Under Ford's stewardship, Aston Martin progressed from a niche manufacturer, turning out 200 or so units annually, into a genuinely competitive sports car maker making 10 times as many cars. The V8 Vantage means the current owners now have a serious shot at giving Ferrari and Porsche some sleepless nights.
The car's exterior design doesn't betray the family face, with plenty of cues from the DB9 and Vanquish, but the more diminutive dimensions of the Vantage mean it looks more aggressive and poised. Inside, there are plenty of the quality materials you'd expect from an Aston, and they are applied through a combination of traditional and modern design. However, both the coupé and the roadster suffer from a restricted field of view thanks to the chunky A-pillars and high-set dash, and over-the-shoulder vision in the drop-top is also poor. The driving position is good apart from pedals that are offset to the right, which does start to irritate on longer drives.
This car's real character comes from under the bonnet, though, as its V8 growls and barks to make the hairs on your neck stand up. At high revs, the exhaust is engineered to produce a screaming metallic cacophony, which is all the more enjoyable in the roadster. Both variants are solidly built - even the ragtop resists flexing and vibration during B-road blasts, and the roof is both user-friendly and perfectly watertight. The Vantage tops out at an impressive 180mph, although BMW's M6 is quicker through the gears. The M6 also offers sharper steering compared to the Vantage's slightly vague setup, and a Porsche 911 beats it for outright engagement, but the baby Aston still offers a thrilling and enjoyable experience through the bends.
An impressively refined ride, very comfortable seating and surprisingly good luggage capacity mean the Vantage is a real-deal Grand Tourer. You'll have to make regular stops at the pumps, however, as 15-16mpg is all you can expect to return from that characterful engine. But with the exclusivity you'll be enjoying on that long, punctuated trip to the C?te d'Azur means the V8 Vantage will attract sufficient buyers regardless.