Aston Martin’s newest sports car, the Vantage, has gone into full production and the first model rolls off the line later today.
The V8-powered model is the baby of the Aston Martin line-up and replaces the car introduced back in 2005, with this new version coming with an aggressive look.
With the Mercedes-AMG-sourced unit under the bonnet that produces 503bhp and 685Nm of torque, the Vantage can sprint to 60mph in just 3.4 seconds and reach a top speed of 195mph.
Greg Clark, the government’s secretary of state for business, was present at the start of production and on its commencement, Clark said: “Aston Martin is an iconic brand that is an integral part of Britain’s proud automotive heritage.
“Through our modern Industrial Strategy we are building on this success, and the new Vantage is a British-built car exemplifying the skill and innovation that sets the UK auto sector apart from its competitors.”
Built at the brand’s Warwickshire-based Gaydon factory, the Vantage is hand-crafted alongside the rest of the Aston Martin range, which includes the Rapide S, DB11 family and the upcoming DBS Superleggera convertible supercar.
Aston Martin president and CEO, Andy Palmer, said: “Today marks an exciting moment for the entire company and an important day in the history of Aston Martin.
“The outgoing Vantage was the single most successful model in Aston Martin’s history and we believe its successor will surpass that. We will do this by retention of our important existing owners and through repositioning of the car, create new customers in new countries.”
Palmer added: “The new Vantage ticks all the boxes for a luxury sports car and unashamedly aspires to be the best in its segment. With the imminent launch of the DBS Superleggera, we are on track to replace each of our existing two-door sports car models by the end of this year.”
Prices for the Vantage start from £120,900 and deliveries begin next month.
