Aston Martin’s 2005 Vantage carved itself a niche as the brand’s most compact, sharpest-handling sports car, with a string of race championships to its credit. Now they’ve gone back to a clean sheet to create its successor. The new Vantage is a dramatic step forward; it’s lighter, stiffer, more predatory in design and powered by a sensational 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8.

Our first sight of the new evolution of Aston Martin design came from the big screen in 2014, when the DB10 concept car made its debut as James Bond’s company car in the movie Spectre. Take a glance at the Vantage and while it’s clear there are hints of 007’s wheels in the design, the new Vantage is even better looking.

From the outside, the profile is pure Aston Martin yet a clear evolution of the breed. The eye is taken first by the minimal front and rear overhangs, muscular flanks and broad haunches. The overall impression is of a taut and muscular pure sports car, with a sculpted bonnet that tapers to two slim LED wraparound headlights and a low, shark-like grille. It’s not a fussy shape, but is highly expressive, with a single falling shoulder line that connects front to back in one sweep. Aston Martin claims class-leading aerodynamics for the Vantage; the rear is dominated by a big diffuser, which helps to keep the Vantage pinned to the road at speed, and the full-width rear light which kicks up over the rear tailgate flip.

Inside, there’s a focused and functional feel to the cockpit, with Gaydon’s unmistakable hand-craftsmanship at all touchpoints. The driver sits low, switchgear falls neatly to hand and has a positive, mechanical feel. Behind the two front seats is a useful 380 litres of boot