A look at the history of the Aston Martin Vantage.

Learn more about the Aston Martin Vantage in this brief guide of one of the World’s most iconic cars. 

Propelled into the cinematic spotlight as one of the most enduring images of popular culture, the Aston Martin Vantage is one of the few vehicles which even people with a limited interest in cars would love to drive. The car of choice for British secret agent James Bond, the Aston Martin Vantage DB5 made its first appearance in 1965′s Goldfinger.

Although it was that film which launched the car as one of the most famous vehicles of all time, the DB Vantage had been heralded by the motor industry since its release in 1950. Marketed as a sports car, the DB2 (named after entrepreneur David Brown who had bought Aston Martin) immediately impressed and led to the DB4 in 1961 which displayed more of the characteristics familiar with the Bond car.

Following on from the famous Vantage DB5 which was enshrined in movie folklore thanks to the Bond films, the DB6 offered a greater specification range and improved aerodynamics compared to the Bond model. A further change saw leg room created foR passengers in the rear of the vehicle whilst optional power steering and optional air conditioning were also available in the car.

As the 60s ended so to did the DB line for 30 years, with the 1970s onwards offering Aston Martin Vantage and V8 Vantage. In 1977 the V8 Vantage was unveiled which was proclaimed as ‘Britain’s first supercar’ and made a belated return to the Bond franchise as the MI6 action hero’s car of choice in The Living Daylights, which saw Bond crossing between Bratislava and Vienna in the first part of the film. The car of use was actually a Vantage Volante, which was produced by Aston Martin for three years at the end of the 1980s.

Back in the real world the Vantage and Vantage Volante were joined by the Vantage Zagato which had a two year run before all three were phased out for the V8 Vantage (Virage) which lasted for 11 years, seeing in the new millennium. Since then the DB7 convertible was released with a body based on the grand tourer design with the majority of its resources coming from Jaguar.

Since production on the DB7 ceased there have been two further Aston Martin Vantage’s released: the V8 Vantage and the V12 Vantage, both offering faster speeds, sleeker bodies and better aerodynamics, leading both cars to be praised by critics and enthusiasts alike.