Vantage

Aston Martin first used the Vantage name in 1951 on a higher-output DB2 performance derivative, and it quickly became the company’s shorthand for its more driver-focused cars. Through the 1960s, Vantage was applied to faster versions of the DB4, DB5, DB6 and DBS, reinforcing its place as Aston Martin’s badge for the keenest roadgoing models. The first standalone Vantage model arrived in the early 1970s as the short-lived AM Vantage, which helped establish the nameplate as more than just an engine or trim designation. That spirit continued with the landmark V8 Vantage of 1977, followed by later Newport Pagnell-era Vantage derivatives such as the V600 Le Mans, which became especially admired among enthusiasts. In 1992, Aston Martin revived Vantage again on the Virage-based car, and the name later appeared on the DB7 Vantage and its V12-powered successors. A new chapter began in 2005, when the Gaydon-era V8 Vantage launched as a true model line in its own right and became Aston Martin’s most successful model family. The nameplate returned again in 2018 and was reintroduced in an all-new form in 2024, carrying forward Vantage’s long identity as Aston Martin’s compact, focused sports car and one of the brand’s most enduring performance nameplates.