2021 Aston Martin Vantage

Why are we hyping things up because the car in question here is the 2021 Aston Martin Vantage? It is not a new car and certainly, for 2021 there haven’t been any changes to either the exterior or interior. But it can still steal your glance. For 2021 MY, the brand unveiled a new F1 edition after the car was made the official safety car. And the brand now offers a new drop-top model and stick shift which was reserved for the AMR edition. It goes head-to-head with the likes of the 2021 Mercedes-Benz AMG GT, 2021 Porsche 911 Carrera 4S, and the 2021 Jaguar F-Type R-Coupe. 

In 2021, the Vantage comes in two body styles which are coupe and convertible. There are no trim levels as the car is available in just one trim which can be customized according to your taste as there is a long list of optional extras that one can choose from. Also, there are special editions like AMR edition and F1 edition. While AMR is performance-focused, the F1 edition is the most track-focused production Vantage to date. It comes with the same engine but in a more powerful state of tune producing 25hp more. It also has a stiffer chassis and tweaks have been done to the suspension. 

The car also gets an all-new carmaker’s iconic paint job of green. It also features a massive rear wing for increased aero and fins at the front bumper as well. The gearbox has also been tuned to reduce the shift times and given stiffer components to handle the extra torque. The tires have been upsized to 21 inches on the Vantage F1 and wrapped around them are specially made low profile Pirelli tires. Overall the aero improvement has resulted in more downforce.

Which Trim should you buy?

Despite the availability of a single-trim option, the 2021 Aston Martin Vantage is all the bells and whistles you expect in a car that bears a sticker price of almost $150,000. With its British excellence being reflected in its build and performance, the latest MY of the Vantage ensures a feature-rich experience for all classes of buyers by making available standard features like upmarket upholstery options, integrated navigation system, and sport seats.

The 2021 Vantage now only comes with a twin-turbo V8, unlike the older generation which used to come with a V12 as well. This is a Mercedes AMG sourced V8 code-named M177. The engine is a 4.0L twin-turbo V8 unit that produces 503 hp and 505 lb-ft of torque. While these might not sound like insanely high figures but they translate into top-tier performance and the 0-60mph sprint takes 3.5 secs only and that is blistering fast. The engine is a true piece of art and though we prayed a lot for the 2021 Aston Martin Vantage to get the more powerful M178 engine that is also in the AMG GT R. Nonetheless, this motor here is also quiet enough to get you crazy. 

The gearbox has also been sourced from AMG and is an 8-speed automatic unit with manual override. But it also has been given the Aston Martin character by tuning it for the Vantage. It is fast and precise and while it used to get confused a lot in the AMG cars, here it is all sorted and well behaved. You also get a 7-speed manual unit reserved for the AMR edition in the Coupe variant for the 2021 MY. The noise that twin-turbo V8 makes is nothing like what you get to hear from the AMG cars but instead, now there are a lot of crackles and pops and bangs like a proper old Aston Martin.

Aston Martin’s are made to look good and be seriously fast in the straight line. But lately, the company has been in a serious financial crisis so instead of wasting precious money on developing a new powertrain, they sorted out their priorities and sourced one from the Germans. But things didn’t end there. The engineers at Aston Martin made sure to give it the very much required Aston Martin DNA. So even though the car’s heart may be from Germany, it sings all British. 

The 2021 Jaguar F-Type R-Coupe is the most powerful vehicle in the lineup managing 575hp and 516lb.-ft from its supercharged V8 engine option. While it’s difficult to differentiate amongst the cars based on their acceleration timings, the 2021 Mercedes-Benz AMG GT that clocks 3.7 and 14.9 seconds in the 60mph and a quarter-mile run, respectively. Surprisingly, the least powerful 2021 Porsche 911 Carrera 4S is the quickest in all aspects and manages to do so at a rather lower price tag. 

How well does the Aston Martin Vantage handle?

In the past, Aston Martins have been really very notorious around the corners. They have been blazingly fast on the straights but when it comes to a corner, they used to just go into panic or limp home mode. But that is not the case anymore. On paper, things seem a lot better than they used to be as the car is fitted with an electronic rear differential which is seen for the first time in an Aston Martin. 

The car has been built on an all-new chassis which is essentially a shorter version of the one used in DB11. The biggest thing is though the electronics are done here by Mercedes as well; they are not as intrusive as they are in the Merc. The Vantage has a very balanced chassis and you can pull drifts all day long. The suspension has been tuned by someone who used to work at Lotus earlier and we all know what Lotus is famous for. So on paper, the things look promising while a lap around the track will tell you that the Vantage keeps its promises.

