What if someone told you that with a Razorblade and a Green Pea, you can refer to one of the most decorated automotive brands in history? Understandably, it would be really hard to believe. But it is possible. And what if someone told you the car that you see here is from that very brand? That’s even harder to believe. Razorblade. Green Pea. And then this car- the Aston Martin Vantage. Man… this is gonna be a good story. 

Aston Martin cars are fondly known as Bond cars, and for good reason. There are not a lot of automotive brands that have recognition and presence in cinema as much as Aston Martin. From the gorgeous DB5 in Goldfinger, way back in 1964, to the beautiful DB10 in Spectre, which came out in 2015, Aston Martins have been the signature car of 007… for the most part. 

About the explanation behind Razorblade and Green Pea, Aston Martin was originally founded by Lionel Martin and Robert Bamford. And two of their very first race cars were called… yep, you guessed it right; Razorblade and Green Pea. As you can tell by the name of the cars, Aston Martin has had an illustrious (and complicated history). But we’re going to keep the history part of this story reserved for the Vantage only. 

Now, the Vantage was not an actual model in the beginning. It was more like a specification or a variant. A couple of examples are DB2 Vantage or the DB4 Vantage. And for the most part, the Vantage badge has been a confusing one. The first model, named Vantage, can be traced back to 1972 when the DBS got a V8 variant. When that happened, the original straight-six powered DBS became the Vantage. 

1977 saw the first V8 Vantage, which sported a muscular look and started its life as the fastest production car of its time. The Vantage name also has the distinction of being one of the most powerful Aston Martins. The Vantage Le Mans V600 Coupe made 600 bhp and 600 lb-ft (813 Nm) of torque. It was only bested by the One-77 and now, the new DB11s. 

Post that, the Vantage name became a ‘spec’ again when the DB7 Vantage came out, and only became an actual model again in 2005 when the beautiful V8 Vantage came out. In 2009, a V12 Vantage was also introduced. The V8 was on sale till 2017, and the V12 till 2018. While their production ended, what this Vantage did was that it cleared Aston Martin’s intention of having a proper sports car in their lineup in addition to the GTs that they primarily made. 

And when the stage is set by a car like the 2005 Vantage, the show has to be spectacular. And for the love of everything holy, it is! The Vantage that came out in 2018 as a replacement for the outgoing model was the sporty intent of Aston Martin personified. It looked the part, and it had the performance to show for it. And to be honest, it is perhaps the most exciting car to ever wear an Aston Martin badge. This may be a controversial statement, but bear with us. 

Firstly, if you Google the meaning of Vantage, it says, “A place or position affording a good view of something.” It almost makes one laugh because after driving this car for a while or even looking at it, one might want to replace something with everything. Anyway, let us start talking about the car so that these bold claims can be justified. 

When you set foot inside the car for the first time, you realise that despite whatever Aston Martin has said about their focus on making the Vantage angrier and feistier and sportier, they haven’t missed out on something very important and elemental to Aston Martins. Aston Martin’s long-standing focus on making sure that their cars never miss out on luxury (“creature comforts” sounds too dull for the Vantage) shows here. 

There’s leather and other exotic materials, there’s loads of tech, and then more tech to control the previous tech. So many buttons and gizmos that make sure that you can transform both your life inside the cabin and your driving experience easily. It is a tad too busy and overwhelming at first, but after you get used to it, the only way to describe it is easy magic. 

While the steering, the seats, the seating position and the visuals on the display scream sports car, the Vantage ticks boxes (really well) in departments like storage, cabin space and infotainment system are almost deceptive and mask the true purpose and the prowess of this car. Not that one would mind all that, but the information is out there, just so you respect the car and are not caught off guard. 

Does that scare you? No? Okay. Under the hood of the Vantage, we have a 4.0 litre Twin-Turbo V8 that transmits 503 bhp of power and 685 Nm of torque to a single set of wheels… at the rear. Still not scared. Well, just try a rev bomb, and that might do the trick. It is a sports car through and through and has the numbers on paper and real-world performance to prove it. 

