BODEGA BAY, Calif. -- If your view of Aston Martin is all James Bond, mondo-expensive supercars and even more expensive, er, companions, it might surprise you to find out there is a car from Gaydon, England, that doesn't require you to sell your entire stock portfolio to afford it. Indeed, the V8 Vantage, now in its third year of production, slots right into the snack bracket just above Jaguar's XKR and Porsche's Carrera 4S.
That may not sound like your idea of a budget sports car, but when your sibling, the DBS, retails for a cool $292,000, dropping $140,000 seems like a bargain. Think of it as the difference between a suit tailor-made on Savile Row and an off-the-rack Georgio Armani.
Now, the concept of a budget Aston might seem oxymoronic, but it has been crucial to the company's success. Remember that in 1992, just before Ford took over ownership (just one of seven such takeovers), Aston sold just 46 cars worldwide. Fifteen years later, Aston sold 7,300 roadsters and coupes, a significant 3,000 of those being the new V8 Vantage introduced to North America in 2006.
It's easy to see why. Just in case you're not familiar with Aston Martin, the Vantage is built with the same architecture as the DB9 and is styled almost identically, which means it's sexy as hell. Good looks may not be everything, but as anyone knows who's drooled over a hot motorcycle/automobile/person, the right combinations of curves and bulges have a way of short-circuiting the right side of your brain.
So, the Vantage impresses our base instinct, but does the Aston also make a rational argument for selection over more established items, such as the XKR, 911 or even the Mercedes SL63?
Well, the motor certainly makes a good argument. Although it started out sharing some of its basic superstructure with Jaguar's V8, it's since been developed so that the two engines are completely distinct, no longer even sharing the same basic block. Recently fortified to 4.7 litres, the Vantage boasts 420 horsepower, about the same as the supercharged Jaguar and more than the normally aspirated Porsche boxer six.
That boost from the previous 4.3L's 380 hp means the Vantage accelerates to 100 km/h in less than five seconds. When you punch the throttle, the Vantage snarls, hunkers down on its rear wheels and scoots way ahead of traffic.
Those previous comparisons to supercharged Jaguars and Porsche 911s are very apropos. This Aston is plenty quick despite being four pistons down on the DBS.
However, if you're looking for a reason why someone would spend $150,000 more on a DBS, look no further than the tips of the exhaust pipes. Or, more accurately, listen to the sound from said exhaust.
While the V8's rumble and roar is definitely delicious, it pales in comparison with the warbling scream that exits the DBS's V12.
I'd recommend the manual version of the V8. Though Aston says some 70 per cent of its customers opt for the manumatic Sportshift, I found the six-speed manual transaxle preferable. Like many such manumatic transmissions, the Sportshift's gear changes can be slow, causing a gap in forward progress that makes it feel a little awkward.
There's no such quibbling with the Vantage's handling, however. Running the same basic double wishbone independent suspension as the DBS, the Vantage's feels stiffer with even less roll. The Aston was pinpoint-precise on the Pacific Coast Highway north of San Francisco, though it may not be as lithe as a Lotus Elise.
The Vantage's interior is quite hedonistic. Aston may have a deep racing heritage, but the interior is in the finest of English traditions. The seats are covered in exquisite leather, there's Alcantara-like leather covering the roof and pillars and the interior metal trim is extremely well done. Aston also makes much of the fact the Vantage's key is made, at least partially, of crystal, but I much admired the crystal ashtray. Not only is having an ashtray politically incorrect, it's also a minor work of art.
All this British bespokeness is available starting at $139,700 for the manual Coupe and topping out at $160,200 for the Sportshift Roadster. As I said, that's a huge savings over the DB9 and DBS, but about a Toyota Camry more than a similarly equipped Jaguar or Porsche.
-- Canwest News Service
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