me along.

First order of business would be a debadge and to remove the stripes on the sides (which it appears your buddy did).

I really question who at aston thought it was a good idea to put those stripes into production.

the Aston dealership took the stripes off, tinted the windows, blacked out the orange reflectors, and powder coated the rims all for free. I guess thats what happens when you start buying higher end cars haha.

[Hujan]

Originally Posted by Ezio

I really question who at aston thought it was a good idea to put those stripes into production.

the Aston dealership took the stripes off, tinted the windows, blacked out the orange reflectors, and powder coated the rims all for free. I guess thats what happens when you start buying higher end cars haha.

Yeah, the stripes are terrible. It's really not befitting a car of this caliber. Neat that they hooked your buddy up!

[RudyP]

The stripes and lipstick are actually an option on the GT. Many are delivered without.

Agree with your review. I love my Vantage - it feels much more special than an M car or 911. It is also bigger, harder to see out of and with harder to feel limits. I don't drive it quite as hard as the German cars. But it is about the experience and at any speed up to 8/10ths it delivers a much more exciting experience. Sounds great, looks great, turns heads without being ostentatious, gets smiles and thumbs up rather than sneers and is just a really great car to own.

[Ezio]

few more pictures in front of his house.

[LarThaL]

Originally Posted by Ezio

few more pictures in front of his house.

Gorgeous !!!! It just occurred to me that the side window profile of the Vantage is very similar to the Cayman.

[bravm3pwr]

Aston makes beautiful cars. They are not the fastest nor the most exotic looking, but they have that "classy looks" like a well-tailored suit. And the sound!!! It's glorious once the engine goes pass 4k rpm. I have a buddy who owns one. Loves it with the exceptions of the services. It requires lots of shop time plus the long lead time for parts from dealer.

[w0ady]

Aston's are great looking cars, just not the best fit for performance enthusiasts.

[Wolfinwolfsclothing]

Astons are cars that I've always felt has a classic design, similar to the 911, but the performance and handling is subpar for what you pay and the car looks so dated and the interiors always felt a bit on the cheap side and dislike the volvo inspired design.

Originally Posted by LarThaL

Gorgeous !!!! It just occurred to me that the side window profile of the Vantage is very similar to the Cayman.

Agreed. Plus the rear 3/4 of the aston and 911 also look quite similar. Both two of the best looking cars on the road at any time.