Braking Performance

To make sure all that power is under control all the time, the 2021 Aston Martin Vantage comes with massive disc brakes for all four wheels. You can also equip it with optional carbon-ceramic brakes but they are best used on tracks. They aren’t linear and come with a strong bite; not suitable for a daily driver. The 2021 Vantage can slow down from 60-0mph in under 100 feet which is seriously quick. Though it is slightly lighter than its competitors, its performance is considerably better than rivals. 

Among the rivals, AMG GT comes with the largest set of brake rotors but it sits on the heavy side, taking 115 feet to stop from 60-0MPH. Porsche’s aerodynamics are commendable and with its 13.8-inch brake rotors both at the front and rear, it takes the least distance of 92 feet to stop from 60-0MPH. While the 2021 Jaguar F-Type R-Coupe features a rather smaller set of brakes measuring 14 and 12 inches at the front and rear, respectively, and takes 101ft., to come to a halt.

Though with the ever-rising fuel prices and companies shifting from gasoline-powered cars to hybrids or EVs, it seems more like a nightmare to all us petrol heads, that sports cars might be actual guzzlers, however, it is not always the case. Just for the record, the Aston Martin’s V8 engine is not all thirsty and gives a decent 19/24/20mpg for city, highway, and combined respectively. 2021 Vantage comes equipped with a 19.3-gallon fuel tank that offers almost 400 miles of driving range.

Among the rivals, the 2021 Mercedes-Benz AMG GT Coupe offers the most fuel economy at 22 MPG combined while the Jaguar’s supercharged V8 takes things down a bit here offering 18MPG combined which is still decent for a sports car. The Mercedes-Benz also features the largest fuel tank that has a total capacity of 19.8-gallons but falls short on range, surprisingly. While statistically the 2021 Porsche 911 Carrera 4S’s efficiency is not known, it features the least voluminous fuel tank in the segment that can hold 16.9 gallons of fuel.

This is the very first place where you can find if there have been corners cut to make this car ready for production. Luckily that is not the case with the 2021 Aston Martin Vantage and the interior is quite a premium place to be compared to what others offer. At first glance, the interior is typical of Aston Martin and it is very understated. The whole dash is wrapped in really nice soft leather. Even the stitching is parallel and perfect. The quality of materials used is top-notch and it’s really hard to fault this interior except for a few plastic bits.

The seats are sports bucket seats and offer excellent support. Though it is a low-riding sports car, the extent to which the seat goes down is reflective of the versatility that the coupe provides. The only thing we would rather change is the infotainment system which is the older Mercedes-Benz unit. The cargo space is also decent enough to accommodate the luggage of two individuals and you can even fit your golf bag here for weekend trips.

The interior of the 2021 Vantage is built for two rich people and is lined with high-quality leather. But there are a few plastic bits that ruin it. You can’t expect much cargo space for it is a sports car nonetheless it comes with a decent interior passenger volume.

The 2021 Porsche 911 Carrera 4S is the only vehicle in the segment that can seat 4 passengers, however, its additional row of seating does eat up into necessary cargo space. On the other hand, while the 2021 Mercedes-Benz AMG GT and 2021 Jaguar F-Type R-Coupe can seat two passengers, they have higher trunk volumes of 10.1 and 11.9 cubic feet, respectively.

Some standout interior features of the 2021 Aston Martin Vantage include

• Sports seats
• Strathmore and Alcantara leather upholstery
• Full-leather interior
• Heated and ventilated seats
• Carbon-fiber steering wheel

What’s there to keep you entertained?

The 2021 Vantage comes with an 8-inch LCD screen that strangely doesn’t support a touchscreen, which is essentially a prior year system borrowed from Mercedes-Benz as well. It is quite bizarre to see a supercar in 2021 without touchscreen compatibility. The Vantage supports iPod and iPhone integration, although the absence of Android Auto is a major setback.

The vehicle also features USB playback and Bluetooth audio and phone streaming. The Aston Martin audio system is a fairly decent addition to the aggressive supercar. For the hardcore partiers, you can also get the Aston Martin Premium Audio setup. An inbuilt satellite navigation system rounds off the archaic yet impressive infotainment system.

