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 V8 Vantage           
  Dynamics
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V8 Vantage Usability
 
24-Hour Sports Car

The V8 Vantage is a high-performance sports car, yet the engine is so tractable, the handling so predictable, the visibility so good and the controls so easy to use that it is as comfortable in town or city as it is on country roads or even the track. The car's tailgate adds to its day-to-day practicality, while high safety standards provide reassurance whatever the driving conditions. All of which means the V8 Vantage can be a weekday working car, as well as a weekend treat.

This is a car that will thrill you on the track, yet serve you just as well in town. It's an exhilarating drive on the world's most demanding race circuits, yet is quite happy on motorways, in traffic or across country. One of the world's most inspiring after-hours sports cars, it is nonetheless quite happy labouring from nine to five.

As you would expect of an Aston Martin, it has been thoroughly – and painstakingly – tested. The V8 Vantage has endured the most extensive testing and development programme in the company's long history, during which 50 prototypes were rigorously tested over more than half a million miles. Over 12,000 miles of testing, including maximum speed runs, were carried out in Dubai, where the ambient temperature regularly hit 48ºC and the bodywork of the cars reached 87ºC. 37,000 miles of high-speed testing was also conducted at the Nardo test track in Italy, where the car ran at high speed for hours on end. Extensive testing was carried out at the Nürburgring's Nordschleife in Germany, the world's most daunting motor racing circuit, and cold weather testing, in temperatures as low as -30ºC, was undertaken in Sweden.

There is a surprising amount of space inside the two-seater cabin – not just for driver and passenger, but for luggage too, making the V8 Vantage the perfect ally for a weekend away. The practical shelf behind the seats is easily large enough for everyday items such as soft bags, jackets and a briefcase, but behind that is a more substantial luggage area that's up to three times larger than those of some rivals, with 300 litres (10.6 cu ft) of carrying space. So you can take a set of golf clubs with you too, if you choose. Skis are no problem, either: there is no partition between cabin and boot, so they can be loaded through the tailgate. The large fuel tank and efficient engine mean that long stretches between refuelling are easy: up to 560 km (350 miles) of touring is possible.

The cabin is full of everyday conveniences: as well as the good stowage space, there's a satellite navigation option with a five-inch screen that retracts automatically when not in use, traffic messaging to help avoid delays and an integrated GSM telephone (simply insert your SIM card into a drawer in the main instrument console). Everything is in place to ensure that time spent in the cabin of the V8 Vantage is as efficient and pleasurable as possible.

Full Strength

The V8 Vantage is one of the safest Aston Martin sports cars ever made – thanks in part to an array of electronic safety features, but also to the inherent strength of the car itself. Its all-alloy structure makes for a very strong passenger cell and further protection is offered by deformable front and rear crumple zones, which absorb crash energy so that the driver and passenger do not. Excellent side impact protection is also inbuilt, thanks to the large sills, strong roof pillars, door impact beams, and the substantial dashboard and footwell structures. The fuel tank, meanwhile, is mounted amidships – good not only for safety but also for balance and handling – and encased in its own aluminium compartment. Both driver and passenger benefit from dual-stage airbags (deployed in one of two stages depending on the severity of the accident) and side airbags.

In addition to all this, the V8 Vantage incorporates a suite of electronic safety aids to help keep it away from accidents. These include Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) to prevent wheel slippage or loss of traction, Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD) to achieve optimal braking balance, and Emergency Brake Assist (EBA) which automatically applies full braking power when the driver brakes in an emergency. Positive Torque Control (PTC) also acts to help prevent the rear wheels from locking in an engine braking situation.

Headlamps feature innovative LED (light emitting diode) indicators and side lights, and optional xenon dipped beam headlights are available. The rear lamps employ 360 LEDs for lights, brake and indicators. As a result, they illuminate 200 milliseconds faster than conventional brake lights, providing an additional full car length of stopping distance at 100 km/h (62 mph) for the following car. In real-life situations, that kind of detail can be critical, so it is reassuring to know that the V8 Vantage pays as much attention to safety as it does to performance and handling.