It was one of the most famous Aston Martin in the '80s after it starred in the James Bond franchise movie “The living daylights” and it was a supercar of its era, even if Aston Martin considered it as a GT.
While the world recovered from the oil crisis, the British car-company Aston Martin needed a new generation for the luxury coupe and convertible market. But with the bigger engine from the Lagonda under the hood, the new model was named Vantage. It was the original Vantage.
From the outside, the British Grand Tourer featured a low height, a long hood with a bulge in the middle, that differentiated it from the other Aston Martin V8 (Series 3) model. In the front, it featured two round headlights and two fog-lights installed in the grille. The fastback shape and the proportions of the car gave it a nickname of a British Muscle-car.
Inside, it was a marriage between wood and leather, with chromed metal parts as rings of engagement on the instrument cluster. The 2+2 seating was more like a 2-seat cabin. The low driving position and the floor-mounted gears-stick were part of the car's charm.
Under the hood, there was a 5.3-liter engine that offered 394 hp when it was introduced. Over the years, the engine was upgraded up to 403 hp after 1986. The early models featured a 5-speed manual, while the later ones received a 6-speed manual.