Fast, sleek and bearing the Aston Martin badge, the 2005 Vantage V8 is aimed directly at the young and upwardly mobile. Joining the prestigious DB9 and Vanquish, the Vantage V8 is the new baby in the Aston Martin household. And it’s a true blue British sports car. Billed as the more “affordable” of the Aston Martin stable, the lower price tag is a marketing ploy to attract the hearts and wallets of the younger set that might be casting their eye to the sports car field, toward Aston Martin.
Rakish and low slung, the Vantage V8 is a two-seater sports car that delivers big time in performance and power. At 4.38 meters long, the Vantage is the smallest of the Aston Martin trio, but with the new V8, 380 bhp engine packing a 4.3 litre punch, the “baby Aston” can run with the bigger boys. Aston Martin didn’t spare a thing in bringing power, grace, performance and the prestige of owning an Aston Martin in the Vantage V8.
Okay, I want one. And I’m not in the targeted Aston Martin age either. But since the chances of me owning a Vantage V8 are slim to none, the next best thing is AUTO art’s sleek Silver British rocket in 1/18. This offering leaves no doubt that AUTO art is still one of the top names in 1/18 Euro Sports car/Luxury Sedan 1/18 diecast models. But right off the bat, there is a glitch - the packaging. Why has AA gone to the dreaded, dinosaur window box? There is no better protection than the Styrofoam boxes. If they utilized styrofoam boxing as they do with their Millennium series, you wouldn’t have to spend 20 minutes getting a model out of the box! Not only is the Aston Martin screwed on to a base, it is also wired the model to the base at the hood and the trunk! This leaves unsightly little holes where the wire loops through. Way too frustrating and does nothing for the integrity of the model to add additional holes.
Okay, leaving that maddening glitch behind, what we have left is pure adrenalin and precision diecast engineering. The AUTO art Aston Martin Vantage V8 captures the real thing spot on. Aside from the smooth, glossy silver paint, the first thing that gleams is the set of enameled Aston Martin badges on both the hood and trunk. These are not tampos or photo etching. They will not fall off if you brush a finger or cleaning cloth against them. The unmistakably Aston Martin front grille, hood openings and side openings all have realistic mesh work. At the rear, there are the chrome dual exhaust pipes and curvy rear lights. The front headlights are so detailed they look like they can pop on at any minute.
Open the doors and peek into an interior that makes you sniff for “new car smell” and want to slip right into that steering wheel. But you’ll have to drive in England if you had this car because it’s a Right Hand Drive Aston Martin, as it should be. It was, after all, built in Merry Old England and you know they drive on the wrong side of the road! The carpeting is done right, not overdone and the overall theme is graphite and titanium with realistic and readable gauges and instrumentation. Even the foot pedals are replicated authentically. It’s like peering into the inside of the real car. Funny that there are no seat belts because in this interior, you get the feeling of a private jet airliner cockpit. And dig out your magnifying glass, because the door sills are minute photo etched pieces with the Aston Martin name. Another detailing extra: the Aston Martin Vantage V8 features an opening hatchback and AUTO art replicated it faithfully with thin plastic wires attached to the rear shelf.
The engine compartment is huge, with the powerful V8 sitting further back and more in the middle of the car. This aids with weight distribution, enabling the Vantage V8 to run faster and more nimble. The same detail lavished on the rest of the car is apparent in the engine bay as well. Both the rear hatchback and hood open smoothly, but while the rear stayed open, the hood would not. One final thing. Take a look at the realistic rubber tires (with honest to goodness real-looking tread) and crisp detailing on the wheels, brakes and calipers. Precision detailing for the price. Autoart’s Aston Martin Vantage V8 is the best image of this new and exciting Aston Martin sports car on the 1/18 market. Spend the money on the AUTO aart, you won’t regret it. This one is a keeper if your heart belongs to Aston Martin or if you love road-thumping British sports cars.
-Patty Henderson
