Aston Martin Vantage

×

Mercedes-AMG GT 63 4Matic＋ Coupe

Two high-performance, combat-oriented sports cars

If you line up the new Aston Martin Vantage and the new Mercedes-AMG GT 63 4Matic+ Coupe, you’ll see that they’re both two-seater sports coupes (although the GT is also available in a +2 specification), with almost identical wheelbases, and now both have the same V8 twin-turbo engine at their core. As you know, Aston and AMG are fierce rivals in GT races around the world. Both are high-performance, aggressive sports cars that demonstrate a direct connection to motorsports. But to be honest, comparing the two brands doesn’t really make sense to an older guy like me.

This has a lot to do with the origins or background of the brand in the first place. Just to be sure, let’s take a quick look back and see that Aston Martin and AMG have different histories. Founded in 1913, Aston is a prestigious brand with a long history of over 110 years that has produced countless masterpieces, but it is also a turbulent brand that has been pushed to the brink of bankruptcy many times in the past. On the other hand, AMG was founded in 1967 as a company developing racing engines, and in the late 1980s it partnered with Mercedes-Benz in the motorsports field, becoming a wholly owned subsidiary in 2005, and is currently positioned as a sub-brand specializing in high-performance models.

And the scale is different. Aston was a sports car manufacturer with very low production volumes, and it is said that it produced a total of around 13,000 cars in its first 90 years. It was nearly 40 years ago, but I remember being impressed and astonished at the same time when I actually saw the aluminum panels being hammered into wooden molds and the intake and exhaust valves being balanced one by one on scales at the former headquarters factory in Newport Pagnell. This was just before Aston Martin became a subsidiary of Ford.

Aston not shying away from AMG?

Since then, with the release of the new V8 Vantage in 2005, production numbers have increased dramatically, and even though the lineup now includes a high-performance SUV called the DBX, annual production numbers are still around 6,000 to 7,000 units. In contrast, AMG, a sub-brand of Mercedes-Benz, offers a wide range of vehicles from compact hatches to large SUVs, and now produces an annual production of 130,000 units, which is literally an order of magnitude larger. It is only natural that the customer base is different.

Both cars have an unmistakable family face and a fierce appearance, but it is the Vantage that is more ferocious. The choice would seem to be decided by their raw, wild style alone, but what is concerning is that the two companies have been partnering to supply engines and electronics since 2013, and the subsequent Aston V8 is based on the AMG V8. However, when you drive them, the differences are clear; they may look similar, but they are as different as light and radio waves. It is not a matter of seasoning or different design, but rather the unwavering principles of each prestigious brand that have been built over time.

As usual, the Mercedes-AMG-derived twin-turbo V8, embedded in the Vantage’s front bulkhead, boasts a significantly increased power output and torque—489kW (665PS) at 6000 rpm and 800Nm at 2000-5000 rpm—thanks to the adoption of larger turbines and revised cam profiles. (The previous model had 510PS at 6000 rpm and 685Nm at 2000-5000 rpm.) This is enough to make you wonder if AMG is being shy. The powertrain remains unchanged, with a carbon fiber propeller shaft and an eight-speed automatic transmission driving the rear wheels via a transaxle (the 2705mm wheelbase remains unchanged, too). While all-wheel drive is typically required for such a powerful car these days, Aston insists on rear-wheel drive. The car boasts a 0-100km/h time of 3.5 seconds and a top speed of 325km/h (compared to the previous model’s 3.6 seconds at 314km/h).

A GT with a refined engine and rock-solid handling

On the other hand, the AMG GT’s V8 produces 430kW (585PS) at 5500-6500rpm and 800Nm at 2500-5000rpm, and drives all four wheels via a 9-speed Speedshift MCT with a wet multi-plate clutch instead of a torque converter. The new GT employs a new variable torque distribution “4Matic+” system, and acceleration from 0 to 100km/h is said to be 3.2 seconds. The difference is clear, as even the previous most powerful model, the AMG GT R, took 3.6 seconds.

