I'm really glad Aston developed the new Vantage V8 and DB9 (rolling pieces of Art) while they still had funding from Ford.

http://jalopnik.com/when-aston-marti...pid-1652378434

 

Thanks for the link. That article encapsulates Aston very well. It's all about the subjective aspects of cars. You either get the marque or you don't. You want objective perfection, clinical obsessiveness, superiority by any measurable means? There's a marque for you and naturally it starts with a 'P'. You want the intangible cool and desireability that can never be demonstrated by a set of numbers but still manages to trump objectivity? Well, then you are already on the right forum.

 

Well stated! Yesterday I was driving behind a bus filled with high school kids. A bunch of them jammed into the the back window to give me thumbs-up; more of the same when I pulled around and passed the bus. I feel the same way every time I go into the garage. There is just an indescribable feeling when you look at the car.

 

Great article, thanks for posting it!

 

Another thank you for that article--it really captures that Aston era. For me, those cars really cause a kind of right/left brain split for me. There's a rational side that clearly gets these cars are an odd hodgepodge of parts bins from various manufactures and likely drive and perform that way. And YET . . . I really want than Vantage Le Mans!

 

Nothing like going past an army convoy and the troops all busting out with smile and thumbs up as you pass them doing 140 mph! (True Story, except for the actual speed. I was really only doing 65 mph)


Nothing like an Aston. My first car was a DB5; James Bond baby!!! I've been hooked every since. Heck, I may get my Vantage retrofitted with an ejector seat so that I can eject the wife unit when she starts blabbering that I'm going to fast!!!

 

Agreed. Ideally, you have both!

 

Interesting you mention "140mph". Shortly after I got my '08 V8V about 4 years ago, my wife and I were heading home to Tahoe from Illinois through South Dakota, and later through southern Montana. Each time on a long straight stretch I said, "What do you think, Open 'er up a little?". She said, "Looks good to me--go for it!" As I was going through 140 mph, she said, "OK, I THINK THAT'S FAST ENOUGH!" and it was so I shut 'er down.

 

On the way to instructing at a private driving event, I took the Aston to the event. (video posted somewhere here) and got to 140mph for a sec, on a wide open hyway, with not a car in site. smooth as silk. Easily could have hit 180 if I was ballsy enough!
every time I bring the car out for a drive, someone in a car or on the sidewalk, gives a thumbs up or you can see them point and lip, "aston martin" . amazing car!