There are faster cars, the V8 Vantage 0-60 time isn’t actually that good. But it doesn’t matter. The overall driving experience is extraordinary in this car. It’s comfortable, the interior is fantastic, the design is one of the best on the road, and the exhaust note is intoxicating to put it mildly.

Not many other cars do such a good job of making a car you can drive on the street and on the track. If you’re interested, check out our V8 Vantage review.

Schiller is right. Astons are all about balance. In one way or another every other car mentioned here just doesnt have the complete package the aston does. The italian cars are too hardcore, the german cars are too mundane, and the new corvette looks like a ferrari rip-off from the front and a rear-ended C5 (previous model) in the back.

I agree about the auto-dimming mirror, thats ridiculous, but i happen to like engines that make their torque and power up high in the rev-band. With tons and tons of low end torque, I would never enter the upper half of the rev band on normal roads. Also, in my experience, higher-strung engines usually deliver better fuel economy and driveability at low rpms. Torque is just force, power is distance.

That’s where the Porsche whipes the floor with these cars.

Btw, the RS4 is nearly 4k lbs, but its almost impossible to tell. You can’t just read these stats off a sheet of paper, you need to drive the cars before you comment.

Certainly handling quality is subjective, but the Aston’s lack of Corvette/911 performance and grand touring luxury features commonplace on a Buick (auto dimming mirror for starters) is a dangerous mix at this asking price. It needs something more than acceptable performance and good looks.

This car would be a winner with GM’s LS7 motor under the hood.

There, I said it.

At the end of the day the Vantage lacks luxury and performance in both a straight line and a corner. That’s a lot of money for a rolling fashion statement and that proposition is just not cool with me.

Thanks for writing,
Sajeev

With all due respect I find the Aston a very different ride than you. An emotional experience that is rare on today’s roads.

First off, it and it’s stable mates are the finest looking rides at any price, inside and out. IMHO the Vantage is gorgeous like few cars have ever been. I think that they make the Bentley look gaudy. Mercedes tacky. Porsches cheap.

Second, the sound! Astons roar when you start them, roar when you work them up the RPM ladder, and roar when you explode out of a turn and slam your foot down. I think that they sound great! Better even than many a Ferrari or Lamborghini.

Third, the balance on the road is superb. The mid front engine design makes the Vantage a blast to whip around turn after turn. The Bridgestone’s grippy. The brakes bite hard. The suspension is tight but doesn’t generate the tinny resonance inside that a 911 does on rough roads. I find that it is as solid as any sports car ever felt in your hands.

I’m no race car driver but I know what I like and a modern Aston is a special thing. They are still hand-built, unique, rare, beautiful, and sporting rides.

Sure the V8 Vantage would be even better with 50 more HP for giddy-up. But most modern sports cars, the Vantage included, easily exceed the abilities of their drivers. And in the end I find driving an Aston to be an incredible emotional experience in a way that most modern sports cars can’t match.

2nd, unfortunately my passion for cars won’t pay a Murci Roadster, a 599, an AMV8, a 2.7 RS, a Zonda or whatever . . .

Most critics are the ones that daily drive the Micra, Polo or Focus . . .

Having friends with great cars helps a lot . . . being less critical about sports/super/hypercars and even appreciate the smaller things in life. Such as the Micra, Polo . . .

Hope to win the lottery once though . . .

Thank you for freeing up F430s and V8s for the rest of us.

Don’t waste your money.

Don’t get me wrong the Aston is a beautiful looking car and if I had billions or many, many millions I’d probably get one. But then I’d also have an M3, M5, MX5 and a few more.

I live in the burbs of Baltimore and there is an orange Lambo in the area. Beautiful car, gorgeous actually, and I’m sure the owner loves it. There is no way in hell he is using it to within 60% of its abilities. And if he is on public roads he’s going to get himself or someone else killed.

That’s just the point for me it seems like money wasted if you are not really going to be able to utilize it and I just don’t like not getting my money’s worth.

I could make use of that sort of performance everyday.

Easily.

More importantly, happily.

Jon.

Granted it’s a beautiful car with a really nice interior but you are looking at 1/2 to 1/4 of a house for many people.

The Bapcha Man.

Jon.

I have lusted over Aston’s modern designs and came close to buying a DB9, at least until my friend got one and I drove it extensively (see my review in the archives). Now 1,000 miles into the ownership experience and the vehicle has been flatbed trucked to the dealer twice and the repairs and maintence bills are near 10 large.

These are not ordinary cars for regular guys. These are exquisitely beautiful machines for rich people who want to flaunt their imperfections.

Lesley: My problem is that this supermodel doesn’t accessorize very well. The bare hunk of glass in the sunvisor is proof. I’d expect a Prada bag or three in this deal, ya know?

johnlincoln: thank you for justifying my 2.5 years of Mechanical Engineering studies, almost forgot they still come in handy!

Someday…