2005 Aston Martin AMV8 Vantage - Downsized But Still Upscale
The good news is that Aston Martin, the Ford-owned exotic brand best known for Le Mans titles if you're into classic motorsport, or 007's trusty steed if you're a James Bond fan, won't be deviating from the gorgeous styling of its most recent prototype.
The AMV8 Vantage, originally codenamed AM305, is getting ready to do battle in the Ferrari 360 Modena and, to some extent, the Porsche Turbo playground. While it will no doubt represent a solid step up in technology and driving dynamics from previous Astons, the new car will also present a much more reachable step down into entry-level exotic territory.
An entry-level exotic? OK that might be the ultimate oxymoron, but even a brand with the upper crust cachet of Aston Martin needs a loss leader, a car both to pull in new customers and add volume to sales so exclusive that the niche manufacturer currently barely can be placed higher than boutique status. The British marque, which has been in existence for 89 years, feels the new model will be its most significant ever for these reasons.
The buildup makes for exciting times in the AM headquarters, especially since the AMV8 will be produced in new state-of-the-art digs in Graydon, UK, currently under construction. Recently released photos of the production version of the car in question, shown here in a very non-Aston dark blue metallic, light green is the brand's traditional color scheme, depict a near identical overall design to the 'concept' shown earlier this year in Detroit.