Highlighted infotainment features:

• 8.0-inch display
• Aston Martin audio system
• Bluetooth compatibility
• Built-in navigation
• iPod and iPhone integration

Vantage is the most gorgeous V8 sports car right now on sale. No doubt it is expensive but just look at it; it is simply impossible to not fall in love with this beautiful piece of art. Now there has been a bit of argument around the new mesh grille that is on the front of the Vantage and for the pure Aston Martin enthusiasts, there is an option to get the traditional Aston Martin Vaned grille but we think that the mesh design has understated excellence to it. The car looks short and athletic and if you want more visual drama then the limited F1 edition Vantage will get you all the eyeballs when you’ll be rolling down the streets in it.

The swooping roofline and the broad wheel hunches are characteristic of the Vantage. Then the swan doors make it look like it is just ready to open its wings and fly. The best design cue has to be the ducktail spoiler at the back which makes it look extremely unique in the sea of normal sportscars. It's like all the time Aston Martin engineers put all those hours into designing the car because it is no less than a masterpiece. 

Despite being on the shorter side, Vantage sits on a larger wheelbase than the rest of the competition at 106.5 cm. This translates to better interior passenger volume. It also makes it well planted on the roads. AMG GT is a bit longer while the Jag F-Type R is the shortest one in the competition.

The 2021 Porsche 911 Carrera 4S is the lightest vehicle 3,402 lbs while the 2021 Jaguar F-Type R-Coupe is the heaviest at 3,759 lbs. Though each vehicle has almost similar dimensions, the Porsche sports the shortest wheebase in the segment at 96.5 inches, while the Jaguar’s total ground clearance of 4.2 inches, gives it an enhanced sense of grip, when on the go. 

Standout exterior features:

• Dual Stainless Steel Exhaust w/Polished Tailpipe Finisher
• Double Wishbone Front Suspension w/Coil Springs
• Aluminum Panels
• Silver Grille
• Liftgate Rear Cargo Access

Aston Martin is too expensive and too much work of art to crash test it. NHTSA and IIHS have never crash-tested one and they never will be for they are produced in limited quantities. Since it is a track-focused car, it does not have much driver assistance tech onboard. However, you can equip it with the following features:

• 360-degree surround-view camera
• Blind-spot monitor
• Park assist
• Tire Pressure Monitoring System
• Traction and Electronic Stability Control
• Daytime Running Lights

2021 Aston Martin Vantage Coupe vs 2021 Mercedes-AMG GT Coupe

The 2021 Aston Martin Vantage and 2021 Mercedes-Benz AMG GT bear distinction from one another even with their evident similarities. While the engine is the same in both cars, the character is completely different.

The 2021 Aston Martin Vantage has been curated and refined keeping driving pleasure in mind. It is more fun to drive than the Mercedes AMG that limits potential with its overbearing electronics. There is no doubt that the 2021 Mercedes AMG GT is an amazing car but lacks the much-needed character that the Vantage has and certain it doesn’t look as unique as the Vantage too.

2021 Aston Martin Vantage Coupe vs Jaguar F-Type R Coupe

Both are British, both have a V8 though one is supercharged and the other is turbocharged, both come in two-seater sports car configuration and also as convertible and both sound like quasars are exploding in those tailpipes. Then what is the thing that differentiates one from the other? Well for starters if you are more concerned about value for money, then the Jaguar is a much better choice as it has tonnes of more power at a much cheaper price. But if you value exclusivity, then there is no ignoring the fact that the Aston Martin Vantage is a clear choice. If you would ask us though, we just can’t ignore the value Jaguar F-Type R-Coupe offers at a relatively low price.

2021 Aston Martin Vantage Coupe vs Porsche 911 Carrera 4S Coupe

Porsche 911 Carrera is pretty much the benchmark in sportscar territory. Everyone is trying to beat that German masterpiece of engineering and there is no denying the fact that you can’t go wrong with a 911 ever. It has the best handling of any sports car out there and its bespoke engineering is reflective in the way it performs, both in the straight-line tests and on winding corners. 

The 2021 Porsche Carrera 4S Coupe has a beautiful and beastly flat-six engine which is though a bit less on power, manages class-competing performance. So if it’s about pure driving pleasure then it's the 911 any day. But then again because it is so brilliant, it feels like a robot and lacks flaws and character. It lacks the exclusivity factor that the 2021 Aston Martin Vantage vaunts.

The 2021 Aston Martin Vantage steals the show with its spectacular looks and its swift agility. Although you can get a livelier engine by opting for its rivals, there is nothing that can contest the opulence and class of an Aston Martin. The Vantage signifies British royalty and is a worthy buy for those who want to portray their high status and wealth. The 2021 Vantage is the symbol of beauty, comfort, and drivability for every supercar.