Clad in camouflage but clearly showing a fair bit of near-production bodywork, a prototype of the next-generation Aston Martin Vantage was spotted during shakedown testing in Europe. Aston Martin boss Andy Palmer said the car will be officially revealed sometime before the end of the year. Given that timing, the new Vantage could make its debut as early as the Frankfurt Auto Show in September.
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Reflecting cues seen in the one-off DB10 model that James Bond drove in the movie “Spectre,” mixed with a bit design flourish inspired by the limited-edition, track-focused Vulcan, the new Vantage melds distinctive visual character with aggressively elegant Aston Martin cues. Underpinned by a version of the automaker’s aluminum-intensive platform introduced on the new DB11 model, the upcoming Vantage promises to be a more capable handler than the car it replaces.
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The new Vantage will launch packing some version of the new 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 Aston sources from its tech partner Mercedes-AMG. Also found in the expanded 2018 DB11 model range, the engine is expected to make about 500 horsepower–roughly 70 more ponies than the current V8 Vantage–and provide brisker acceleration whether backed by a manual transmission or dual-clutch automatic. At some point, anticipate seeing both a hotter V8 S and a range-topping Vantage V12 model join the family.
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