by Michael Teo Van Runkle
Late last year, Aston Martin updated the DBX SUV to a new S specification. The typical treatment of more power, refined handling, and subtle stylistic enhancements all combined to vault my favorite super SUV another significant notch up the performance spectrum. Now for 2026, the Vantage coupe fittingly joins the S ranks with a similar, if not quite identical, suite of improvements that further fine-tune the sportiest model in Aston’s core lineup.
Constant improvements always fit into the mix at the upper echelons of the automotive industry. In this case, the unexpected rollout timing came about once early DBX lease returns started cropping up on the horizon. The Vantage coupe’s original debut fit into a slightly delayed schedule, so more recently, Aston held a drive program in Malibu to prove whether the latest and greatest S banks on marginal gains or truly steps up to another level of exotic appeal.
My tester featured a number of cosmetic cues that clearly hint at the revisions. Plenty of subtle S badging, of course, but also a new rear spoiler and twin blades rising out of the hood heat extractors. Optional red-painted wheel faces match red brake rotors, while inside, the S embroidered on the seats matches a new red drive mode knob and red piping for the semi-alinine upholstery.
The real question, as always, came down to whether any performance gains can match the stylistic enhancements. In this case, the S package adds another 15 horsepower to the twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 for a peak rating of 671 ponies – but an identical torque rating of 590 lb-ft as the non-S. With so much gut punch already available out of the base engine, attempting to truly discern about two percent more power via the seat of my pants felt somewhat silly. The thrill of hammering the Vantage already overwhelms the senses entirely, so a tenth of a second quicker to 60 miles an hour means slightly less amid such truly stupendous acceleration.
Aston attributes that modest improvement in pace mostly to revised software calibration. Changes include new accelerator pedal tuning and shorter torque interruptions during shifts from the eight-speed transaxle between the rear wheels. But with the windows rolled down, I also thought I noticed a bit more whine from the turbos spooling up to match slightly more rumble from the exhaust than I remembered previously. Really, whether launching in a straight line or hustling through the hills of Malibu, the base Vantage already pushed well past limits of tire grip anyhow. And that’s where a host of other changes that complement the power bump make more of a dynamic difference.
If I ever criticized the base Vantage, the slightly numb and light steering probably came to mind first. The electric assist just seemed to lack the granular and communicative feedback that the rest of the chassis deserved. At least the light steering weight helped rein in the Vantage’s eminently tail-happy demeanor, since sliding around at two-thirds throttle with the traction control fully activated regularly required quick flicks of countersteering to control. Luckily, the balance of a front-engine and rear transaxle layout effectively turn this two-door GT into something that approaches the cornering capability of a mid-engined supercar.
For the S, Aston aimed to enhance the engagement factor without losing the refinement of a British grand tourer. And yet surprisingly, steering revisions counted for less than on the DBX S, where new wheel hub mounting points for the tie rod ends entirely changed the character of the SUV. Instead, the Vantage S uses revised shock damper tuning and stiffer suspension mounting points, as well as – counterintuitively – 10% softer bushings cradling that transaxle between the rear wheels.
Reduced rear springs, aids, and a stiffer rear sway bar further increase the overall chassis rigidity by five percent, all in an attempt to create a bit more rotation around the driver seat. The steering modestly hones in tighter with increased negative camber for the alignment specs, a minor change that admittedly left me somewhat surprised after Aston’s brief technical presentation. As I meandered out to my steed for the day, I also worried whether the whole package might result in too much stiffness, which sometimes means excessive suffering on subpar roads.
Not so for the Vantage S, which definitely rides firmer but never to the point of discomfort. Combined with the damper adjustments, the slightly stanced front tires do improve steering fidelity – especially once I turned up into some of my favorite canyon roads on the planet. Here, I spun the drive mode dial from Sport to Sport+ and then through to Track. That pleasing piece of knurled metal can also turn into a discreetly adjustable traction control knob, while the transaxle held gears longer to help the V8 roar higher into the rev range.
Once I started rolling up these roads at borderline ridiculous pace, the new chassis capability came on full display. Previously, the base Vantage struggled with almost too much slip and slide. Hammer the brakes or turn too tightly or feather a micrometer too far into throttle, and the tail end almost immediately stepped out. So much so that turning off the traction and stability control made the most sense, if only in the name of predictability.
The new S demonstrated far more progressive behavior, especially cornering and pushing out on straights while allowing the engine to overwhelm grip. Little hits of tire squeal, therefore, become less surprising and easier to catch, as the transition to oversteer now comes with a grin rather than an anxious expectation, the almost telepathic steering bordering on the level of DBX S despite the seemingly milder revisions. This unlocks a new level of engagement with the traction control knob, too, which in this case actually becomes useful while playing with settings 1-8 or fully off, adding a sense of safety amid the revelry.
If anything, this newly reassuring character from such an already appealing sports car definitely makes the new Vantage worthy of an S badge. And the pricing still shocks – in a good way. Yet another Aston Martin where comparisons to the competition make less than no sense. The Vantage S now starts at about two-thirds the price of a new 2026 Porsche 911 Turbo, and on the lower side of the $200,000 mark from a Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S coupe. Some of the optional S gear on my car contributed to a total MSRP of $258,900 – most importantly, the carbon-ceramic brakes ($10,800) that exhibited endless bite to haul down my excessive speeds while approaching the tightest canyon switchbacks this side of Southern France.
Outside of a few lingering inconsistencies with Apple CarPlay Ultra and wishing for more carbon trim inside to replace some of the piano black plastic on the center console, finding any faults with Aston’s power, position, and prestige requires nitpicking the Vantage S to the Nth degree. Such a sense of innate performance and exotic design out of a restrained gunmetal “Aluminite Silver” over Black Onyx coupe proves how much the S treatment only reinvigorates the already stunning Vantage, setting another standard within an increasingly impressive lineup.
View All Aston Martin Vantage For Sale
Images: Aston Martin, Michael Tao Van Runkle
