Aston Martin introduced the remodelled 2019 Vantage on Tuesday. With a 503-horsepower twin-turbo V-8 developed in partnership with Mercedes-Benz AMG, the sports car is expected to cost upwards of $200,000 in Canada.
The two-seater Vantage follows the DB11, which debuted in 2016, as the England-based auto maker known for its cars in the James Bond movies continues to remake itself.
The entry-level Aston Martin is 284 millimetres shorter than the DB11, and shorter than a Porsche 911 Turbo by about the distance between your thumb and first digit. Weighing a light 1,530 kilograms and given a 50-50 weight distribution, the Vantage's zero-to-100 km/h time is projected to be about 3.7 seconds.
Transmission is an eight-speed automatic, though a seven-speed manual is expected to follow in about a year. The three driving modes are Sport, Sport Plus and Track.
The firm says the Vantage will be distinguished from competitors by its simplistic, sleek design. Detractors on Instragram quickly compared it with a Mazda MX-5, a few even to a Ford Mustang.
Andy Palmer, CEO of Aston Martin, poses for a photograph next to the new Vantage in Gaydon, Britain, Nov. 20, 2017.
PHIL NOBLE/REUTERS
"We are targeting younger customers because we are seeing younger customers coming to the brand, particularly in places such as China," CEO Andy Palmer said on Tuesday, at an event to introduce the car.
While Aston presented a red model, press materials showed different colours, including a bright "Lime Essence" shade.
Some automotive observers anticipated a version of the DB11; instead, the Vantage has its own look. The all-new design is inspired by the DB10 driven in the movie Spectre by Daniel Craig, playing secret agent 007, Automobilemag.com reports.
The upturned tail is designed to provide down-force. The LE taillights encased in a slim curving strip on the edge of the tail could become a signature feature on future Aston Martin cars, according to a spokesperson.
Gills behind the front wheels can be painted black or the same colour as the body, according to CNN. Panels are constructed with aluminum and carbon-fibre. Seventy per cent of the structure is unique to the Vantage, other parts shared with the DB11.
The clamshell hood has a slight bulge, meant to project an ‘athletic, predatory stance.’
Compared with the prior model, the clamshell hood has a slight power bulge, meant to help project "an athletic, predatory stance," according to Aston. The characteristic grille nearly spans the front.
Inside, adopting the Mercedes-Benz electronic architecture has enabled equipment upgrades and a more intuitive user interface, according to Car and Driver.
Aston Martin has already been taking orders for the car at private showings. The price difference between the prior Vantage and new version is up by more than 20 per cent.
The Vantage is the second of seven new models Aston Martin is promising to introduce in the next few years. The company's first SUV, called the DBX, will be built at a new factory in Wales and be made available in late 2019.
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