I'm on the hunt for a car that I will most likely get in the Spring and was wondering if any of you have had this "dilemna" or have an opinion on which to get. I have test driven a few DBS and it's a great car to say the least. Recently I also drove the Ferrari California and it's a very impressive car as well. The DCT in the California is very crisp and my wife will love it. I'm indifferent on the DCT. The California also has the hard top convertible which is a great option for the nice weather days. The DBS on the other hand is refined excellence that Ferrari just can't match. The V12 also is amazing. The prices are identical since I'm shopping used so I'm torn and looking for 3rd party thoughts to help me decide.

Pics for reference:
DBS

Ferrari California


As I see it here are the individual pros:
DBS

1. V12
2. Manual transmission option is something I miss.
3. Aston quality. Paint, interior, stereo sound etc are all top notch.

California

1. The Ferrari sound is quite impressive.
2. Hard top convertible so I always have the option without sacrificing wind noise.
3. Less depreciation than Aston.
4. New community to get to know. This will be my first Ferrari.

I'm also considering the new DB9 but would have to buy new which I rarely do. It's possible though and in the same price range.

 

This very same topic just came up on the amoc site. OP ended up buying the California, but it was close.

 

In June of this year I was invited to drive the California around an AutoX course, at a driving event hosted by the Houston Ferrari dealer.

At their request, I wrote up my thoughts on how the California compared to my 2009 DB9 Volante (which I did not get to drive around the course).

The summary I sent to the Ferrari dealer follows:
-----------------------------
Interior
Ergonomically, the seating position for a tall driver such as myself is better in the Ferrari, as the seat can be adjusted to allow for more legroom. The value of the D-shaped steering wheel had always eluded me but this morning’s laps exposed the true benefits. It not only provides more room for someone with long legs, but also makes it easier to understand how much steering input is currently in play while in a corner. Both benefits improve car control in tight corners.

The fit and finish of the Ferrari interior, and the quality of the leather appeared to be on par (no better, no worse) than the DB9. Only thousands of miles of use will reveal if either car uses lower quality materials, although I suspect in both cases this is not the case.

Performance
I was impressed with how early the power comes on in the Ferrari. My DB9 is a V12, 470 horse configuration and the Ferrari feels quicker from a start. It is possible the Aston and Ferrari are closer in performance, but I’m more timid with the Aston than I was with your car today. I should have asked if driving the Aston on the Ferrari “track” today would have been allowed, as that would have provided a better comparison. As a long time owner of big American V8s, winding the Aston or the Ferrari to the upper RPM range makes me uneasy – the Aston more-so since I know it wasn’t built with a true racing heritage on par with Ferrari. The transmission in the Ferrari feels much more like a standard transmission, in that a direct connection from the gas pedal to the rear wheels feels present. This is not typical with an automatic.

The brakes for both cars seemed to be about equal, but I don’t think I challenged the Ferrari brakes enough to make the true benefits of the ceramic rotors evident. No doubt the Ferrari has better braking than my Aston although on the street – the difference is probably not noticeable.

Steering on the Ferrari was very light, while the steering on the Aston is heavier. I prefer heavier steering (not lazy steering) as it feels like I’m a little more connected to the road. The lighter steering is surely better on a performance track though.

Intangibles
Ferrari of course comes with all the allure of the Ferrari nameplate, where as the Aston is to me a prettier car but less “badge CACHÉ”. The sound of the Aston V12 with the bi-mode exhaust full-open is amazing. The Ferrari V8 is close by comparison, but nothing equals a V12 in full song.

When I drive the Aston, most people don’t notice the car. I’m sure if I drove a Ferrari – everyone would notice. This is both good and bad. The Aston allows a degree of “stealth” luxury driving where as the Ferrari says “HERE I COME!!!”. Each type of driving appeals to me at different times.

Both the Ferrari and Aston I think are amazing cars but serving different goals. The Aston feels more GT and the Ferrari feels more Sports Car.

Summary
I wouldn’t hesitate to consider a California under the right circumstances, but not at the expense of the Aston. A California would be an addition to the fleet, not an Aston replacement.

 

That's a pretty fair assessment Jeff. I had a Maranello. I put 25,000 miles on the car and kept it five years. As far as depreciation goes, both cars sink like a rock equally with miles driven, but the Ferrari would be far more expensive to repair.

