jfraser

First off, this isn’t meant to be one of those controversial flame threads…..I know others have posted their impressions, but I took out an AM V8 Vantage for a long test drive yesterday, and wanted to post how I thought it compared to my 997 C2S.

Looks Exterior
In my opinion the most beautiful car on the road today…by a considerable margin!! the car really is achingly beautiful. I love the front LED Running/turn signal lights...they really do say' move over, there's something special behind you' Only thing I don’t like are the wheels (19 inch) they look really aftermarket. I much prefer the 19 inch multispoke version on the DB9, and would change to these if I purchased the car.

Looks Interior
First off, the attention to detail is excellent…little things such as when you open the door, they open slightly upwards…so that careless passenger you’re transporting can’t scrape them on a curb. Fit and finish was rock solid, I went over some really bumpy roads, and there weren’t any squeaks and rattles (car had 2500 miles on it, so I was pretty impressed). The interior is considerably more chic than the 997, it has a handsome handmade feel (very Ferrari like) compared to the Porsche which definitely is high end, but still gives a feel of mass production…especially towards the back of the cabin; the rear seats and tunnel carpet are just plain cheap looking.

Seats
I don’t have the sports seats in my C2S, but the seat in the Aston was outstanding, I have really bad back problems, and I found the back support was excellent…a much more comfortable seat for my frame than either my Porsche or my old 360.

Visibilty
Porsche easily wins this one. The A pillars on the AM are thick and this definitely inhibits the view…rear vis is also pretty lousy

Handling
Steering was excellent, on a par with the Porsche, precise and beautifully weighted. I definitely preferred the steering wheel in both dimensions and thickness (I really don’t like the skinny Porsche wheel). Suspension, was surprisingly firm, which to me is a good thing. An SL or XKR suspension feel would have been a turn off…I would say it was somewhere in the middle between the normal and sport setting of the PASM.

Gearbox
YUCK! First off I wouldn’t get the car in stick I’m fed up of LA city driving with a manual…I knew that they were going to make an F1 box for AM, and the press release came through as I was talking to the dealer yesterday.

The box is notchy (car had 2500 miles, so it wasn’t a function of break in) I didn’t find the clutch overly heavy, but it was very hard to actually identify the bite point, as the feedback was very vague (hard to explain this point). Hated the gas pedal, it’s the thickness of a matchstick.

Exhaust
The exhaust note is absolutely fantastic!! It’s loud & harmonious I’d say better than the 360 (although the top end scream of a 360 guarenteed a grin) and better than PSE which I find loud but not as harmonious/interesting (based on doing the PSE mod).

Performance/Engine
Damn, Damn, Damn ….It’s not a slouch, it doesn’t feel like an SL550, or a Jag XK….but it’s lacking, there is just no other way to describe it, everything else says aggressive sports car; exhaust, steering, suspension but the engine is a bit disappointing, it pulls better than the C2S at low rpm in say 3rd or 4th, but it just doesn’t ever accelerate where you feel like saying hold on tight, we’re going for a ride….I’m not going to argue the nuances of tenths of a second etc, but my C2S feels every bit as fast to me as my old Ferrari 360…when you’re really going for it in these cars, they feel raw and edgy…The Vantage just doesn’t…If only it had 50 to 100hp more!!

Conclusion
I love & hate the exclusivity of the AM…I know there’s lots of every nice car in LA, but on the way to the Aston dealer I found myself behind 2 other 997’s (really)...It takes away from the specialness of the car…I know this doesn’t bother some, but it does irk me! The hate part is, I see that Ford are looking to sell AM; the company is of a size that there is a good chance some ‘have a go’ private equity partnership could buy it and really **** it up…so until the future of the brand is a bit more clear, I’d be nervous about buying into it. The deciding factor for me though was the engine….If it had had the extra 50-100hp, without question I would have got rid of the Porsche for the Aston, but until they do so I’m going to stay with the 997s….but the Aston is soooo close to being a better car.

