Aston Martin Vantage Coupé, 1998
Aston Martin V8 Vantage II
Aston Martin V8 Vantage II•
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Chassis No.: SCFDAM2S9XBL70223
Estimate: £125,000 - £175,000 GBP
- One of an estimated 97 left-hand drive Vantages
- More than 20 years of single ownership
- Circa 16,000 kilometres recorded
- Six-speed manual transmission
- Documented service history
'Brutal' was a word used more than once to describe the fastest Aston Martin ever on its introduction in 1992, but as the Vantage had no less than 550bhp available to propel its two tons, the choice can only be judged fair comment. Although consummate fast tourer, the Virage left room at the top of the range for an out-and-out sports car, hence the Vantage. Although the two models appear superficially similar few panels are shared, and beneath the skin the Vantage chassis boasts the kind of extensive re-engineering required to cope with the massive increase in performance.
The latter comes courtesy of a blown version of Aston's 5,340cc V8, twin mechanically driven Eaton superchargers being preferred to turbo charging on the grounds of superior throttle response. Quite apart from its stupendous maximum output, remarkable enough in itself, the engine is monstrously torquey, producing 550lb/ft at 4,000rpm, a figure that makes even the mighty Chrysler Viper V10's 450lb/ft seem puny by way of comparison and the ZF manual gearbox's six-speeds an un-necessary luxury. One of the last models to be built at the iconic Newport Pagnell works, the Vantage is undoubtedly one of the most iconic supercars of its era.
Built to German specification, this late, manual transmission Vantage was dispatched to Jaguar Autohaus Kronberg near Frankfurt, Germany in July 1998. In May 2000, the Aston was sold through Auto Performance Paris and relocated to the UK where it was registered, remaining in single ownership in London until July 2021. The Vantage has had only one registered keeper in the UK and comes with a V5C Registration Certificate.
Chassis number '70223' dates from the Vantage's final year of production. It is the 225th of approximately 240 built, of which it is estimated that only some 97 were left-hand drive like this example. Being a later car, it benefits from the many improvements made to the Vantage over its years in production.
'70223' is finished in Antrim Blue with blue-piped Magnolia leather interior, the latter featuring matching Alcantara headlining, contrasting wood veneers, blue carpets and a blue leather dashboard. Further enhancing the on-board experience is a factory-fitted Alpine stereo system with cassette player and boot-mounted, six-disc CD changer.
Accompanying service invoices testify to regular maintenance throughout the car's life. Recent major works include replacing the clutch and alternator (April 2016); fluids and filter changes (July 2019); and fitting a new battery (July 2021). The current odometer reading is a little under 16,000 kilometres (approximately 9,900 miles). Driven recently, this UK Registered left-hand drive Vantage is a rare find, made all the more appealing by virtue of its long-term single ownership, well documented history, and sparing use.
