2014 Aston Martin Vantage V8

A 2014 Aston Martin Vantage V8, ‘WD14 ZXB’ is finished in Nero Black with an Obsidian Black hide interior. Fitted with the later 4.7-litre engine, this increase boosted the power and torque figures to 420bhp and 347lb.ft respectively, and while the 0-62mph time might have dropped by only a few tenths of a second, mid-range performance was considerably improved – and the top speed rose to three miles a minute.

With just one former keeper, it’s been in the seller’s care since 2019 and has been lavishly serviced over the years, receiving attention from the official Aston Martin network every year until 2023, despite covering only 14,440 miles in that time.

It then moved into the hands of a well-respected independent specialist, where it received almost £3,000-worth of attention at the end of 2024.

Our seller bought it in 2019 with just 3,500 miles on the odometer for a European trip that didn’t happen. No prizes for guessing why that was…

He’s used it lightly within the UK since, including a summer trip to the Western Isles. In all, he’s added 16,500 miles in six years, or around 3,300 miles per annum.

It was summer use only though, as he insisted on putting it into professional storage during the winter, something that helps explain its stunning condition. 

 

Oh my, doesn’t Nero Black work well on the Vantage? Looking wider, lower, and considerably more menacing than most of its type, it elevates a stunning car from being merely sub-zero to Absolute Zero.

And, while our photographer is a talented chap, we’ve got to admit that it looks even better in the flesh.

It’s got presence, you see, and charisma and we can’t imagine what it would feel like to be able to walk up, plip the key, and sit inside it whenever you feel like cheering yourself up.

Washing it would be no hardship either; there’s no better way to familiarise yourself with a car’s curves, and we can’t imagine ever getting tired of polishing it and admiring the ripple-free flanks, the mm-perfect shutlines, and the complete absence of dents, dinks, and other damage.

And trust us, being finished in Nero Black, if there were any, you’d see ‘em, so the fact this one doesn’t present anything that couldn’t be improved with a machine-polish is reassuring.

But then Cannon Autobodies has dealt with corrosion to both doors, repainting them, along with the nearside rear quarter panel which had stonechips, at a cost of almost £2,000. The wing mirrors have also been replaced due to corrosion on the alloy support legs.

The Comfort suspension works in conjunction with the rather lovely 19-inch, five-double-spoke alloy wheels, which were a £2,000-option when the car was new.

Mind you, it cost the Aston’s first owner £829 just to have the brake calipers painted yellow – and yellow is a colour that will make another appearance later in the advert.

The tyres, which are Bridgestone Potenza Sport on all four corners, were changed in October 2022 at 14,841 miles as they’d perished due to lack of use. They’ve since covered only around five thousand miles.

We will never get tired of telling you that experience shows that matching high-quality tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly.

Other nice factory-fitted options include textured black tailpipes (£329), clear rear taillights (£412), black bonnet and side strake meshes (£412), and a vaned front grille (£412).

Flaws are few. There are the usual stonechips across the front and to the lower edges, along with a few light scratches along the nearside, possibly from a hedge and only visible when the light catches them at the right angle.

There are also a few light swirl marks, hazing to the black plastic panel around the rear numberplate and tailpipes, and some kerbing marks and lacquer loss to the alloy wheels.

That’s it though because everything else, lights, badges, glazing, and even the warning lights under the doors, are all excellent.

 

The sober Obsidian Black leather interior is offset by yellow stitching to both the carpets and the hide trim, neatly livening up the cabin and bringing a touch of cohesion with those (equally expensive) brake calipers.

The heated sports seats (a £412 option), boast perforated inserts and are in an excellent condition, even allowing for the car’s limited mileage.

The yellow stitching is still bright and vibrant throughout, both across the seats and along the dashboard, transmission tunnel, door cards, and handbrake gaiter.

Other options include glass switches (£329), Bluetooth connectivity (£412), a 700W premium stereo (£829), sat-nav (£1,495), a reversing camera (£829), and front parking sensors (£329).

Hell, even the auto-dimming rearview mirror set them back £165.

Money was clearly not a factor, but then Aston Martin did give ‘em a discount of £14,791 off the list price…

Other highlights are excellent Piano Black fascia trim, alloy pedals, and a taut suede-like headlining.

The boot is both a good size and very nicely presented. Being a two-seater, that luggage area is supplemented by another good-sized space behind the seats.

The car also comes with an indoor car cover and an OBD scanner.

As for flaws, if we’re being very picky then there is a hairline crack in the dashboard above the sat-nav screen, scratches behind the driver’s door pull, and some light wear to the outer edge of the driver’s seat.

That’s it, which isn’t bad for an eleven-year-old car, is it?
 

The Vantage’s service history is recorded as follows:

•    01.04.2015 and 1,660 miles – service by Grange of Exeter
•    17.03.2016 and 2,214 miles – service by Aston Martin Cheltenham
•    13.03.2017 and 3,209 miles – service by Vantage Point Cribbs Causeway
•    04.04.2018 and 3,376 miles – service by Vantage Point Cribbs Causeway
•    19.02.2019 and 3,432 miles – service by Vantage Point Cribbs Causeway
•    17.01.2020 and 5,789 miles – service by Vantage Point Cribbs Causeway
•    21.04.2021 and 9,278 miles – service by Vantage Point Cribbs Causeway
•    22.09.2022 and 14,440 miles – service by Aston Martin Cheltenham
•    21.11.2023 and 16,032 miles – service by Aston Martin Cheltenham

It then moved out of the official network and into the hands of AJ Tech, an independent Aston Martin specialist who serviced it in November 2024 and 17,442 miles. This comprehensive service, which included new brake fluid and gearbox oil, set the owner back £2,720.

The V8 engine snaps into life with a bark before snarling its way up and down the rev range obediently – and it does it all without illuminating any warning lights, although we note it is due a service.

It makes all of the right noises too, and none of the worrying kind, especially from those extra-cost-option textured black tailpipes.

The engine bay isn’t finished quite as nicely as the rest of the car but even here we’re talking nothing more than some grubbiness and the usual tarnishing to alloy components.

Of course, the only rust under the bonnet or on the underside is to fasteners and the like, and even that is extremely limited.

Mechanical problems appear to be limited to the electric fuel cap release which doesn't work, so you need to pop the boot and open it manually.

 

The Aston Martin’s MoT, which is valid until November 2026, was issued with no advisories, just like the previous one.

The recent Vehicle History Check is clear, and it comes with two key fobs, one of which is still in its presentation box.

It’s still got the original invoice too, which shows an on-the-road price of £83,500, or £116,000 in today’s money.

The file also contains many invoices for work over the years, some old MoT certificates, and the book pack and wallet. 
 

If you’ve ever hankered after a Vantage – and, let’s face it, if you’ve got a pulse then you have – then this Nero Black one would make a fine purchase.

With a low mileage, the bigger engine, and a pampered life behind it, we can’t see any reason why its third owner wouldn’t have just as much fun as the first two.

And we suspect it would only take an investment of between £35,000 and £40,000 to make it yours, and if you continued to treat it in the manner to which it has become accustomed, it might not cost you as much to own as you think.

Because the market always values low-mileage, beautifully preserved cars, and this one ticks all the right boxes, which bodes well for its future value. 

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at Bonhams|Cars Online HQ. Viewings are STRICTLY BY APPOINTMENT and we are open weekdays between 10am - 12pm or 2pm - 4pm. To make a booking, please use the ‘Enquire About This Vehicle’ button on the listing. Feel free to ask any questions, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.