Aston Martin V8 Vantage gets engine, transmission upgrades

Saturday May 24, 2008

The most common view of the latest edition of the Aston Martin V8 Vantage will likely be of its taillights.

That's because the British luxury car maker has dramatically reworked the Vantage's engine and transmission, resulting in a car that makes 420 hp, can sprint from 0-60 mph in 4.7 seconds and has a top speed of 180 mph.

Aston Martin bored and stroked the engine, increasing displacement from 4.3 liters to 4.7 liters. The company estimates that three-quarters of the engine's parts were changed or updated from the original powerplant, which was developed in-house.

The Sportshift automated manual transmission also received updated software that makes for quicker upshifts in sport mode and smoother downshifts in the comfort mode. The gearbox also adjusts to cornering better, a spokesman said, and the upgrades are designed to make for more functional, everyday driving.

The car goes on sale in the third quarter of this year. Pricing has not been announced.