I have been looking at various options to replace my current ride (BMW Z4M roady) for some time, and V8V has been on top the list until now. I finally found one nearby that I liked (N420, well optioned except for being sportshift) and test drove it today. Right off the bat fell in love with the design and exhaust note (as most do). The engine pulled strong, and the car felt quicker than my Z4MR (although less significantly in low RPM). HOWEVER, it just didn't wow me. Not sure why, but it just felt significantly bigger and not as "tossable" as the Z4M, if that makes sense. In the end it just didn't make me smile the way the Z4 does.

I still want a V8V, so trying to figure out what went wrong. Are manual V8Vs more enjoyable? Am I going after the wrong year/trim? I have been focusing on 2009+ V8Vs, both base and N420. Any insights would be appreciated especially from those who have experienced both cars.

 

It's a wide car. The visibility enables the car's beauty rather than form following function. Because of this it makes the car feel even bigger. Until you spend some time with the car to get the sense of it's corners it can be intimidating. But once you get used to it, the car can hustle through a curvy road like you would never expect. It has impressive feedback that exceeds most other modern high end sports cars.

But it will never be a small, nimble sports car the way a Boxster or an Evora is. Lotus particularly knows how to use sightlines to enhance driver confidence. Aston doesn't do that.

 

It's a great dilemma to have...i came from a Boxster and autocross a BMW...I started off looking only at roadsters and then thought to keep the Boxster and get a coupe... which is ultimately what I did...

I did sell the Boxster, though, for a good price because I ran out of space. and loved the Aston.

different in many respects... not a real comparable car unless perhaps 911 convertible or perhaps R8.

i went from manual to sport shift ASM mainly because my wife and I wanted something we could both drive... I do miss the manual.

 

I had a couple 911's prior to my Vantage. All cars handle differently and as stated once you get used to the Vantage you will find it very nimble. It is pretty close to my 911 Turbo in handling. Both are kind of heavy.

 

I went from a 2008 Z4M Coupe to my 2012 V8VS and while the performance gap isn’t that big, the vantage is superior in every way. Plus, it’s way more planted than my Z4MC and has less body roll. Given that your coming from a convertible I’m surprised at your comments.
I think you need to check some other cars and I would suggest the S version.
I was also looking for a manual (stick shift as they’re all manuals) but ended up going with the SS. It’s a blast to drive once you get used to it. Oh, the service costs are about 2-3 times greater than the M.
Good luck (I do still miss my MC, but all I have to do is pop my head in the garage and admire the beautiful car the vantage is).

 

The Vantage is not a small car and it's fairly heavy. It's not going to feel tossable like a lighter car. It does however stick to the road and go where you want it to go. But it's going to be a different driving dynamic. The 2012.25+ cars got a quicker steering rack so you may want to find one of those to test drive to see if it helps, but it's not going to dramatically change how the car feels.

 

I agree with all the comets already stated. I came from a N/A 2011 Evora. When I bought my 2007 Vantage coupe( stick). I now have a 2016 GT coupe (stick)
While I have never driven the sport shift transmission I've always owned manual transmission cars, the Vantage is a much bigger heavier car then the Evora or the Z 4 appear and feel.
The Aston Martin Vantage is more of a GT car. It does feel more special and bespoke as well.
Drive as many Vantages as you can, earlier and later sport shift and manual transmission and make your own decision. This is a big purchase the color and the options and transmissions really should be exactly what you want.
Ron

 

She has a 2007 Z4 coupe here not a M but still a great car .
I bought my 07 stick Vantage no PPI sight unseen Other than pics on the net from an exotic car dealer in Chicago .
Never drove an Aston till I got mine .
To compare the two to be honest the Z4 handles better , its a tighter better power to weight ratio car and its smaller .
The Vantage is a beast in comparison lots more power not as tossable as the Z4 and a lot easier to break loose .
The Z4 accelerates faster and is basically on rails from my experience.
The Vantage gives me goosebumps everytime I start it but the Z4 make me giggle like a little kid when I plant the throttle

 

I'm a little confused by this. The 3600/380=9.5 lb/hp, 3300/300=11 lb/hp. Vantage has a much better wt/power but maybe I'm using the wrong numbers?

Here too, the normal Z4 is a 5.0-5.5 0-60 car. The Vantage has about 1/2 second on the Z4 but at worst it's even.

 

We have both - an older (2003) Z4 3.0i (not an M model) manual as well as a 2007 V8V manual. As everyone has said the 2 cars are very different, weight, size, handling but I would give up the Z4 long before the Vantage. The Z4 is my daily driver and I like how small and easy it is to maneuver however for any weekend trips it always the Vantage.

 

Thanks everyone! In retrospect, I think I went in expecting a sports car experience, whereas the V8V as Ron pointed out is very much a sporty GT. Beyond that, really hope that switching to a stick shift will largely address the issue (just scheduled the next test drive). I want to love this car so bad! Also test driving an R8 this week, which has been a close second choice all along.

As for alternatives, I did look at 996 and 997 Turbos, but despite being benchmark cars they just don't have the uniqueness/"it" factor of the V8V or the R8.

 

My '11 Vantage with Sports Pack was not a sports GT by anyone's standard. Had a Porsche driving instructor go in the car and he was amazed. He was thinking the same thing until he drove in it.

If you are Boston, you should drive the orange Evora 400 in manual at the Lotus AM dealer in Waltham. That car is all that and then some. If that doesn't impress the heck out of you, not sure what will. They have a Vantage GT and GTS in stock in manual as well (was there this morning).

 

I don't think a Vantage is 3600 lbs. I think it's closer to 3800. One of these days I'll put mine on my scales to get a real world weight.

 

I doubt it, but even so, still better wt/power than a Z4.

 

+1 to this. Lotus makes everything else feel numb and disconnected.