99firehawk

you culd get a vanquish for the extra hp

The B

Conclusion
I love & hate the exclusivity of the AM…I know there’s lots of every nice car in LA, but on the way to the Aston dealer I found myself behind 2 other 997’s (really)...It takes away from the specialness of the car…I know this doesn’t bother some, but it does irk me! The hate part is, I see that Ford are looking to sell AM; the company is of a size that there is a good chance some ‘have a go’ private equity partnership could buy it and really **** it up…so until the future of the brand is a bit more clear, I’d be nervous about buying into it. The deciding factor for me though was the engine….If it had had the extra 50-100hp, without question I would have got rid of the Porsche for the Aston, but until they do so I’m going to stay with the 997s….but the Aston is soooo close to being a better car.[/QUOTE]

AM will not be exclusive in 18 mos. now that Ford owns it...(think Jaguar). Now that Ford has shown that the brand is desireable it is safer now than ever before.

jfraser

AM will not be exclusive in 18 mos. now that Ford owns it...(think Jaguar). Now that Ford has shown that the brand is desireable it is safer now than ever before.[/QUOTE]


Ford have owned Aston since 1987...it forms part of their Premier motorgroup...they recently stated that they no longer see it as a good fit (low volume with only @ 100 dealers worldwide)...they are looking SELL the marque...Ford ownership isn't a concern of mine...they've actually made the brand profitable, with a great range of cars...my concern is the future of the company without Ford

The B

jfraser:

I agree with you, perhaps the term exclusive just needs to be defined. At times I also wish that the 911 was a little more rare or exclusive. I think that with AM bringing two new models on line (one in an attempt to compete with the 911) with the aggressive Ford financing the brand of AM will not meet my idea of exclusive in the next year or so. The Vanquish at about 300 unit per year...that's exclusive to me.

I think that profitability is what protects a company from "going away" I think of BMW buying Range Rover then selling it to Ford. BMW apparently could not get it to work for them so Ford saw fit to by it. I feel the same way about the Ford influence on the uniqueness of the Range Rover brand.

irish guitar

It's a shame that they (apparently, haven't driven one) don't have to 'go'. Otherwise, there's no doubting they're stuningly beautiful. A good friend of mine, who's not even a car guy, just told me the same thing after a test drive just this very week. He opted for a DB9 Volante - like I said, he's not a car guy! If they had the *****, or the sharpness of handling - which I doubt they have, to be honest, then I would have considered it as an option myself. As it is I just spent several weeks away from my 997S coupe, returned and drove the 993 for a couple of days before getting back into the 997, and I gotta say that with 'sport' mode on, the 997S rocks! It's a very, very sharp drivers tool. True, here in LA they're rather common, but at the end of the day, that's no bad thing; you can fly (literally!) under the radar,and still have a car that - in real, everyday terms - will match or better anything else on the road. LA's such a pose place anyway that if you really just want to stand out from the crowd all you have to do is buy an XKE or vintage Merc or otherwise and they draw the eyes more than anything modern at any price. Me, I just want the best drivers car that I can afford and, more importantly, afford to live with. I think the saying goes: "there is no substitute", or some such.

9000RPMan

You may want to take a look at this Top Gear video. It compares the M6, Aston and C2s around a portion of the TT course on the Isle of Man.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rvmNenqrxY

mdrums

Aston just won there group in the Petit Le Mans.

caf

The AM is the most beautiful coupe on the market. I think it's priced such that it will always be a little bit exclusive.

I don't think it really competes against the 997--it's a little more GT/luxury oriented. The car it really embarasses is the BMW 6 (styling wise, at least ).

Edgy01

I assure you that if you want something exclusive you don't really have to go any further than your Porsche dealer. Have some ***** and order something unique. Don't follow all the other lemmings with another silver varient.

I wouldn't take an Aston Martin for anything. Do you want a car that you can actually DRIVE crosscountry with? And return? I don't have to think about such things with a 911. Even a 20 year old 911. Porsche has made it possible for everyone to purchase an exclusive Porsche but most buyers today are too afraid to take a leap for something unique.

