I had the pleasure of being asked to drive an Aston Martin V8 Vantage - complete with Prodrive performance enhancements - to Le Mans for the annual pre-qualifying test day, provided I reported back on what I found. You can imagine that I thought long and hard about that one.....

Car: Aston Martin V8 Vantage
Performance enhancements: Prodrive
Date: 1 June 2007
Venue: Home to Le Mans and back

Engine

Prodrive performance pack for engine enhancement, including:

Re-mapped ECU to help with the throttle response.
High performance exhaust catalyst
Driver adjustable exhaust modes...Auto, Quiet and Sport
Power: 425 bhp
Torque: 325 lbft

"I found the throttle response to be good, as sometimes this type of high performance cars can lack in this area. You may not notice this but, as a driver used to getting this right in a race car, you become quite critical when it is not right. I like a car that you can drive around the streets like a normal road car, and then, when you stand on it, it ramps up pretty quickly in a smooth progressive way. With the Prodrive performance pack fitted, the Aston Martin V8 Vantage has a fair amount of power, so you have a big range to work in.

"When the engine starts to ramp up, you get a real feeling of the extra power this performance pack gives you as you are pushed into the seat. I had the adjustable exhaust note on Sport and what a noise comes bellowing out the back. When the engine is in the mid-range and revs out to 7600, which is 300rpm more than normal, the acceleration and sound make you feel like you are in a race car. It's a very cool idea being able to change the exhaust note like that as, depending on your mood, you can tune the sound to suit."

Suspension tuning

Bilstein two-way driver adjustable electronic dampers
Eibach sports springs
DBR9-inspired 19" light-weight alloy wheels

"When you have the suspension tuned to Sports mode, this gives the car a stiffer ride on the road. The good points are that the car becomes very responsive to every movement and steering input. If you want a racy feel, this is what you are looking for - not so stiff that your fillings come out of your teeth, but a firm platform for good handling. When the car is at high speed and you hit a big bump, the rear would take a bit of a jump, which was a little uncomfortable, but not too bad.

"When the car is in a softer setting, then the car settles into what I would call a normal situation with ride and comfort. I like my cars to be in the normal mode so to be as comfortable as it can be, without feeling like an old Caddy. When I feel racy, Sports mode comes on and the car has a bigger operating window. Coming onto a motorway from the on-ramp, the front really tucks into the apex with not a lot of understeer. The rear rolls a little, but this helps take a set for the corner and reduces the understeer. Through a roundabout with a bit of speed, the change of direction is good, with the car's platform feeling very stable. With high-speed motoring on the motorway, the car sits very comfortably but, in Sorts mode, it become a little harsh over bumps. Like I said, I like the comfortable ride...."

Aerodynamics/styling

Carbon fibre front and rear spoiler additions to help reduce the overall lift by 45 per cent

"I like the aero tweaks on the car as this makes a subtle, but noticeable, difference to the look of the Aston Martin. I have always liked the AMG mods to the Mercedes, and this does the same for me. The car being more stable with these spoilers is another benefit as it becomes a safer car.

"The Aston Martins of today look stunning to my eyes and the V8 Vantage looks a little better with the above changes to give it a more racing feel. The 19" wheels look pretty good.


Overall, I have just one comment..... Can I have one please, or do I get one for winning Le Mans?

DB