Aston Martin Vantage, just right

The Aston Martin Vantage is what dreams are made of for those who adore British sports cars

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Why? Well, let’s start with the car’s looks. It’s stunning from the back, with attractive lights and a subtle spoiler. Things are a tad less dramatic at the front, although the shark-nose is appealing. What works, though, are the proportions. The two-seater car is sinuous – almost hunter-esque in the way it seems poised to pounce.

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Under the metal, the Vantage is similar to its sibling, the DB11. Both cars house the Mercedes-Benz-derived 4.0-litre V8 powerplant. Stamp on the accelerator, and the car will hoon from 0-62mph in a mere 3.6 seconds. It will then push you on to 195mph.

Open the Vantage’s doors, and comfortable, low-slung sports seats greet you. You feel cosseted behind the Aston’s wheel, and the cabin is generally less clinical than a Porsche’s. It’s traditional, and the switchgear, also supplied by Mercedes-Benz, is incorporated well. 

Of course, the sports car isn’t the most practical of vehicles – it comes without rear seats, but you can get golf clubs in the boot.

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Practicality aside, the Vantage is close to perfect. Prodding the starter button produces a roar – it’s a gratifying noise, particularly with the four-pipe sports exhaust system fitted.

Moving off in Sport (the most chilled of the settings) and letting the eight-speed auto ‘box do what it wants, makes for an “easy-like-Sunday-morning” motoring experience.

Move through Sport+ and Track modes, and you can make the Vantage angrier, more rebellious and louder. But, whichever setting you go for, joy is always served.

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On UK tarmac, the Aston offers confident handling, and the brakes do a top job of making pace disappear. I drove the luxury sports car around the highways and byways of East Anglia, and it excelled.

Yes, a 911 offers better practicality, but a Porsche won’t give you the feeling you get from driving a British icon.