As the eternal debate between form and function rages on, Aston Martin has quietly been amalgamating both into one of the most visually stunning sports cars to ever clip an apex.

The quiet streets of Gaydon, United Kingdom, have carved out a distinctive silhouette that’s unmistakably Aston Martin couture from any angle. Now equipped with the silver vane grille across its gaping front façade, the updated looks have remained loyal to the design language with minor evolutions that bring a step towards modernity without discarding its identity.

Not one to just look fast, under the perfectly pressed aluminium clamshell bonnet sits a twin-turbo V-8 that blesses the lithe Brit athlete with the characteristic speed befitting of it.

If being an optical visual feast and getting the driver’s adrenaline flowing wasn’t sufficient, Aston Martin has perfected the sensory stimulation with one of the best exhaust notes on the road. Starting at a low, rumbly baritone the exhaust note transforms into a ferocious shriek as the twin-turbo V8 fast approaches the redline.

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Aston Martin engineers focused their tuning forks specifically on reworking the induction and exhaust systems to strum out more midrange and higher-frequency engine notes.

As you’ve come to notice by this point, everything evolves around that rumbling V8 and rightly so. The Mercedes-AMG sourced powerplant is a proven performer and carries that same energy into the Vantage. Twin-turbocharged with direct injection and 4.0-litre of displacement allows it to deliver a healthy 503 PS with 685 Nm of torque.

While it’s still hand built, unlike the engine sitting in Mercedes-AMG models, the engineers in Gaydon swapped out the dry-sump lubrication system for a slimmer wet-sump setup that would allow the engine to sit much lower and behind the front axle of the Vantage. The benefits are obvious, that mythical 50/50 weight distribution ratio for sublime handling.

All that is sent to the rear wheels via an 8-speed Touchtronic III automatic but not before an electronically controlled limited-slip differential ensures traction is maximised between the 20-inch wheels wrapped in Pirelli P Zero rubbers.

Performance figures are up there with its peers; a 0-100 kph sprint of just 3.6-second and onto a maximum velocity of 314 kph.

From a driving pleasure perspective, adaptive dampers are a key component of the handling package that makes it lively around corners but remains very much predictable and easy to reign in at the edge.

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The damping is very much suited towards a circuit but is pliant for the commute to and from said circuit. In other words, it’s just at home around a track or daily-driver duty.

Nonetheless, ground zero for the handling started with rigidity from the shorter version of the bonded aluminium architecture from the DB11. That’s about all it shares with its larger sibling though, as over 70 percent of the components are new with the aforementioned focus on stiffening up the chassis.

Both subframes are new and support the multi-link rear axle and double wishbone front suspension.

All in, the Vantage coupe weighs in at 1,530 kg (dry weight) and given the growth in poundage of modern sports cars, that’s an extremely commendable number for what is primarily a luxury sports car.

Aston Martins are absolutely ravishing to the eyes and a lot of credit to those clean, flowing lines that give it a timeless and clean profile can be owed to the extensive use of hidden aerodynamics.

It delivers genuine downforce and you can thank the front splitter, vents in the front fenders, underbody flow channels and a huge rear diffuser for that. Plenty of features and cleverly camouflaged to keep a neat exterior.

Regardless of the asphalt you’re conquering though, you’re guaranteed to be cossetted in a cabin that’s the perfect balance of timeless luxury and modern tech. Wrapped in upscale materials and unlimited custom options, the vantage point from the 8-way power adjustable driver’s sports seat is one surrounded by opulence.

Keeping up with the requirements of the modern driver, the infotainment projects via an 8.0-inch display from the top of its dashboard and is controlled primarily via a rotary knob and buttons on the centre console. The usual suspects of connectivity are all present in the form of Bluetooth and built-in navigation as well as their proprietary Aston Martin audio system.

You can check out the Aston Martin Vantage at their gallery in Kuala Lumpur. Pricing for it starts at RM 844,000 (excluding duties and taxes).

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