2005 AMS Antares 5.0 V8 GT
After 15 years, the Antares received yet another redesign, migrating to an all-aluminum platform. While the traditional vented hood with raised section remained, as did the fender vents, its engine now had a CNC-milled block for extra strength. This naturally raised the price, but the presence of even more standard equipment (including satellite navigation) and higher-quality interior materials wasn’t the only change that justified this.
Along with carbon-ceramic brakes (an optional extra), semi-active dampers were part of the options list, and wheel sizes increased by one inch across the board. At launch, the new engine developed a searing 500 horsepower, putting it firmly in supercar territory. The stiffer, lighter platform, combined with a reinforced six-speed manual gearbox, helical LSD, and improved aerodynamics, made it a hit among wealthy buyers who wanted a grand tourer that could also perform like an actual supercar when the need arose.
Much like its predecessor, the Antares retained a sumptuous interior, but with sat-nav as standard, and more speakers in its audio system, there was no doubting that it was an even more pleasant place to be than its predecessor had ever been. Today, this generation is as sought-after on the used car market as its immediate predecessor, if not even more so, for providing a raw, visceral, and (relatively) analog feel rarely found in more modern equivalents.