Looks can be deceiving.

Apart from some new wheels the latest Aston Martin V8 Vantage looks identical to the original – in other words drop dead gorgeous.
Once inside the coupe you’ll recognise a new centre stack made from die cast zinc alloy with graphite silver finish and, most importantly, much clearer buttons and a typescript you don’t need a magnifying glass to read.

But the big surprise comes when you insert the ECU – a posh name for keyless entry – and fire up the engine.
The V8’s engine note has a more eager bark and rasp as the revs plunge and fall. Ease into first gear and trickle out of the car park and I am heading for the demanding roads that snake round the Nurburgring where Aston has just opened its own dedicated development centre.
As speed picks up I notice that the ride has gained more composure whilst not sacrificing any grip, thanks to subtle changes that were made when the Roadster was launched just over a year ago and have been transferred to the coupe.
But the biggest change is to the steering which is now so much more accurate and responsive than it used to be and a marginally easier six-speed ‘box, although it still lags the 911.
But the biggest improvement is under the bonnet where the V8 has been increased to 4.7-litre to produce 11 per cent more power, 420Bhp, and gain a 15 per cent improvement in torque to 347 lbs ft, improving 0-60mph to 4.7 seconds and upping top speed to 180mph.
However, the headline figures are secondary to the manner in which the Vantage utilises the additional grunt.

The original, though quick, always felt as if it was straining to really deliver the performance, but that extra 400ccs releases a welcome boost in mid-range power and torque.
As well as an intoxicating sound track drivers of the new V8 Vantage enjoy a car more eager to deliver driving thrills that equal its great looks.

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