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| The AMV8 Vantage prototype debuts on January 6, 2003 in Detroit's Cobo Hall Arena. (Photo: Aston Martin) |
During that initial unveiling the crowd inhaled a collective gasp of excitement. While only a handful of the 5,000 or so media types in the audience could ever imagine owning it, and then only a slightly larger select group might be fortunate enough even to drive it, the remaining body were delighted nonetheless, the final release of bottled up anticipation too much to contain.
I made my way over to the Aston Martin display after the presentation finished and luckily met with Henrik Fisker, Aston Martin's Design Director. Of course it was important for Fisker and team to incorporate traditional AM styling cues in the design, which they executed in a most pleasing way. The shape of the grille shows no surprises, of course, nor does the requisite front fender twin-horizontal engine vent design, though larger than on previous Astons.
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| The AMV8 Vantage prototype on the turntable within Aston Martin's beautiful Cobo Hall display. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press) |
"AMV8 Vantage features many of the design cues that have become the basic DNA for all Aston Martin models," said Fisker. "It was important to ensure that the car's design was pure, clean and modern, while at the same time you should be able to put your hand over the front nose badge and still recognize the car as an Aston Martin."
But rather than only pull from AM's past, the designers chose to break from convention and create a stylistic departure in the rear. The horseshoe taillights are beautiful and completely original for an Aston, or any other car for that matter. They wrap around the rear corners integrating perfectly with the AMV8's pronounced Kamm-like decklid on their rearward ends and sleek profile as they reach forward. An exposed metal-finish fuel filler lid, that looked racy in concept, plus aerodynamically flush pop-out door handles seem to have made the trip to production intact, that is if Aston Martin debut an exact copy of this pre-production car when it hits showrooms sometime in 2004 as a 2005 model.