On a hot Friday, Circle Zero Eight was invited by BOSS and Aston Martin to Aston Martin's Stowe test facility, which sits inside the Silverstone complex. Complete with its own track and engineering teams, this is where all of the marque's products are fettled before we see them in the flesh.
Donned in the new BOSS x Aston Martin capsule collection, with the safety briefing complete, we were introduced to our assigned Aston Martin test driver, who would be helping us take the cars through their paces.
First, we tried the DBX707, Aston Martin's current offering to the ultra-luxury SUV market. Starting off in sport, we got to know the track. Getting behind the wheel and slowly building up the pace, it was a pleasant surprise to find how stable this car is, especially under pressure when changing direction. In sport plus mode, in the hands of the right driver who's flicking on the paddles, it can definitely keep up with anything else. The chassis stays planted on the tarmac in a way that its competitors simply can't match. If you're going
for something with power and a higher ride height, and you're looking for a fine-tuned tool that can do it all, this car absolutely represents a premier choice.
Next, we switched into a completely different machine, picking up the speed, whilst sitting a lot closer to the ground, in the Vantage - Aston Martin's small-but-mighty two-seater. While the weather may have asked for a Volante (soft top), we were thankful for the hard top while pressing, with some corners difficult to see and judge on-track, due to the blazing sun. By this time though, the track was familiar, and there was time to settle into a groove and get used to what we were working with. Following Steven the pro's tutelage, we quickly started gaining on the cars in front. This is the road version of the car we'd perhaps see Aston Martin racing most often in various series around the world. The driving modes reflect this, with the settings going one step further than its SUV sibling. In its fully-unbridled track mode, this car is no longer a gentle cruiser. Whilst we were proud of our pace, nothing can match the display of what this car can truly do when the professionals show you.
In the passenger seat this time, barely off the pit exit, tyres were screaming and the smell of rubber smoke was coming in from the air vents as we went sideways on the exit of a corner. Obviously not something we'd do on a public road, but nonetheless something that puts a smile on the face of any speed junkie. Screams optional.
“A lot of heritage sports car brands nowadays struggle to strike the right balance between luxury and refinement, whilst honouring roots firmly planted at the track. With Aston Martin, it's a pleasure to see the passion that still lies at the reason the brand was built upon in the first place”
— Ryan Zaman
The Vantage has a significantly shorter wheelbase than anything else the brand offers, and this introduces us to interesting handling dynamics on the edge. We were taught how to smoothly feed in the power when leaving corners, in order to ensure the car's weight was stabilised, and to prevent the tail kicking out. Just as well, because when all the driver aids are turned down, the smallest input at speed does more than most cars we drive daily ever will. While the Vantage might be something that we'd pass in the street every so often, it doesn't mean it's always forgiving - it should not be forgotten that much more hard-edged racing machines start as one of these.
A lot of heritage sports car brands nowadays struggle to strike the right balance between the luxury and refinement that customers demand and expect, whilst honouring roots that are firmly planted at the track. With Aston Martin, though, it's a pleasure to see the passion that still lies at the heart of why the brand was built in the first place. Yes, the materials and finish are amazing, but what the cars feel like to drive still sits at the centre of everything.
Buy the collection here
