Significance
When Aston Martin first showed the AMV8 concept at the North American International Auto Show in 2003, they made it no secret that the new V8-powered coupe was aimed squarely at the segment of the market which was dominated by the Porsche 911 for decades. For most of Aston Martin’s existence, its cars were only available to the most well-heeled enthusiasts, pricing its cars more in line with competition from Maranello than that from Stuttgart. But with the backing of Ford coming in the mid-1990s, Aston Martin was finally financially sound enough to streamline production and develop a car that would take the special old-world charm, and combine it with exciting driving dynamics and a stunning shape and price it right in line with a well-optioned 911 Carrera S.
About this vehicle
This 2008 Aston Martin V8 Vantage is a beautiful example of what Aston Martin was able to create- finished in Blue Sapphire over a black leather interior, this car shows just 20,874 miles and is in very good overall condition. Optioned with a set of 7-spoke 19” wheels, this Vantage makes as much of a statement today as it did upon its debut. Although the Vantage was built in significant numbers by Aston Martin standards, by the time production stopped in 2017, total coupe production stood at just 15,417 units worldwide- making it still a very uncommon sight on the road.
The interior of the car is wrapped in supple black leather which covers the seats, door cards, and dashboard and encircles the rear parcel shelf. This leather shows some signs of use but still presents quite nicely and is accented by white stitching throughout. Sitting in front of the driver are a pair of gauges utilizing Aston Martin’s “reverse sweep” signature from the time- finished in brushed aluminum, these gauges look like they would be just as at home on the face of a Swiss watch and are truly exciting to watch move when behind the wheel. The center stack is simple and well thought through with a large start button sitting front and center, and both stereo and HVAC controls cascading below.
Powering this generation of V8 Vantage is a 4.3 liter V8 with dual overhead camshafts and dry sump lubrication that produces 380 horsepower and 302 lb-ft of torque. Although loosely based on a Jaguar engine of the same time period, nearly every system was redesigned by Aston Martin for greater performance, lighter weight, and to position the engine as low as possible in the car. To further aid in performance, this engine is connected to a rear-mounted transaxle for a nearly ideal 49/51 front/rear weight distribution. In this car, a desirable 6-speed manual was optioned which is far superior to the contemporary “Speedshift” automated manual and is the only choice for the true driving enthusiast.
In this car market, there aren’t many sports cars that could be considered a tremendous value for money- but one car that bucks that trend is the V8 Vantage. Still largely underappreciated by collectors and enthusiasts, these cars represent an exciting way to put a proper exotic car in your garage that looks, sounds, and drives outstandingly, without breaking the bank. This example still shows low miles and has been kept in very good condition over the past 15 years, making it a great introduction to exotic car ownership, or a nice addition to any garage.
