The all-new Vantage is the best Aston Martin in years

Fantastic looks, a sharper cabin and a leap in power make for a fierce competitor in the segment

The all-new Aston Martin Vantage in the UAE. Photo: Aston Martin

It’s no secret that certain British heritage carmakers have been having a bit of an identity crisis lately. Rest assured, that does not seem to be an issue for Aston Martin if the all-new Vantage is anything to go by. Originally announced in February, the consensus from the first people who have driven it seems to be that this is one of the best Astons in years.

Having previously driven the outgoing generation's F1 Edition between the historic factory in Newport Pagnell (now the site of the Aston Martin Works) and the current headquarters in Gaydon, after a few days with the incumbent Vantage I'd have to agree the new generation is a step up in every way.

First of all, just cast your eyes on it. It looks fantastic. Even in the press model’s vivid orange, which is an acquired taste, it was love at first sight. Part of its new stance is down to engineering changes – the new Vantage no longer has a V12 engine option, relying solely on a twin-turbo V8. That engine, however, generates a whopping 656hp, a 128hp increase over the previous generation. That would explain the significantly larger grill, essential to cooling all that action under the hood.

It has also led to bigger headlights – a distinct improvement over the barely-perceptible sliver of a headlight on the predecessor. Its looks are genuinely head-turning – at least five grown men flashed me thumbs up at traffic light during my couple of days with the car.

There are vast improvements in the interior as well. While the previous generation had an infotainment system that felt slightly out of date and laggy, this cabin screams 2025 in all the right ways. The central screen is crisp and responsive – without taking over the entire dashboard. There are also plenty – and I do mean plenty – of buttons and dials on the centre console. At a time when many top-end cars have door-to-door screens in the front and a couple for the passengers in the back, it’s refreshing to still have one excellent screen on the dash and some physical controls to hand that are not buried seven-menus deep in an operating system.

The Vantage is still ostensibly the entry-level Aston, although there is expected to be an increase in price for this new generation, which finds it positioned against the Porsche 911 Turbo and the Bentley Continental GT.

I didn’t get to take the Vantage screeching around a track, but I did pop it into Sport Plus mode – which is engaged through a satisfying turn of a physical knob. When you hit the accelerator in a straight line (and within the speed limit), the results will make you giggle. It's chassis is now stiffer, has revised dampers and other tweaks hat make it feel very responsive. It is quite the beast once all its engineering is engaged – but just as happy to be driven calmly at low rpm while you dot about town.

While other British marques, such as Jaguar, look to a potentially EV-dominated future and have a bit of an identity crisis, Aston Martin knows exactly what it is – a powerful grunting vehicle steeped in motoring and racing heritage packaged sleekly for modern life. It's something quite beautiful.