Designing cars that have similar features is nothing new. Most automakers do it so that each model can be easily associated with its parent company. That iconic Aston Martin grille is no exception, adding such a sexy touch to the grand tourers that when Ford copied the design, many observant folk-even those without a single allele of gearhead DNA in their bodies-were able to point out the source of inspiration. The problem, however, arises when even fans of a brand have a hard time distinguishing between each model.

That's why, according to what Aston Martin vice president and chief creative officer, Marek Reichman told to Car Advice, the new Vantage has a different flavor than the DB11. The DB11 set the styling precedence for Aston Martin's reinvention, but that doesn't mean all of the brand's cars have to look exactly like that. "I guess I am just fed up with all the comments that all the [Aston Martin] cars look the same," said Reichman. "You have to understand that within the company, we were relatively constrained in that prior period. To do things like the One-77 or Vantage Zagato was a breath of fresh air for me because they were all brand-new, you know." Not like Aston Martin designers chucked every DB11 cue into the trash bin.

Some of the similar components include the door handles. Aston Martin could have shared more to cut down on costs, but cost-cutting is an unsexy trait to the automaker's target audience. "Our second century is about seven new products, it's not about 70 per cent change to something, or 60 per cent change. Each product is brand-new, each product has its proxy customer," added Reichman. The only unifying concept that designers used when penning the cars was beauty. While Aston Martin suspects that those differentiations might make it so some fans of the brand skip cross-shopping, the Vantage's styling differences are intended to target new buyers who would otherwise go for a Porsche 911. With a pretty face like that, that tactic just might work.