zzdcar
Home
/
Reviews
/
Culture
/
Aston Martin Will Let You Face-Swap Your Vantage [Corrected]
Aston Martin Will Let You Face-Swap Your Vantage [Corrected]-August 2024
2024-02-19 EST 22:12:29

Image for article titled Aston Martin Will Let You Face-Swap Your Vantage [Corrected]

A previous version of this story incorrectly stated that the option to retrofit Vane grilles to existing Vantages was new; it’s new for Aston Martin Works in the U.K., but has actually be offered by Aston Martin North America since March 2020. The original Hunter grille design also remains the default option on all Vantages from the factory, whether Coupe or Roadster. These errors have been corrected below.

Do you have a problem with the factory grille of the Aston Martin Vantage? Personally, I think it looks fine, but apparently some Vantage owners are offended by it, and they’ve taken to revising the front view of their elegant British sports cars with aftermarket alternatives.

If you do happen to drive a Vantage, you can now sleep soundly, as the company is offering a solution. Aston Martin Works — the automaker’s historic U.K. home of sorts — announced last week that it’s offering a replacement grille it calls the Vane, which can be fitted to existing cars at its body shop. The manufacturer has actually been performing these retrofits in North America since March last year, an Aston Martin representative confirmed to us, though it’s a new service for the historic Works location in the town of Newport Pagnell.

The Vane grille’s design is smoother and more traditional, with classic horizontal chrome strakes and black vertical supports that contradict the edgy, cavernous maw of the Vantage’s original Hunter design.

The result sort of ends up being a cross between what the Vantage originally launched with and the DB11's grille. In February 2020, the carmaker the Vane face would be offered as an option for both the Vantage Coupe and Roadster, as an alternative to the Vulcan-inspired Hunter mouth, which remains the default look from the factory. I like the newer getup, though I think it’s more suited for the drop-top, and the Coupe and track-focused AMR version are better served by the aggressive Hunter aesthetic. Aston is not listing a price for the conversion; if you have to ask, and all that.

Image for article titled Aston Martin Will Let You Face-Swap Your Vantage [Corrected]

Folks will naturally compare the Vantage’s alternative look with the aftermarket replacement built by a company called Revenant. The Revenant approach — a design that takes a different bumper cover — is odd to me because it gives the car two stacked mouths of equal size. I’m not sure which to look at; I’m also not sure if I should perceive the middle mouth as a nose. It confuses me, and I don’t love it.

Ultimately, it’s just weird to see a carmaker offer an alternative face for its car, even a high-luxury marque like Aston Martin that does so much bespoke work for its clients. Usually, companies stick to their guns to the bitter end, , propelling a vicious spiral made worse with every snarky tweet. Aston Martin didn’t do that though, and for that, I give them props. Which grille do you prefer?

Comments
Welcome to zzdcar comments! Please keep conversations courteous and on-topic. To fosterproductive and respectful conversations, you may see comments from our Community Managers.
Sign up to post
Sort by
Show More Comments
Culture
Toyota Is Moving A Prewar 700-Ton Press Machine Halfway Around The World
Toyota Is Moving A Prewar 700-Ton Press Machine Halfway Around The World
closed its São Bernardo Plant in November 2023, marking the end of its first overseas production facility. The closure caps off a period of continuous car production in São Paolo, , lasting over 60 years. The plant was home to a Komatsu 700-ton press that predates itself. And now...
Aug 23, 2025
I Entered My Lifted Miata In A Real Off-Road Race, Here's What Happened
I Entered My Lifted Miata In A Real Off-Road Race, Here's What Happened
I have two automotive loves: The first is the Miata, the second is off-road racing. For a while I raced air-cooled Volkswagens in the deserts of California and Nevada and I was lucky enough to co-drive in a class 11 stock bug in the Baja 1000 a few years...
Aug 23, 2025
2024 Kia EV9: What Do You Want To Know?
2024 Kia EV9: What Do You Want To Know?
At long last, we are about to get behind the wheel of for the first time. Sure, , and sure, , and sure , but hey — what can you do? Anyway, before we get behind the wheel of this three-row electric beast, we want to know what you...
Aug 23, 2025
Watch ABS Fail When MotorWeek Tests A 1997 Chevy S-10
Watch ABS Fail When MotorWeek Tests A 1997 Chevy S-10
MotorWeek’s is some of the on the internet. The long-running automotive news magazine has a treasure trove of tests after being on the air for over 40 years. Where else can you find detailed instrumented testing of long-forgotten cars like the or a ? MotorWeek’s recent Retro Review upload is...
Aug 23, 2025
I Can't Get Enough Of This YouTuber Who Builds Tiny, Fully Functional Scale-Model Cars
I Can't Get Enough Of This YouTuber Who Builds Tiny, Fully Functional Scale-Model Cars
I love tiny, of . I have a that is roughly half the size of a normal cat, and she’s perfect. I own a 2013 , which is like the miniature version of a normal-sized vehicle (at least here in Texas) — but beyond that, I also own a Hot...
Aug 23, 2025
Subaru Had It Right All Along
Subaru Had It Right All Along
When first came to the United States, it sold small funky cars that were decidedly un-American. As the company grew its own identity and became more established in the U.S., it became the first automaker to offer an all-wheel-drive passenger car in 1975. Subaru was also an early-adopter of...
Aug 23, 2025
Copyright 2023-2025 - www.zzdcar.com All Rights Reserved