When Aston Martin launched the V8 Vantage in September 2005 it signalled the marquee's emergence from the dark days of the 1990s, when at one point it produced just 42 cars in a year.

Today, no longer owned by Ford, Aston Martin continues to flourish. What of the baby Aston, though? Did it live up to the hopes and hype; and why, when the car once had a three-year waiting list, can you now buy a used one for about £30,000 less than it cost new?

Few cars are immune to depreciation and Aston was happy to meet the strong demand for the new car. Today that translates into a fairly free supply of second-hand stock and that, combined with a downturn in the luxury car market, has made prices fall. Hence, for £50,000, almost the same as a new BMW M3 coupé, you can buy a thoroughbred sports car that will turn as many heads as a Ferrari F430 or Lamborghini Gallardo costing more than twice as much.

The V8 Vantage is a stunning car; shorter and stockier than a DB9, it appears more weightlifter than supermodel. Eighteen-inch rims come as standard, though an upgrade to the 19in wheels enhances the car’s standing.

A mixture of magnesium, aluminium and steel is used in the construction of its body and chassis, which are variously glued and riveted into place. The result is a modest kerb weight of 1,570kg, about 100kg less than that of the Jaguar XKR coupé, to which the car is frequently compared.

Under the Aston’s bonnet is a 4.3 litre V8 producing 380bhp. The sprint from 0-60mph takes less than 5sec and the car can reach 175mph. Other sports cars may be able to match the Vantage for outright pace, but few can compete with the delicious exhaust note of the V8. Push it hard and the exhaust begins to bellow like an angry bull. Above 4000rpm there is no need for the stereo – this has to be one of the best-sounding cars in the world.

The cabin is surprisingly roomy: Aston Martin decided to settle for two seats rather than the 2+2 arrangement adopted by many competitors. With fully electric adjustment for both seats and plenty of shoulder room, it’s easy to get comfortable.

Cast your eye over the V8’s dashboard and there is more than a hint of the DB9 about the architecture – no bad thing; both cars have an optional Volvo sat nav system.

A choice of interior upgrades means that used cars may come with wood or metallic inserts and other touches such as extra leather trim and an Alcantara headlining. All these items are a question of personal taste, but few cars leave the factory wrong – in the sense that they are a mishmash of incompatible styles.

On the road the V8’s low-slung dry-sump engine and transaxle gearbox give near-perfect weight distribution. Suspension is set for optimum cornering with minimal body roll and, while the ride feels harsh on poor surfaces, the performance gains make up for it. The standard six-speed gearbox is well up to the job but the weighty clutch – which gets heavier when warm – is tiresome in town, although on the open road it is perfectly in keeping with the car’s beefy nature. A paddle-operated auto box was an optional extra at £6,000 and has found many fans among city drivers. Expect to pay a premium of about half that figure when buying used.

Braking comes courtesy of Brembo, with monoblock callipers working in conjunction with ventilated discs, but push the car hard and you can provoke brake fade.

While purists may argue that the V8 Vantage falls some way short of the Porsche 911 in absolute driving dynamics, its sense of occasion more than compensates. If you are lucky enough to have £50,000 that you were about to invest in moving house then my advice is for you to sit tight and buy the Aston. Over the next couple of years both houses and Vantage V8s are likely to lose value but if you own the V8 at least you can go down smiling.

Boot space
The 300-litre boot will allegedly carry two sets of golf clubs; get your Aston Martin dealer to show you how

 
Brakes
Brembo brakes front and rear; handbrake has separate callipers, which should be checked if the car has been rarely used, because they can seize

Bumpers
Optional parking sensors are recommended as parking scuffs are irritating and expensive to repair

Exhaust note
Exhaust flap opens when revs build to 4000rpm, creating fabulous engine note. A modification by Prodrive enables the valve to be operated from the cabin at lower revs

Gearbox
Six-speed manual gearbox is standard but clutch can be heavy, particularly when warm.
Optional sportshift gearbox offers “automatic” changes via paddles on steering column

Sat nav
Unit pops up from centre of dashboard. A little complicated to use initially, it is still worth having, but you should pay no more than £750 extra for it
 
Traction control
Electronic system can become intrusive
 
Tyres
Standard-fit Bridgestone Potenzas should last 8,000-10,000 miles
 
Warranty
New cars come with three-year unlimited mileage warranty


 

Alternative

Or for similar money:

2002 02 Ferrari 575M Maranello
2004 53 Aston Martin DB7 V12
2006 55 Porsche 911 Carrera S
2006 06 Mercedes-Benz SL 55 AMG
2007 56 BMW M6






Figures based on CAP June 2008 edition

 © Bumper Media Limited July 2008