Upon moving into the brand new Aston Martin Vantage S, it is instantly obvious that this automotive desires you to have a very good time. Not due to the loud exhaust on startup, the cocooning format of the cabin, or the implausible styling you see earlier than even opening the door. No, what separates the Vantage S from different sports activities vehicles and supercars just like the Porsche 911 and Lamborghini Temerario is that there is no Regular or Consolation or GT drive mode. You press the chunky begin button within the middle console, the V8 roars to life and also you’re in Sport mode. This isn’t a automotive for many who wish to have a delicate time.
The common Vantage has GT, Sport and Sport+ modes (plus a Moist mode), and it is a very thrilling automotive to drive, however the Vantage S dials issues up greater than I used to be anticipating. Aston Martin did not make any main modifications right here; there is a bit extra energy, a barely stiffer chassis, a extra exact entrance finish. However its drive modes go Sport, Sport+, and Observe (plus Moist and Particular person), and that tells you principally all it’s essential know concerning the Vantage S. Its upgrades add as much as a hell of a very good time, a automotive that may make you’re feeling alive whether or not going to the grocery retailer or hitting the canyons.
Full disclosure: Aston Martin invited me to drive out to Westlake Village to spend a day with the Vantage S within the hills round Malibu.
It is fairly quick
Powering the Vantage S is similar AMG-derived twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 that has been utilized by this technology of Vantage because it got here out, however the automotive’s facelift in 2024 introduced the motor’s efficiency manner up, surpassing even the AMG GT that makes use of the identical engine. The Vantage S will get a slight bump from 656 horsepower to 671, and torque stays the identical at 590 pound-feet. Usually that change would not actually be noticeable, and it is only a tenth faster to each 60 mph and 124 mph, taking 3.3 and 10.1 seconds, respectively. However Aston additionally recalibrated the throttle to be extra responsive, tuning the mapping extra particularly for every drive mode, and the automotive undoubtedly feels extra desirous to speed up on a regular basis.
As you’d hope, it sounds superior when that gasoline pedal is even barely squeezed. There is not any exhaust {hardware} modifications particular to the S, however Vantage did not want any assist in that division. This automotive is loud, and just about all the time loud particularly given how Sport is the baseline. It is bought a very totally different character from the Mercedes-AMG GT63 Professional, which is down a complete 68 hp from the Aston. (The AMG has a lame-o Consolation mode, too.) Due to how rev-happy and reactive the engine is, it is powerful to not drive round like an enthusiastic pet pulling on its leash, eager to run free on the park.
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As soon as I’ve gotten out of the suburbs and into the canyons the place I can actually begin to exploit all that energy, the automotive virtually begs me to step on it. I am unable to consider one other gas-powered automotive this aspect of a McLaren 750S that accelerates with such vigor regardless of the state of affairs. It is fast as hell off the road — there is no mistaking that it is rear-wheel drive, both — however extra spectacular is the way it accelerates within the mid and higher ranges of the tach. Aston did not tweak the 8-speed transmission for the S, however it did not really want to. The big paddles are good to click on, and even left to its personal gadgets it will shift simply while you’d need, with a critical kick within the extra intense drive modes.
And talking of drive modes, the modifications made to this have additionally been fairly profitable. In plenty of vehicles, even sports activities vehicles, there is not a giant distinction between Sport and Sport+ and Observe (or no matter different names are used for analogous modes), however twisting the knurled dial modifications up the automotive’s character greater than in the usual mannequin; Sport+ is so intense that even attempting Observe on the road feels pointless. Though there is no GT mode, the Sport mode may be calm sufficient to be pushed on the town or on a street journey with out being annoying.
It feels excellent
Can I inform that the S-specific ducktail spoiler provides 97 kilos of downforce on the automotive’s 202-mph high pace? Uh, that might be a detrimental, however Aston does say the spoiler makes the stability of downforce extra biased in direction of the entrance for higher turn-in and grip. The engineers additionally mounted the rear subframe proper onto the physique as a substitute of utilizing rubber bushings, made {hardware} and software program modifications to the Bilstein adaptive dampers, and adjusted the camber, caster and toe.
Aston describes the Vantage S as having “an exciting urge for food for corners,” and that’s definitely true. It is sharper and extra direct than the bottom Vantage, with higher steering weighting and accuracy. This can be a freaking vast automotive that does not have the best outward visibility, however even with out assistance from issues like rear-wheel steering it feels fairly nimble and lightweight on its toes. Aston’s drive route has me happening a number of the tightest, narrowest canyon roads round Malibu, and I can assault them much more fervently than I might count on. The Aston-specific Michelin Pilot Sport S 5 rubber helps with the automotive’s grip and cornering prowess.
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Regardless of its rip-roaring angle, the common Vantage is already a a lot nicer automotive to each day drive than the pre-facelift mannequin was, and the S would not mess issues up in that division. To compensate for the added sharpness, the transmission mount stiffness was diminished by 10%, and the rear spring help stiffness was additionally diminished for higher trip high quality at low speeds. Any automotive with 21-inch wheels sized 275/35 up entrance and 325/30 within the again may have a kinda uneven trip, and the Vantage definitely tramlines, however it’s actually not a lot worse than a Porsche 911 GTS, and the cabin is good and quiet. Each as a grand tourer and an outright sports activities automotive, the Vantage S feels extra well-balanced than the usual automotive.
What is the worth of pleasure?
I may speak about how nice it appears to be like, how significantly better the facelift Vantage’s inside is, or how Aston’s construct high quality is certainly beginning to get higher. (I may additionally speak about how a lot I do not look after Apple CarPlay Extremely, even when Aston’s personal infotainment system is not nice.) However none of that actually issues. What’s vital with the Vantage S is the way it will make you’re feeling. This is not probably the most exact sports activities automotive, probably the most refined or probably the most dynamic. No, it is one thing significantly better: a sports activities automotive that may immediately put a smile in your face and have you ever hooting and hollering like a “High Gun” pilot, as in the event you’re up within the sky pulling 7 G’s.
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Do you’ve gotten cats? I’ve bought two, and I all the time take pleasure in watching certainly one of them get the form of zoomies the place their eyes develop large, they hunker down and begin wiggling, after which blast off into the opposite room as if looking a ghost. That is what driving the Vantage S is like. Whether or not merging onto the freeway, exiting a nook or going when the sunshine turns inexperienced, once I hit the gasoline the Vantage S lunges ahead, squirming round as these big rear tires hook up and the quad pipes bellow, and I am rocketed towards the following exit, nook or gentle.
That is why you need the Aston Martin Vantage S as a substitute of another sports activities automotive — each second behind the wheel is electrifying. And Aston Martin is charging simply $5,000 greater than a standard Vantage for the pleasure of getting these enamel S badges. The Vantage S begins at $199,500 together with vacation spot (however not together with the $7,400 “import prices” tariff charge that is on the window sticker). That is solely round sixteen grand greater than each the 911 GTS and AMG GT63, and the Aston is definitely a couple of thousand cheaper than a GT63 Professional. Granted, you will in all probability need some choices. My Plasma Blue take a look at automotive had a dozen choices like a $10,000 Bowers & Wilkins sound system, $10,800 carbon-ceramic brakes, $2,900 distinction stitching and $1,900 ventilated seats, all coming to a complete of $248,400. A small worth to pay to essentially really feel alive.
