The Aston Martin Vantage S Sharpens Its Edge: Review

The Aston Martin Vantage S Sharpens Its Edge: Review

feedback@motor1.com (Chris Rosales)

Mon, February 2, 2026 at 2:00 PM UTC

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With a slight bump in power and some major suspension tweaks, the Vantage S is just more of what makes the Vantage great.

I truly, deeply love the current Aston Martin Vantage. Yes, it is incredibly expensive, brutishly powerful, and knuckle-bitingly beautiful—but beneath all of that vanity is the mischievous heart of a driver's car. It answers an amygdalian primal call—it’s a bona fide scumbag in an Armani suit.

But as with anything, it can always be better. Hence, the newly revealed and subtly upgraded 2026 Aston Martin Vantage S. It’s part of the most recent wave of slightly revamped Astons, like the DBX S and the DB12 S before it.

With the Vantage S, it’s much of the same story: A little more power, a little more refinement, and some sportier options. I won’t say no to any of those things.

A slight power bump kicks the party off nicely; 15 extra horsepower for a new total output of 671. To be frank, a two-percent increase is in the realm of imperceptible, so that isn’t much to write home about. You do get a new throttle calibration that’s more linear than before, which helps manage the already colossal power output.

You also get a host of S-specific interior and exterior changes. The S badge on the front fenders is hand-made of forged brass and filled with red glass enamel. The new blades in the hood vents and the rear spoiler are unique to the Vantage S. New underbody air guides and front spoiler details increase downforce by 147 pounds at 202 mph. Then, of course, the front seats are stitched with the S badge.

That’s all great, but what's most interesting goes beyond the powertrain and styling; it’s the suspension.

Speaking to Simon Newton, director of vehicle performance at Aston, he outlines some of the finer changes to the Vantage S’s suspension. There's a slight increase in negative camber and a slightly stiffer rear sway bar. Spring rates remain the same, but the dampers and their adaptive controls are massaged for the S.

The biggest change is to the rear axle. Now, the aluminum rear subframe is solidly mounted to the chassis of the Vantage S, instead of using rubber bushings. In a Vantage, the rear subframe not only provides mounting points for the suspension, but it also cradles the gearbox, making it an integral part of the car.

Pros: Supreme Handling, Deliciously Powerful, Fun To Drive

Converting to a solid mount provides greater precision for the rear suspension and increases overall body rigidity by 5 percent. Lateral stiffness, the suspension’s resistance to side loading, is up 30 percent.

Aston had to reengineer some things around the solid mounts. The new rear bump stops are softer overall, but they progressively increase stiffness to help control suspension travel. The gearbox mounts are 10 percent softer to help absorb vibrations introduced by the solid mounts and drivetrain shock that Aston engineers found excessive.

I sampled the net effect of those changes on some of California’s finest roads in Malibu, which I happen to be familiar with in a few different kinds of cars, including the "old" Vantage. I found very few faults with the previous Vantage, aside from a slightly unrefined rear axle and fairly dead steering.

For the most part, it was deliciously balanced, fun to drive, and never felt limiting.

Cons: Steering Is Still A Little Dead, Harsh Around Town

The Vantage S perfects the formula. Almost. I couldn't pick out the extra 15 horsepower in a dense forest of 671, but the changes to the rear are more welcome than I expected. Where the base Vantage sometimes runs out of rear travel and packs into its bump stops under acceleration, the Vantage S remains supple.

It does feel slightly stiffer overall, with a definite increase in initial stiffness. But the S shows its softer edges as you dig into its capabilities. It feels less wild, much more neutral, and smaller on the road than before, with exacting body control and incredibly taut responses.

The Vantage S is now fun to drive in a variety of ways, either as a momentum car or a drifting brute. While the front axle never breaks away, it’s now easier to guide the rear into smaller, more gentle slides than before.

Verdict

Aston simply improved on perfection, and for a modest bump compared to the Vantage’s $194,500 base price. The Vantage S starts at $199,500, though that will realistically be in the mid-200s after some options. My tester was $248,400.

After driving the newly hybridized Porsche 911 Turbo S last year, which starts at $270,300, I find myself asking a tough question: For the same price (barring depreciation, because I know Astons drop like rocks), why wouldn’t you buy the Vantage? It is simply more fun, more exotic, and a better driver’s car.

Aston is in a real stride, and the Vantage S is just the latest example of it. Please, rich people, I implore you to put the Porsches down and consider something new. You might just be surprised by what you find.

Vantage S Competitors

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