It's very easy to follow the crowd and order a silver coupe. I love them,--there is nothing quite as beautiful as a classic silver coupe,--but don't you think there are enough of them in the world today? When walking through the back lot of Zuffenhausen recently I noticed that same problem has happened to their European customers as well. Silver or black. Hell,--it's like Henry Ford is calling all the color shots. Work with your salesman to draft up a candidate. They want you to be happy with what you get, and will steer you clear of the mango leather inside of a light green metallic...

Color me happy. I absolutely NEVER see myself coming and going in town!

gravedgr

Damn skippy! We were at the Petit Le Mans and were going to get something from the car, only to walk up on some guy telling his friend, "Mine is pretty much the same as this, except in Seal Grey and not this tacky *** yellow." We almost laughed, and he walked away mumbling some lame excuse - I wanted to ask him how he could pick his silver 911 out of the thousands of other silver 911's.

clutchplate

I learned the hard way that choosing a unique color combo can have its downside. In 1987 I bought a venetian blue/creme interior Cab new off the showroom floor. That car was almost impossible to sell and it's been black or silver for me ever since.

I also drove the Aston and ended up with a C2s Cab (silver). The DB8 I drove was not free from rattles in fact it had plenty. I also didn't like the long nose and view from the driver seat, the 911 feels smaller and more like a sports car to me & it's handling is more docile. The Aston also lunged in 1st gear at moderate speeds suggesting they still have a few bugs to work out. Then there's the warranty which is only 3 years for the Vantage vs 4 for the 997.

I will agree the Aston is downright beautiful in and out. Driving it felt like getting all dressed up, but I was in the market for a sports car I can push and have fun with, not a rolex. Went the safe route-Silver 997.

Edgy01

Many years ago a Porsche/Audi dealer in the Boston area told me about an orange 911 that they had received,--am assuming they special ordered it. They sat on it and sat on it, thinking that they were soon going to have to heavily discount it to move it out.

Then one day a couple dropped in. They were from LA. Immediately fel in love with the car,--and bought it and drove it all the way to the west coast. There's always someone out there.

jfraser

Some interesting comments.....
Definately agree about the resale of more unusual colors.....I think the way to get around that is to lease ....Let the bank worry about being able to sell the car when you hand it back....The only thing the dealer said is that they wanted a larger deposit if I went for a really funky color(fair enough, as they don't want to get stuck with a difficult car if you back out).

The car definately has a long nose and not as good visibilty as the Porsche....but I guess that is the price for the way the car looks....When I sat in the passenger seat, I thought it would be a real problem, but after a couple of minutes of driving, I didn't find it an issue. FYI the Ferrari 360 had better front vis, although it also had 'A' pillar visibilty problems, which were compunded by the fact that I was driving a LHD in the UK. It was outright dangerous at rotaries...I nearly demolished another car because of the blind spot. 360 rear vis was almost non existant.

I just didn't have the same rattle experience you did...it was rock solid. Maybe you drove an early one...This does seem to make a difference, as some of the early 997's reported rattles that were addressed in subsequent cars.

I made the same observation about the gearbox (it was not good), but I was looking at getting an F1, so didn't weigh too heavily in my thoughts.

someone commented about the V8 being more of a GT....I didn't get that feeling, it really felt like an out and out sports car.

BTW...I didn't go the silver route in the 997, I have a midnight blue. Apparently, 50% of all Astons made are some variant of their silver/grey colors! What is it with silver....I don't dislike it, but why is it soooo wildly popular?

clutchplate

I like the Midnight Blue quite a bit too but they didn't have one with PSE which was the only option I wouldn't budge on. They did have a silver cab s with PSE and were willing to knock $8K off the sticker so silver it is.

I believe the Vantage I demoed is one of the very first shipped to the US so you may be right about the rattles being fixed. I guess you have to accept some imperfections with exotics, but the idea of dropping $125K on a car that was less than perfect made the Porsche decision an easy one. I also know what I'll have in 5 years with the 997s, with the Aston, who knows?

I will add that the Aston engine over 4,000 RPM's is flat out one of the best sounding I've ever heard.