Aston Martin Unveils Its Quickest Vantage Street Automobile Ever. Right here’s What We Know.
Aston Martin‘s Vantage has always been the British marque’s most athletic and driver-focused production street car. Now Aston is pouring high-test on to the Vantage flames with the introduction of a completely revamped version for 2025; a car that was developed with the intent of raising the bar even higher on the model’s drive dynamics.
Highlights include fresh new bodywork inspired by Aston Martin’s One-77 supercar, a revised interior, and a heavily reworked 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8 that packs 656 hp—representing a 30 percent increase over the previous V-8 iteration. This latest edition of the Vantage is able to sprint from zero to 60 mph in 3.4 seconds, rather than it predecessor’s 3.6 seconds, and has a top speed of 202 mph, while the former reached 190 mph.
To sharpen the Vantage’s handling, the 2025 model sees the car’s I-beam-rigid, bonded-aluminum chassis further stiffened, the addition of a new electronic rear differential, as well as new Bilstein DTX adaptive shocks and stickier 21-inch Michelin Pilot Sport S 5 rubber.
“Vantage will make headlines for the huge increases in power and torque over the outgoing model. But it’s the vivid way in which it deploys such immense performance that will seduce enthusiasts and purists,” claimed Roberto Fedeli, Aston Martin’s chief technical officer, in the official announcement.
As expected, one casualty of this refreshed Vantage is the twin-turbocharged 5.2-liter V-12. While the uprated V-8 mill doesn’t pack as big a punch as the former—656 hp compared to 690 hp—there’s a step up in torque, from 542 ft lbs to 590 ft lbs. That said, it’s still a sad day for fans of the V-12 variant.
This new V-8 continues to be hand-built by Mercedes-AMG in Germany, though Aston Martin engineers have unlocked more power with larger turbos, modified camshaft profiles, and improved cooling. As before, the engine is mated to an eight-speed ZF automatic transmission with paddles, though a shortened final drive ratio, plus a new launch-control feature, help propel the car off the line with more gusto.
There’s also a new adjustable-traction-control system that offers eight levels of assistance both on and off the racetrack. Along with this, the steering, front-end grip, and braking all get uprated.
As far as styling, Aston Martin’s chief creative officer, Marek Reichman, has given the 2025 Vantage a bolder, more cohesive aesthetic. We were never fans of the look of the drooping, lower grille of the last V-8 version, though that changed dramatically with the introduction of the limited-edition V-12 Vantage. Evolved from the latter, the trademark Aston grille has now been enlarged by 38 percent to allow more cooling air into the engine bay.
Reichman says he took inspiration from his One-77 (produced from 2009 to 2012), especially in the enlarged cooling intakes at each side of the grille. And bigger, bolder LED headlights feature Aston’s new light signature. “To capture the new car’s huge uplift in power and performance, we’ve accentuated its physique, increasing its muscularity and sharpening its sculptural form,” he states in the automaker’s announcement.
Other design changes include a wider rear bumper that incorporates new side vents, plus even larger-diameter quad tailpipes to no doubt increase the model’s signature bellow. The 21-inch forged-alloy wheels, though, are carried over from the V-12 Vantage.
Inside, the entire cabin has seen a major makeover, adopting many of the changes introduced with the new DB12. This includes the redesigned steering wheel, the crystal-clear digital display in front of the driver, the 10.25-inch center-console touchscreen, and the stubby electronic shifter.
This answers one of the major criticisms with the last-generation V-8 and V-12 Vantage models; that being their fussy switchgear layouts, Mercedes parts-bin controls, and add-on center screen. And if the soundtrack from the more potent V-8 isn’t music enough, this 2025 Vantage comes with a new Bowers & Wilkins 390-watt, 11-speaker audio system as standard, with the option of a 1,170-watt surround-sound setup with 15 speakers.
Deliveries of the first 2025 Vantage examples are scheduled to start this spring, although pricing has not been announced. But as a reference, the last-generation Vantage coupes started at just under $150,000. There’s also no word yet on when the new roadster variant will arrive, though this time next year seems a safe bet.
Along with the new Vantage road car, Aston Martin has simultaneously revealed the 2025 Vantage GT3 racer.
Dominic Fraser, courtesy of Aston Martin Lagonda Global Holdings PLC
To coincide with the unveiling of the new road car, the marque also debuted its Vantage GT3 race entry, due to contest in this year’s IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, Fanatec GT Challenge , and FIA World Endurance Championship, which means it will be on the starting grid at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June.
Evolved from the highly successful Vantage GTE, which scored no fewer than 52 class wins and 11 world titles since 2012, this GT3 is expected to be campaigned by as many as 30 global race teams by the end of this season.
Click here for more photos of the 2025 Aston Martin Vantage.
Aston Martin debuts its 2025 Vantage.
Aston Martin Lagonda Global Holdings PLC
Source: Robb Report