The Only Constant in Life is Change
Right out of the gate, two things – I love Aston Martins, and I’m an old fart who prefers analog cars. And, being an old fart, I sometimes don’t deal well with change. So, this comparison of Aston Martin Vantages that are only seven years apart probably isn’t fair. The 2012 V12 Vantage manual and the 2019 Vantage paddle shift automatic are completely different. I love the former because it’s beautiful, basic, visceral. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not a race car for the street like a Porsche 911 GT3, but it is a hot rod. I like the latter because it’s also beautiful (if visually busier), well-made, and is a kick in the pants to drive. But, like virtually all of today’s fast cars, it’s just a bit too insular.
The first, most obvious thing when you jump from one to the other is how regulatory demands shape them. For pedestrian collision standards, the nose must be higher; for side impact, the doors must be thicker; for rollover, the A-pillars must be wider. Those crumple zones need more space and ingenious engineering, so they absorb those destructive forces instead of you and your fragile passenger. Most of us have no idea how much regulatory compliance shapes the design and styling of cars. It wasn’t always so. It’s a tribute to the industrial designers and mechanical engineers everywhere that cars remain stylish in spite of these significant obstacles.
Okay, disclaimers aside, both of these Vantages are visually arresting. Aston’s hold a unique place in the car world, placing elegance and beauty at least on par with performance. It’s also no small feat they continue to be one of the most practical sports cars money can buy. There’s no way to fit two sets of golf clubs and luggage into any other 2-seat sports car of this size. Not a Corvette, a Porsche, Mclaren, Lamborghini, Ferrari, Lotus, Mercedes, or anyone else I can think of. That makes it a real car, one you can use on an actual trip. It’s more than a little Primadonna.
All that said, despite being only seven years apart these are cars of different eras. Sitting in the 2019 version (and, by the way, the latest 2024 generation just debuted to raving reviews) feels much the same as the older car. The hip line feels a little higher as you sit low in the driver’s seat, but the view out the windshield is similar. I’m not a fan of the Mercedes infotainment system as, for this relatively savvy but older computer guy, it’s not at all intuitive. The 2024 version fixes this with more console buttons and less fidgeting with the screen menus. While the navigation system in the V12V is archaic and essentially useless, the rest of the system is much easier to play with. It also has few features. For someone like me, who’s mainly here to drive, or drive and listen to music, that’s all I need. The rest is superfluous.
The V12 Vantage is a monster in a tux. The naturally aspirated 6-liter engine provides instantaneous acceleration in a traditional handling package that can only just keep up with it. You don’t have to work very hard to overcome grip, and that makes it a really fun, exhilarating thing to drive. There’s a bit of understeer under hard entrance into a corner, but it’s all very manageable with throttle and steering inputs. The ’19 Vantage is a twin turbo, 4-liter V8. Power delivery isn’t as immediate due to different gearing and the subtle, but noticeable turbo lag. Once those turbos begin building boost, however, it starts spooling up speed like a fighter jet engine. The V12 is more a head snapper; the V8 just keeps pressing you further into the seat. Being a V8 it’s a more balanced car but everything seems and, here’s that word again, more insular.
Why do I say that? Well, it’s turned into a big thing for me when judging how fun cars are to drive. I had a 2014 Cadillac CTS-V for a while, the one with the 556 hp Corvette engine. It was a beast, but also had that insular feeling. As a result, it was a lot less fun to drive and, dare I say it, I was disappointed in it.
So what do I really mean when I say it’s insular, that it’s just not as much fun? Well, I feel like the car is protecting me. Not as much noise, not as much direct input; the responses are smoother, less mechanical and more digital. Throttle response is muted, so that if I mash a pedal the car is telling me ‘Oh dude, you don’t really want to do that.’ Much like every kid hears that famous Daisy Red Ryder BB-gun movie line from A Christmas Story – “Kid, you’ll shoot your eye out!” The car’s protecting me from myself. I don’t want that! I’m a fricking grownup – and I want a grownup toy to play with! Stop ‘helping’ me, leave me alone, let me do my thing!
I want to feel the mechanics of this car. I want to be in touch. I like hydraulic versus electric steering; I want a manual transmission versus an automatic, PDK, or paddle shift; I don’t want much if any traction control. I want to actually learn what it takes to control this machine. I don’t want or need a whole lot of sensors warning me about impending doom if I happen to want to challenge the fuzzy edges of control. That’s exactly part of the fun of having a sports car! Give me that choice please!
But not everyone is like that.
More of the 2019 V8 Vantage
Like everything in life, most of these latest generations have chosen to trade freedom for security. And yes, that is a poke at our current political nanny/socialist state of affairs. Too much regulation; too much ‘we know better what’s good for you.’ I’m about ready to go off on another rant, but I’ll spare you.
By now, you know which car I prefer. That V12 Vantage is a car that will probably never be built again. It’s a rebel and that has a lot to do with why I love it. This is untamed territory and it’s just so much fun to hear and feel all that wildness. I love the ’19 V8 for its refinement, its beauty, its presence. It is fun to drive, no doubt. It just lacks that edge of knowing you’ve got a real tiger by the tail, one that could bite you.
All that said, if you get a chance, drive them. You will have a great time. They’ll just be from different eras.
