Used 2014 Aston Martin Vantage

The 2014 Aston Martin Vantage offers the most affordable way into the Aston Martin brand. Of course, it still costs more than $120,000, so "affordable" is relative here. Regardless, the 2014 Vantage offers a striking design that’s the equal of its larger, more expensive siblings, and it has the performance to back it up. The Vantage offers either a potent V8 engine, or a newly enhanced V12. Couple that with excellent handling and a stiff aluminum structure, and there’s no doubt you have a supercar on your hands. While it’s true that competitors like the Audi R8 and Porsche 911 offer more acceleration and performance for your dollar, there’s virtually nothing that offers the visual punch and emotional involvement of the Aston Martin Vantage.

The 2014 Aston Martin Vantage is billed as a daily driver performance car, not an all-out track-attack car. But this is still an emotional car first, with little room for day-to-day practicality. The Vantage isn’t just about numbers – the V8 models are outrun by any number of cars. But run the Vantage through its gears and you’ll be hooked on its baritone exhaust note. It’s also the most agile Aston Martin by far, with excellent turn-in, cornering ability, and high-speed stability, the last of which is especially important since the new V12 S is capable of speeds in excess of 200 mph. Yet despite this, the Vantage is remarkably comfortable around town, for an exotic. While the 6-speed manual transmission is very good, the 7-speed single-clutch automatic falls far behind competitors with dual-clutch systems. Aston Martin should devote some of its limited resources to developing a new transmission.

The 2014 Aston Martin Vantage interior is exquisitely crafted, beautiful to behold, and utterly lacking in practicality. Most of the interior is covered in supple hand-stitched leather, accented by piano black or carbon-fiber trim. The standard and upgrade sport seats are comfortable and supportive, but they don’t offer a lot of the adjustments available in other cars at this price. As for practicality, the dial controlling the navigation and audio system is frustrating, and the Vantage’s dash feels dated. Cargo space is also limited to a paltry 10.6 cubic feet, while the convertible cuts that number in half.

There’s no denying the 2014 Aston Martin Vantage is one of the most beautiful cars on the road. Its long, low hood and swollen rear fenders define power and grace. The V8 Vantage S and the V12 Vantage S add a carbon-fiber lower air splitter, along with other accents. The V12 Vantage S also gets numerous hood vents, which look aggressive, but mar the otherwise clean lines. Roadsters get a power operated soft-top, and additional structural reinforcements to compensate for the lack of a roof. The top deploys and retracts in 18 seconds, at speeds up to 30 mph.

BESPOKE ORDERING GUIDE
While the standard Vantage would seem to be exclusive enough, you can actually select from a wide variety of color, material and trim combinations from Aston Martin’s "Q" customization service to match your own style. Hey, it’s only money, right?

HYDRAULIC STEERING
The 2014 Aston Martin Vantage retains hydraulic steering assist, albeit with an upgraded system. This is good news for enthusiasts, who generally prefer the more natural feel of hydraulic assist to the electric assist that’s becoming increasingly widespread.

As expected of a luxury sports car, the 2014 Aston Martin Vantage offers a generous list of standard features. There’s a Garmin navigation system, Bluetooth hands-free connectivity, rear parking sensors, and super-bright xenon headlights. On the performance side, every Vantage gets a standard limited slip differential. Vantage V8 models get a standard 6-speed manual transmission, while the V12 S coupe comes only with a 7-speed single-clutch automatic. On the safety side, there are airbags front and side, and a pop-up rollbar on Roadster models.

The most important option on the menu is an excellent Bang & Olufsen audio system, which is about the only thing that will ever rival the natural sounds coming from the engine There are also carbon-fiber side sills, an Alcantara-covered steering wheel, several different wheels, and carbon-Kevlar sport seats that weigh nearly 37 pounds less than the standard variety. You can also customize your Vantage in a variety of different paint, leather and brake-caliper colors. If that’s not enough, Aston Martin’s "Q" bespoke service lets you customize your car to your heart’s desire.

You have two powerplant choices for the 2014 Aston Martin Vantage. There’s the standard 4.7-liter V8 with 420 horsepower and 346 lb-ft of torque (and you can get an extra 10 horsepower and 15 lb-ft of torque in the V8 Vantage S). However, the king of them all is the 565-horsepower V12 in the V12 Vantage S. All engines except the V12 S are available with either a 6-speed manual transmission or 7-speed automatic. The V12 S gets just the automatic. The automatic is 55 pounds lighter than the manual, but lacks refinement. All-wheel drive isn’t available at any price.

4.7-liter V8
420 horsepower @ 7,300 rpm
346 lb-ft of torque @ 5,000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 13/19 mpg (manual), 14/21 mpg (automatic)

4.7-liter V8
430 horsepower @ 7,300 rpm
361 lb-ft of torque @ 5,000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 13/19 mpg (manual), 14/21 mpg (automatic)

6.0-liter V12
565 horsepower @ 6,500
457 lb-ft of torque @ 5,750 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 12/18 mpg