According to Aston Martin, the Vantage can go from 0-100 km/h in 3.6 seconds and boasts a top speed of around 314 km/h. It was just called a sports car, and then it goes on and does that to creep dangerously close to supercar territory. And yeah, it sounds exceptional despite featuring a forced-induction mill. As you start and explore it more and get to know it more, you realise how serious the folks at Aston Martin were when they named it The Archetypal Hunter. 

The Twin-Turbo V8 on the Vantage is truly a monster. If you floor it, the car accelerates as few things can in the world, and the roar of that engine is mighty. Keep it floored, and it rips through its 8-speed automatic transmission, and before you know it, motion blur is activated. It is a brutal car that makes the Pirelli P Zero tyres that it is shod with scream and squeal for traction as the engine unloads the massive amount of torque on the tyres. 

503 bhp is a lot of power. And when coupled with rear-wheel drive and the phenomenal chassis and suspension setup of the Vantage, it makes for a fantastic machine to ride hard. The abundance of torque right from the beginning of the rev range makes sure that you can rocket out of bends, and the lofty redline means you can stay right in the meat of the powerband to make the most out of the exit. 

In fact, if you are so inclined, the Vantage is more than ready for some tyre shredding sideways action with lots of smoke. “Theatricality and Deception are powerful tools,” said Ra’s al Ghul. We wonder if Aston Martin secretly let him drive the Vantage even before it was launched, so that he could come up with this, because the insides of the car justify deception here and the things you can do with it, theatricality. And once you drive the Vantage, you can attest to the fact that they are really powerful tools. 

The dynamics of the Vantage have been fine-tuned to make sure that, in true sports car fashion, it holds its line through corners, especially on the racetrack. The brakes are phenomenal, and the steering is full of feedback, and you can easily track the desired line through the bend. There’s adaptive damping and torque vectoring with an E-differential to further accentuate the Vantage’s handling. 

It is a gobsmackingly engaging car to drive and keeps you involved as few things can. Driving the Vantage, and if you are really, really driving, it demands that you’re all in through the thick and thin. And perhaps that is why its close kin won the 2020 24 Hours of Le Mans GTE Pro class. 

Now, all of that almost points to the Vantage being a car which is probably too focused. And with the possible suspension settings limited to three modes, namely- Sport, Sport +, and Track, you won’t be wrong in thinking that. But surprisingly enough, with the help of adaptive damping, the Vantage is fairly supple too.

I would go as far as to say that the Vantage can easily be an everyday sports car. As already mentioned, the cabin is supremely comfortable and encompassing, and the ride is moderately supple unless to hit a really bad patch of tarmac. More than that, the same engine that is not meant for the faint of heart can be a darling too. You just let it thrum around and just… take it easy. It can do that too. Not that it’d be happy about it, but it can do it. 

Now, to perhaps the most important point… for most people anyway. What is the point of driving an Aston Martin if it is not the showstopper wherever you go? Well, there’s the driving, but we are humans, and we want attention. Some more than others. And the Vantage gets you plenty. Just look at the thing. How could it not? 

The 2005 Vantage looked really pretty, and the only department where it lacked a little was visual aggression. The current Vantage has that in aplomb. Looking at the overall stance and proportions of the car, it looks lithe, compact, and agile. It has been designed beautifully with execution to match. As they say, the proof is in the pudding, and here, you can see that despite the compactness of the Vantage, it does not look too busy or overdone. It is not trying too hard to pull off an act. Rather, it looks effortlessly sinister. 

The headlights are slimmer and sharper. With the contoured hood, the front of the car really complements the classic Aston Martin grille, lending the Vantage a subtly aggressive look. The grille is indicative enough of the Vantage being one of the finest Brits if the insignia on the hood is somehow missed. 

Moving on to the sides, the body panels have been shaped by wind and imagination alike, with the muscular flanks completing a sporty side profile. But the rear three-quarters of the car is where it looks the most special. The slim taillamps and that integrated-spoiler-like snout have graced the Vantage with a distinct look. The exhaust pipes look cool too, and the exhaust note adds another dimension to the visual feast that the new Vantage is. 

Form follows function or function follows form, but you have to agree that the Vantage’s is some darn form! The Vantage is a car that is very easy to fall in love with because of its scorching looks and fiery performance. But more than anything, it clearly tells you that Mr Martin and Mr Bamford loved one thing more than making cars, and that was… racing.