2017 Aston Martin Vantage GTS

The Vantage that we know and love today was first put into production in 2005, originally dropping cover at the Geneva Motor Show as a lithe two-door aimed squarely at sports car icons like the Porsche 911. In the 11 years since its introduction, the Vantage has spawned numerous iterations and variants, from comfortable tourers, to glamorous show cars, to hardcore track machines. Now, it looks like Aston is cooking up a replacement, but before it goes, the V8 Vantage lineup is consolidating for the U.S. market. Rather than offering multiple models like the GT and S, Aston Martin is simplifying things to the singular Vantage GTS. Only 100 units will be produced, and each will include either a manual or automatic transmission, sporty or luxury flavorings, and a coupe or roadster body style.

The move makes sense, at least on Aston’s part. As we bid farewell to the Vantage and prepare for the new model’s arrival some time next year, this refresh should keep buyers trickling into dealerships. But why plunk down six figures now if the replacement is just over the horizon? Read on to find out.What Makes The Aston Martin Vantage GTS Special

 Aston Martin Vantage GTS
The GTS will be offered in two different iterations – the Sport, and the Lux. You can see where this is going.

The Sport is, well, sporty – the gorgeous Henrik Fisker exterior gains new carbon fiber extras and black coloring for the grille and headlight bezels, while the interior is covered in either black or grey leather. Both Alcantara and leather are available for the trim. The center stack is also decked out with a carbon fiber backing, and the rotary controls are finished in black. Actual performance is upped thanks to sport suspension components, previously an available option for the Vantage.

 Aston Martin Vantage GTS
At the other side of the spectrum is the Lux, which replaces the firm suspension with comfort-oriented components for a cushier ride. Outside, there are new glossy-black pieces for the front splitter and rear diffuser, plus a brightened grille, new hood vent strakes, new window surrounds, and new headlight surrounds. Inside is a copious amount of leather, while the switchgear gets a satin chrome finish and piano black backing. The Lux also comes standard with a 1,000-watt sound system from Bang & Olufsen.

 Aston Martin Vantage GTS
Beyond the Sport and Lux, the basics of the Aston Martin Vantage GTS should be more than familiar at this point. Under the skin is Aston’s VH (vertical/horizontal) architecture – the same underpinnings as the Rapide and Vanquish, not to mention the much-loved DB9. Placed in the nose is the same mid-mounted naturally aspirated 4.7-liter V-8 we’ve grown accustomed to, which makes a matching 430 horsepower and 361 pound-feet of torque. Given the GTS is more or less a stopgap model, it’s not surprising Aston was hands off when it came to tuning the powerplant. However, it should be noted that the Vantage’s replacement will get a twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8 from Mercedes-AMG, framing the GTS as the last chance at owning the un-boosted 4.7-liter.

Routing the power to the rear axle will be either a seven-speed single-clutch automatic, or (thankfully) a six-speed manual gearbox. Aston is also including its next-gen AMi III infotainment system, which promises to be a significant upgrade over the current system.

 Aston Martin Vantage GTS
Pricing for the hardtop starts at $137,820. If you want additional headroom, you’ll need to fork over another $14,500 for the $152,320 roadster. Expect a plethora of customization options to spend whatever’s left in the bank account.

Of course, if you really want to go bananas, there’s always the V12 Vantage S, which is now available with a seven-speed manual gearbox, plus a 5.9-liter, 565-horsepower, 457-pound-feet, thunder-making V-12. Pricing for the upgraded soundtrack starts at $186,295.

Aston Martin Vantage GT8

 Aston Martin Vantage GT8