2021 Aston Martin Vantage F1 Edition Coupe Review
Aston Martin Vantage F1 Edition Review
Aston Martin Vantage F1 Edition Review
Review
Pros: Controllable on track, better performance
Cons: Slightly firmer suspension, dated infotainment system
The Aston Martin Vantage F1 Edition is not what you might think. It’s easy to assume it’s just another limited edition designed to celebrate Aston’s return to Formula One and that it is now providing a Vantage as one of the official safety cars. Okay, it is all that, but it’s not a limited edition; instead it’s a slightly upgraded Vantage, created at the request of Aston’s new CEO, the former boss of Mercedes-AMG, Tobias Moers.
Aston Martin Vantage F1 Edition Design
The F1 Edition gets a body kit that is all about the aerodynamics. Engineered to create more downforce, there’s a new front splitter beneath the bumper and a large rear wing that dominates your rear-view mirrors when driving. There are also some unique colour schemes for the model, including Aston Martin Racing Green, together with contrasting stripes and of course, F1 Edition badging. Not surprisingly, it all looks very much like the F1 safety car and that will be the appeal for many.
Aston Martin Vantage F1 Edition Interior
The interior is dominated by leather and Alcantara sports bucket seats, which are comfortable on regular roads and provide excellent support on the racetrack. Alcantara covers other surfaces too, most noticeably the steering wheel. There’s a contrasting stripe running down the seat, the same colour being used in the stitching as well. It’s all very sporty, but in spite of this it is still a wonderfully comfortable place to be, with lots of electric adjustment on the seats, climate control, a few Mercedes components (including the slightly dated infotainment system) and plenty of space for two. It’s a good balance between a car for the track and a car to drive daily or on a long-distance journey.
Aston Martin Vantage F1 Edition Performance & Drive
It has a real dual personality. It’s quite happy to use its 535hp (up 25hp on the regular model) and 685Nm of torque for a gentle cruise cross-country, or to take all that power and engineering and blast to 100km/h in 3.6 seconds on the track. It’s not even that loud at urban speeds, burbling along in a slightly restrained manner until you push down on the accelerator and push the revs north to their 6,000rpm peak power point.
That ability to be a grand tourer is one thing, but the Vantage is much more of a sports car than previous generations and that’s most evident in the F1 Edition. Changes to the suspension and gearbox make it even more controllable in the corners, especially if you feel like spending time on a racetrack. Here it is perfectly at home, a superb example of a performance car that you can drive to the track, have some fun, and then drive home again.
Aston Martin Vantage F1 Edition Pricing
Aston hasn’t officially released pricing for the F1 Edition in Ireland, but we’ve sat down with our calculators, taken the UK price of £142,000 and worked out it should be around €275,000 when imported from the dealership in Northern Ireland.
Carzone Verdict: 4/5
It’s common for car makers to release limited editions, track specials and updated models, but the Vantage F1 Edition isn’t technically any of these. It’s the Vantage dialled up a bit for those who are more likely to occasionally want a bit of track fun. It doesn’t compromise on the grand tourer side of its character, keeping those elements that help to define it as a Vantage, but Aston has taken its dynamic side up a notch for when you want a little bit more fun.