I've been planning on placing a deposit for a 997 turbo till I got this invitation and info pack in the mail today on the Am v8. I have to admit, it's a gorgeous car. I thought the Wide body Carrera butts was nice, I think the AM V8’s is just as nice, real head turner. The event is on 10/27 can’t wait to see the car up close. My only reservation is on reliability. My Porsches have been very trouble free except for 1 rear main gasket. I guess I can get on both list and decide later.

 

997TT is realiable, fun to drive

AMV8 looks hot and its more "exotic" but I think you still should get the 997TT, you will miss the power, the AMV8 power is not as good

 

the AMV8 is about the same length as 997 but the *** is about 6.7 inches wider than 4S. go figure. however, the AM has some very nice design but the craftmanship needs big time improvement, especially the interior. i've seen so many new DB9s have crappy interior where the leather is already aged. might take a closer look when u close to the final decision time.

 

The AM V8 in person does look good, two cons though. The interior buttons and dials on the center console look cheap. The other thing that bugs me is it has a bee-sting aerial.... I mean c'mon you find bee-sting aerials on 30k hatchbacks, not 100k+ cars...

 

Will the warranty be 2 years on this car like it is other Astons? If so, that would be a deal breaker for me. I have been reading a lot of articles about this AmV8. It looks great in mags and I am sure it will be a nice Gt. Will not compare to a 997TT or even 996TT in the "*****" dept.

 

so far 997TT is looking like ****
besides at only 500HP its not that great given its porker weight...
Also, rumors are pricing will be in the 160-180K range which means FOR SURE i would not get one as id rather have somethng more exotic (read: Italian) for that kind of dinero

 

No offense but...

This is a horrible question in that the two cars should not be compared. Especially in a "997" forum. Maybe I am biased but I would not shed a hair on a 997tt's head for an Aston Martin. Let alone a Vantage. I would compare a vantage to an XKR. Luxury vs. Sport. I don't know - correct me if i'm wrong.

 

I agree Mansour.

 

The Aston Martin V8 Vantage has been tested by EVO and other car magazines and all of them prefer the 911 to Vantage because the steering has more feel and overall driving experience was more enjoyable. they add the decision was a close one between the two cars.

The Vantage has a lot of things going for it - the LSD, the transaxle and the near-mid-front engine position for better weight, the excellent in car engine sound and, of course, the best looking car body that has ever been made!

the fact that it has nearly the same feel as the 911 but with better balance and style will be enough for a lot of people.

for me, the only real attraction to the 911 is the position of the engine. okay, and the excellent level of engineering and feel. you see, from a drivers point of view, no other car can challenge, involve and reward in the way a sorted powerful rear engined car can.

isn't it funny how everybody strives for perfectly balanced cars, when instead, they should start putting the engine in the boot! hahahaha!

 

no comparison. The Aston is a lovely car, but it would be no match against a Turbo. The 997C2S is already a better car that the AMV8.

The only major plus going for the AMV8 is how it looks, and this is of course a subjective / personal choice issue.

I cancelled my AMV8 order because:

1. I love my 997C2S
2. The AMV8 (like so many modern cars today) ballooned in weight during the course of her development so she’s much more GT than sports car.
3. Jaguar are producing a beautiful replica for about £30k less.

 

I agree, 997TT is not same level as the AMV8, maybe the 997S, but I still think the 997 is betterIMO

 

No offense taken, I don't think it's a terrible question. Others have compared 997/996 to other vehicles on this forum.

 

I was eyeing the AMV8 before it came out. At a list of 110 K USD (dont know if it has a premium) it looked pretty tempting. AM has such gorgeous styling and and at about 20 to 30 K USD less than the turbo, it really makes sense. Now with the Porsche marque being diluted with the Boxter, Cayenne, Cayman and the Panamera, AM just seems so much more exotic. How could I go wrong I thought?............Well with 380 bhp and 3461 lbs, the AMV8 really isn't that appealing anymore. And since Porsche too has lost its appeal to me, I'm kind of at a loss of what to do. Maybe a z06 with supercar performance at half the price will satisfy my cravings? Then all I'd need would be a gold chain and some minoxidil on my chest!
Happy hunting, Peter

 

It's funny because a friend of mine is debating between the two cars. Actually, I remeber reading a press release about three years ago when AM had planned production for the AMV8 stating that it would be positioned directly among the 911 market. I guess it's working. There is something about a porsche that I think is uncomparable. For example, a Corvette and a Viper make a good comparison. Likewise, an AMV8 and a Jaguar XKR. Or an M5 and an E55. Or an M3 and an S4. A porsche is just different. You can't compare P's to Ferraris or Lambos either. Its not about performance numbers or statistics. Its about the entire essence of the automobile and the "drive."

 

That Aston is a shweeet looking car. I've seen it up close and driving down from the Monterey Historics this summer and the thing is damned sexy. Performance-wise, I don't expect it to top a 997S. But it looks incredible, no doubt about that.