1989 Aston Martin V-8

Aston Martin first applied the 'Vantage' name to a high-power version of the six-cylinder DBS; tuned with Italian-made Weber carburetors, horsepower rose from 280 bhp to 325 bhp. The V8 Vantage followed in 1977 and was regarded as 'Britain's First Supercar' for its 170 mph top speed. Capable of sprinting from zero-to-sixty mph in 5.4 seconds, it had comparable performance figures to those achieved by a Ferrari Daytona and Lamborghini Miura. With a 0-100 mph time of 12.7 seconds, the Vantage was the world's fastest-accelerating production car at that time. The factory's optional 'X-Pack' of engine enhancements raised peak power to 432 bhp, much higher than the 390 horsepower produced by the 12-cylinder Ferrari Testarossa.

The Aston Martin DBS, DBS V8, and V8
Aston Martin planned on powering its DBS with eight-cylinder power, but when the engine was not ready, the company released the DBS with the straight-six Vantage engine from the DB6. The Tadek Marek-designed V8 was ready two years later, and Aston released the DBS V8. The straight-six Vantage was discontinued in 1973, and the newly restyled DBS V8 was simply called the Aston Martin V8 (retroactively referred to as the Series 2 V8 to separate it from later models). Examples produced from May 1972 through July 1973 used a similar engine to the DBS V8 but with Bosch fuel injection rather than carburetors.

The Aston Martin V8 was a heavier car than its six-cylinder predecessor, and the eight-cylinder engine would suffer as emissions legislation became ever more strangulating. In 1973, Weber carburetors were installed to help it pass new stricter emissions standards in California, and a taller hood scoop helped accommodate the four twin-choke (two-barrel) Weber cars lurking in the engine bay. Initially, this configuration produced 310 horsepower, but performance-robbing emission regulations reduced the figure to 288 hp in 1976. The following year, a more powerful 'Stage 1' engine with new camshafts and exhaust returned much of the power lost, boosting output to 305 hp.

The Aston Martin V8 survived the company's changes of ownership and financial upheavals of the 1970s and was built in numerous variants.

Aston Martin V8 Vantage
The Aston Martin V8 Vantage would enjoy a lengthy production lifespan, beginning in 1977 and continuing through 1989. During that time, a total of 534 examples were constructed with 192 of those being Volantes (convertible). The Vantage Volante was produced between 1986 and 1989; a Volante version first appeared in June 1978. A total of 38 examples (plus 13 US-spec models with regular engines) were Series 1, and 192 examples (plus 56 56 US-spec models with regular engines) were Series 2. The engine of the Series 1 used four 48IDF2/100 Weber carburetors and produced 390 horsepower at 5,800 RPM and 406 lb-ft of torque at 4,500 RPM.

The 5,340cc eight-cylinder engine initially breathed through a quartet of 48mm Weber carburetors rather than the standard 42mm units. The ports and valves were enlarged and the camshaft changed, resulting in the engine's output climbing to 375 bhp. A ZF five-speed manual transmission was standard equipment, though a handful of Vantages were built with the Torqueflite automatic gearbox. The chassis was improved to cope with the enhanced performance, gaining larger ventilated disc brakes all round and low-profile Pirelli tires. Distinguished styling features included a blocked-off bonnet scoop, a front chin spoiler, a lip on the boot lid, and a blanked air intake.

For customers seeking even more power, the company offered the optional 'X-Pack' (V580X), which raised peak power to 432 bhp. Improvements included Cosworth pistons, larger inlet ports and higher lift camshafts. With the air pumps needed to meet EEC emission regulations, output was between 410 and 420 bhp. Optional conversions from Works Services could increase this figure to 432 bhp with bigger bore airbox and manifolds, straight-through pipes, and larger 500mm carbs.

In 1988, Aston Martin introduced the replacement for its V8 models. Dubbed the Virage, it was shown at the Birmingham Motor Show and would continue to employ eight-cylinder power. The six-cylinder DB7 was introduced in 1994, and intended as an 'entry-level' model. The Virage would remain the company's top-of-the-line, exclusive, hand-built flagship model even after the Db7 became available with twelve-cylinder power. In 2000, the Virage was replaced by the Vanquish.

by Daniel Vaughan | Mar 2024