While the Aston Martin,V8 Vantage S Roadster may not be as exotic as a Ferrari 599 or the latest Porsche 911, it has a character of its own. After all, James Bond used a version of this car in his movies, so it has to be good.
Although the Aston Martin,V8 Vantage S Roadster may not outrun the more exotic Italian or German supercars, the Vantage S can run with the best of them. (Its 0 to 60 time of 4.7 seconds with a top speed of 189mph is nothing to sneeze at either).
At the track, the Vantage S displays a slightly understeering car at the limit, but that can easily be corrected with a simple alteration of your right foot.
The steering is markedly quicker than the standard Vantage. The number of turns lock to lock is faster (2.62) than with the Standard Vantage steering (3.04). This results to a faster steering response and a car that changes directions quicker both at the track and on country roads.
The sensation of the transmission shifting is quite different from what you would experience in a Ferrari or a Porsche.
The Aston Martin, V8 Vantage Roaster shifts slower than not only its Italian or German counterparts, but also than the first iteration of the Sportshift dual clutch found in the first V8 Vantage.
There are two modes that you can select: Normal Mode (which feels just that - normal), and Sport Mode. In Sport Mode, the shift is much quicker and is closer to the redline than Normal Mode. Again, the shift lack something compared to the likes of Ferrari or Porsche.
Inside the cabin, the Vantage S has thicker pillars that hamper visibility, and taller occupants or drivers may find the seat and footwell a bit too narrow for them.
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