In North America, gearheads know the ’70s as the decade of horrendous cars, when flops like the Ford Pinto and the AMC Gremlin dominated the news, but over the pond, the Brits manufactured astonishing vehicles like the Aston Martin V8 Vantage. In 1977, Aston Martin released the V8 Vantage with impressive aerodynamic improvements compared to its predecessor. And although the Aston Martin V8 Vantage shared the V8 engine with the Lagonda, it produced greater power and torque thanks to high-performance camshafts, bigger inlet valves and carburetors fitted to redesigned manifolds.The engine was a 5.3-liter naturally aspirated V8 that could generate 385 hp at 6,000 rpm. It’s important to note that the powertrain came with either a ZF five-speed manual gearbox or three-speed automatic transmission. This impressive engine helped the Aston Martin V8 Vantage reach the top speed of 170 miles per hour and accelerate from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 5.2 seconds. Needless to say that the incredible performance transformed the Aston Martin V8 Vantage into the “UK’s first true supercar but also the fastest 4 seater production car in the world,” according to Aston Martin.

In The Living Daylights, James Bond drives a V8 Volante convertible, which was originally owned by Aston Martin Lagonda chairman Victor Gauntlett. The vehicle makes another return to the James Bond franchise for the movie No Time to Die. And there’s even a more comical appearance in the James Bond parody Johnny English Strikes Again, where Rowan Atkinson drives an Aston Martin V8 Vantage throughout the movie. Evidently, the association with James Bond has only boosted the appeal of this high-performance grand tourer, and nowadays, a proper gentleman considers the Aston Martin V8 Vantage, the quintessential macho car.

The Aston Martin V8 Vantage Had An Elegant Design

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Source: Bring A Trailer

Some selling points of Aston Martin cars include the design and style. To be fair, it’s difficult to think of an Aston Martin model that failed to impress with its elegant styling. The high-performance Aston Martin V8 Vantage doesn’t disappoint, and the car contains some remarkable details. For instance, AstonMartin.com reports the car featured a spoiler on the tail, a deep spoiler beneath the nose, and blanked off radiator, and blanked off bonnet air scoop. The British automaker has added additional unique features to later models. For instance, in 1983, it introduced BBS wheels, while in 1986, it inaugurated the Ronal 16″ wheel along with the 580 X Pack engine.

The Association With Bond Communicates An Old School Aspirational Brand Of Masculinity

1977 ASTON MARTIN V8 VANTAGE COUPE
via: RM Sotheby’s

There’s this outdated image that a macho man is something like a caricature figure from a ’90s action-packed movie: something like Rambo or Rocky. However, the new macho man is suave, sophisticated, and erudite. He embodies the qualities of the modern cosmopolite person and is a man “nowhere a stranger.” Think Cristiano Ronaldo or Jason Statham instead of Sylvester Stallone or Arnold Schwarzenegger. These hyper masculine men have little in common with the toxic masculinity of the past, and they exude class without being pretentious. They also represent an Old School aspirational brand of masculinity, just like James Bond. Unsurprisingly, these men drive only the finest and most expensive cars, so it stands to reason that the Aston Martin V8 Vantage might quickly become their preferred car because it expresses so much about their own taste, preferences, style, and way of life.

The Appreciation And Resale Value Of The V8 Vantage

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According to various sources, the average new luxury car loses 40 to 50 percent of its original value in the first five years of ownership. Naturally, there are even vehicles that lose far more than that, and they don’t hold their value too well. For instance, new research from analytics iSeeCars, shows that currently, the BMW 7 Series has the highest depreciation rate, having lost 56.9 percent of its value over five years. On the other hand, certain vintage automobiles gain popularity and value with time.

The Aston Martin V8 Vantage, for example, is a vehicle that has won in value over the years instead of depreciating. Accordingly, anyone interested in this Aston Martin model should expect to spend a significant sum to secure the car. According to Hagerty, the average value of a 1977 Aston Martin V8 Vantage is $151,000, while a vehicle in concourse condition will set you back roughly $274,000. Meanwhile, the same car in excellent condition costs $218,000, and in good condition it is around $151,000. Even an Aston Martin V8 Vantage in fair condition costs more than many contemporary luxury vehicles, priced at $98,900. As per Hagerty‘s records, the highest sale ended up costing $516,600, while the most recent sale was worth $184,800.