The most obvious question that immediately presents itself about the new Vantage is to do with value for money.
Given that you can still buy examples of the outgoing generation for little more than £90k, is £120k too much to expect people to pay?
2018 Aston Martin Vantage revealed
It’s certainly a big leap for the Vantage to take. But, while I dare say some fans of the old car may be discouraged by the price of the new one, Aston Martin’s pricing is at least pretty competitive. If you want a Mercedes-AMG GT S with the same power as the Vantage instead, you’ll save less than £10,000. The cheapest Porsche 911 Turbo’s pricier still, as is the cheapest Audi R8 – while Ferrari’s new Portofino is likely to cost more than £150k.
Q&A with Aston Martin's chief technical officer on the new Vantage
First drive: Aston Martin Vantage prototype
The other factor likely to convince existing Vantage owners to sign on the dotted line is the huge and much- needed leap in performance. And there’s a lot more to come on that score. Aston insiders confirm that the firm’s twin-turbocharged V12 does just about fit under the Vantage’s bonnet – and that’s an engine that’ll be producing more than 700bhp and 650lb ft in some of its forthcoming applications, I hear. Even wound down to something closer to 600bhp, that ought to make the next Aston Martin V12 Vantage S an absolute monster.
How James Bond's DB10 contributed to the new Vantage
Knowing how well Aston has done dynamically with the DB11 V8, I just can’t wait to drive one – V8 or V12.
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Aston Martin Vantage (2017) review
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Room for a new entry level car?
Is there room for a new entry level car to fill the space the old Vantage fitted in? The new one looks bigger and brasher, so maybe it fits the price point, but the old customers appear to have been abandoned.
30 grand? Pah!
Can't imagine customers will be that put off by a mere 30 grand. It's another new shiny thing to buy. I was chatting to someone at the weekend who's next car will be in this price bracket and it really is a different world. MPG, running costs, servicing costs, insurance and tax wasn't even registering with him. They were merely part and parcel.
I'm put off!
I had one of the current model (bought as an ex-demo) I believe you me there's no way I will be paying well north of £100K for the new one. For a lot of Vantage owners the old model was just about affordable and worth pushing the boat out to get into an Aston. That 30% cost increase will make it far less attainable for those enthusiast owners who drive the current model because they love the car and the brand. Granted, those that just want another car to "pose" in and who have more money than sense won't be put off by the increase, although they may now consider that a few grand more to put a Mclaren or a Ferrari on their drive will be a better path to making them fell superior to their neighbours and the guys down the golf club ...
Why read a car magazine then?
They do tend to be full of new shiny things to buy.