 

Ross this is a tough call ... We have both ferrari and Aston in our area, both can be seen at cars and coffee, albeit more f cars. That said the hardtop convertible option on nice days is simply incredible, one of my fav things about my sl55 Amg Mercedes, love the fact that it's both a coupe and drop top and that with the top down on a nice day driving is a pure joy, more visceral and louder exhaust note heard. The DBS is a great car, it's a sports GT just as is the DB9... It's larger and more of a cruise missile, but you've had a lot of experience with AML having owned a couple of vantage's, so the DBS will be like hanging out with an old friend, whose just changed their style and cloths a bit. Ferrari has a bigger enthusiast community then Aston, f chat, FCA and FMoW in our area are very active I've done events with them for years and have been a track instructor for them since the mid 2000's . This is a real tough one, both cars are great cant go wrong either way... You may want to try both on an extended test drive and spend time with your wife in each and/or ask yourself how important is top down cruising in a hardtop roadster to you vs a sports GT type of car.

 

Have you considered the outgoing Virage. Great deals can be had on a brand new car, I mean real great deal.

 

This is one of those odd moments when VERY different brands end up making a car that is similar-ish. Most often when you are comparing these two brands the similarities are superficial. And for me that is the most obvious gripe against the California.

As capable as the California is, it's Ferrari playing the rules to someone else's game VS Aston playing at their own game.

That's not to say its not an amazing car, I'm sure it has the numbers. It's just that its a Ferrari that is considered very SOFT by a lot of the F car crowd. It does not fit with the "race" image of contemporary Ferrari's, as a result its not likely to depreciate like a 458 or a 430 Scuderia.

From what I have read, the latest California is much faster and sharper than a DB9. I have not driven either car.

As far as exclusivity, they build far more Ferraris than Astons. Aston built 4000 cars last year, Ferrari made that many 458's alone. If I have that stat wrong please correct me.

But who cares about all that. It's going to be your car. Drive both and see what you like about each car.






.

 

I did consider it but the new DB9 is so much cheaper that Aston has to down price over 40k on the Virage to make it even considered. The DB9 is also a better car and will most likely hold resale better.

 

Compare the two photos at the top of the post. That Ferrari profile is profusely ugly in absolute terms, not only by comparison to the Aston. And how can anyone buy a car with fake exhaust pipes.? Plus in the Ferrari, you'll just look like a DB to most people.

Simple decision...DBS every time.

 

I've driven both and I'd say they are very close to equal. Aston has Ferrari slightly in the fit and finish but the California is significantly more refined than Fcars of past. I do agree that the California is softer but when I get into an F430 and the doors feel cheap and there is a lot of wind noise, I question why I'm spending 175+ on a car. I do a few track events per year but I'd rather have more attention to detail on a car I am primarily driving on the street. Perhaps I'm spoiled by Aston .

 

You can get much more than 40K off, I mean really lot lot lot more than 40K off new car.

 

I've commented on this topic previously....depends if you are going for look/elegance vs sporty driving.
I have a 430 spider but haven't driven a California, but I presume the California will handle much better than the DBS (my 430 certainly does).

I think the best way to look at it is to see what occasions you will be using the car for. If I am going on a cushy date with my wife or daily driving to work - it's the DBS all the way.
If I am going to a car meet or canyon carving, it's the 430.

 

How much is a lot lot lot?

I unfortunately do not have the garage space for 2 exotics . I'm seemingly looking for the all in 1. Take it out on a date with my wife, take it to the track 2-3 times a year, and "daily" drive when the weather is nice. This is why I originally went Aston a few years ago.

I spent the better part of an afternoon driving pretty much all that Ferrari had. The 599 was a monster but just looks long in the tooth compared to the California. The 430 I mentioned above. The Scud was incredible but too raw. I didn't drive the 458 because I don't want to spend that much and I don't want to want to spend that much if you know what I mean . Ugh...I can't decide. Perhaps it will come down to the best deal...

 

See last page of: https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/...art-buy-3.html

Poster virage12 claimed he got $70K off MSRP.

 

^^^ Ross the Virage is not a bad idea. or the v12v which can be had for $160K - $200K range. Or maybe event the Bentley Conti - SS?? those are fast and fun and quite cushy! I thought you were looking into the MP4 also, what happened there?