The Vantage’s twin-turbo V8 has been boosted by larger turbos, but as you’d expect from a modern unit, it doesn’t feel like a “big turbo.” Under normal driving conditions, it responds with extreme flexibility, smoothness, and power, and what’s more, the top end is noticeably sharper than before.

The AMG GT’s twin-turbo V8 engine revs more precisely and methodically. Switching to Sport+ or Race mode makes the response much sharper and the exhaust note more ferocious, but the power delivery is still refined. And even with the massive 21-inch tires (standard equipment along with forged aluminum wheels), the ride is anything but spartan. This is the result of a new chassis that fully utilizes the AMG Active Ride Control suspension with hydraulic active stabilizers, rear steering, and an electronically controlled limited-slip differential. The handling is so rock-solid you’ll wonder how you’ll ever swing it around without it becoming unstable. (Incidentally, an even higher-performance “Pro” version of the GT has also been announced, with increased power output of 612 PS and 850 Nm.)

Carefully Calculated Tension

Aston Martin Vantage (front) and Mercedes-AMG GT Coupe. — The Aston Martin Vantage (front) and Mercedes-AMG GT Coupe race down a long straight. These two sports cars each have their own appeal.

The Vantage doesn’t feel aggressive at all on regular roads. Even in the normal Sport mode, the car is clearly tightened up, but the ride is more refined than before and by no means brutal. With the previous model, tackling rough mountain roads would sometimes cause the car to bounce and lose contact with the road, but the new model seems more robust and forgiving, and can easily handle even large inputs. That said, with all that power unleashed, both tires can easily lose grip.

The new Vantage is also equipped with ATC (Adjustable Traction Control), which allows the traction control intervention level to be adjusted in nine stages, but even if you don’t touch the dial at all, and even if you start normally, if you press the throttle pedal deeply, the rear wheels will start to spin at around 3000 rpm, where the torque suddenly surges.

Thanks to systems such as the electronic differential, wheelspin is not excessive, and the response is impeccable, as if your right foot is directly connected to the rear wheels. Therefore, you don’t have to worry too much about controlling your posture, but it is true that you are constantly on edge. This balance between the feeling of “controlling a wild horse” and the tingling sensation is the true essence of the Vantage, and is perhaps the biggest difference between it and the AMG GT. Beneath the elegant and luxurious jacket, there are exposed muscles, and they sometimes peek out even in everyday life. Of course, this must have been carefully calculated.

REPORT/Koki TAKAHIRA

PHOTO/Akio HIRANO

SPECIFICATIONS

Aston Martin Vantage

Body size: Length 4495mm, width 1980mm, height 1275mm

, wheelbase: 2705mm,

vehicle weight: 1745kg

, engine: V8 DOHC twin turbo,

total displacement: 4.0 liters,

maximum output: 449kW (665PS) / 6000rpm,

maximum torque: 800Nm (81.6kgm) / 2000-5000rpm,

transmission: 8-speed AT,

drive system: RWD,

suspension type: front double wishbone, rear multi-link,

brakes: front and rear ventilated discs,

tire size (rim width): front 275/35ZR21 (9.5J), rear 325/30ZR21 (11.5J),

acceleration from 0 to 100km/h: 3.5 seconds,

top speed: 325km/h,

vehicle price: 26.9 million yen

Mercedes-AMG GT63 4Matic+ Coupe

Body size: Length 4730, Width 1985, Height 1355mm

Wheelbase: 2700mm

Vehicle weight: 1940kg

Engine type: V8 DOHC twin turbo

Total displacement: 3982cc

Maximum output: 430kW (585PS) / 5500-6500rpm

Maximum torque: 800Nm (81.6kgm) / 2500-5000rpm

Transmission: 9-speed AT

Drive system: AWD

Suspension: Front and rear multi-link

Brakes: Front and rear ventilated disc

Tire size: Front 295/30R21, Rear 305/30R21

Top speed: 315km/h

0-100km/h acceleration: 3.2 seconds

Vehicle price: 27.5 million yen