Executive Style: 2006 Aston Martin V8 Vantage
	July/Aug 2006, By Candy Campbell

2006 Aston Martin V8 Vantage
There are faster cars and there are more technically proficient cars out there, but nothing beats an Aston Martin’s blend of style, elegance, exclusivity and performance. The smallest and lightest Aston, the V8 Vantage, is no exception. It was conceived as the sports car in Aston Martin’s playbill, and although it is the entry-level Aston, it will still blast a $110,000 hole in your pocketbook. The V8 delivers on many fronts, cementing its status as the true driver’s car in Aston’s lineup. Aston’s sinister $260,000 Vanquish S and their chic $160,000 DB9 are still as desirable as they come (confirming that the Brits are building sexier cars than the Italians these days), and the AMV8 benefits from this shared DNA, but, out on the open road, the AMV8 is the superior performer.

Aston’s signature front fascia leads off the AMV8’s classically proportioned design. From there the lines flow smoothly into the long hood, steeply raked windscreen, muscular rear haunches, and the short rear deck. In certain ways the vehicle blends design elements from its siblings and presents them in 7/8ths scale. This all coalesces into an elegant, attractive exoticar with scads of curb appeal. We are talking the kind of stunning good looks that will stop passers-by in their tracks and elicit envious stares from owners of other exotic cars. Only the most jaded owners will be able to walk away from their parked car without looking back admiringly.

Candy’s Commentary:
From a uniquely female perspective, and with a subtle attempt to objectively take in the obviously stunning and dynamic excellence of this luxury item, I first looked on admiringly and gauged the necessity versus luxury when taking the very flirty car for a joy ride.
Consequently, a female perspective is almost an oxymoron when it comes to sports cars – after all, we have a tendency to overlook the more subtle features like zero to sixty in four seconds or the sound of the magnificent engine as you blast under a tunnel coming from a V8 engine unique to Aston Martin. Even the feel of the buttery interior that is top to bottom a perfect fit – almost like my favorite pair of vintage Prada’s that look similarly stunning when I step out of the Vantage.
Certainly a selling point from the inside as the decision to ditch vestigial rear seats to optimize space for driver and a completely thrilled passenger means there is enough head and leg room for six-footers. Consequently, action from the driver’s seat includes the more popular manual box, the close ratio setup and light, positive action promising the sort of tactility that has long been the preserve of Porsche and BMW drivers.

Interiors have never been an Aston Martin problem and the V8 Vantage’s cabin is one of their best efforts to date. Much of the architecture and components are common with the DB9.
Addicting and inviting. It’s the drivability of the Vantage that most impresses. The new V8 is sweet-natured and tractable –third gear lets you drive almost anywhere. On the other hand, hit 4000 rpm and the car explodes forward.

A true sports car, and not a relaxed grand tourer, the V8 is agile. It offers immense grip levels, yet is very forgiving. Aston has done a great job of isolating road noise and there is little wind disturbance within Denver speed limits. As for the engine, it’s a background murmur when cruising, but crack open the throttle and a metallic timbre rises to a glorious growl that you will not be able to resist provoking.

Definitively a choice for performance enthusiasts –this is not about space in the back for kids or whether the vehicle comes equipped with convenient handles for a handbag, or the proverbial fuel consumption issue, albeit 16 miles to the gallon, on average, is above par. Also, there is no suggestion that this model is better suited for men, unless you consider the string of cars that spent a good effort tailing me through the streets of downtown Denver in an attempt to look longingly and affectionately. I certainly haven’t had that kind of prospecting from my Pradas!

Candy Campbell is publisher and editor of Colorado Company Magazine and a racing enthusiast. She can be reached at candy@coloradocompany.biz.

Frankly Speaking:
Nothing beats an Aston Martin for panache. The AMV8’s interior is swathed in yards of leather, suede and genuine wood trim. Likewise, the majority of the dash, center console and HVAC controls are made of genuine aluminum, finished in a fashionable Anthracite grey. This brings us to my primary complaint with the AMV8, the instrument panel. Form does not follow function in the instrument panel as the grey finish and the highly stylized markings make it very difficult to read the gauges. The anti-clockwise sweep of the tachometer needle is counter intuitive and further confuses things too. Nonetheless, the handcrafted fit and finish of the interior materials is beyond reproach and this proves doubly impressive as our test car was a very early pre-production unit. The well-bolstered and supportive seats keep you firmly in place during spirited driving, yet they are quite comfortable for extended stints in transit. The interior excels at the dual role of fostering the business of driving while coddling the occupants at the same time.
Once firmly ensconced in the driver’s seat, the real fun begins. As beautiful as it may be, the AMV8 is meant to be driven hard. Although its 380 hp DOHC 32-valve V8 (see Specifications sidebar for more details) at times is taxed with the vehicle’s curb weight, the vehicle screams, both literally and figuratively, sprinting to sixty mph, from zero, in a scant 4.8 seconds and turning heads, yet again, only this time with its exhaust roar. Keep your foot planted in the throttle through the rev range and you will be rewarded with the AMV8’s feral growl. This siren song is so unique and alluring that owners will search out tunnels to play this mechanical soundtrack in. A sporting ride is ensured by virtue of the all-aluminum fully independent suspension and the chassis is very well behaved with no untoward tendencies noted. This is a result of the vehicle’s 49:51 weight distribution, allowing for outstanding handling characteristics and excellent all round road-holding capabilities.

There is no question that Aston was gunning for Porsche’s 911 when they designed the AMV8. The 911 has been the benchmark in the sports car segment for over forty years and it has been refined to where it is docile enough for use as a daily commuter and aggressive enough to take to the local track on the weekends. The V8 comes close to meeting its goals vis-à-vis the 911, but, in purely subjective testing, it falls short in several performance categories. Still though, at an estimated 3,000 units to be built this year, as compared to 30,000 Porsches, Aston’s exclusivity remains intact, and that goes a long way. Nobody wants to see themselves coming and going, or having a duplicate of their car vying for top honors at the valet (this phenomena is the male equivalent of a woman showing up to a party only to find out that one of the other attendees is wearing the exact same dress she is).

We have reviewed the AMV8’s style, elegance, exclusivity and performance and, by and large, the vehicle delivers in every category. So, what does all this technical analysis and comparison really mean in the end? Well, allow me to boil it down to its empirical sense, and to eloquently put it in a language we all can relate to: If you can not get a date driving this car, you can not get a date. Enough said.

Frank Amoroso serves as a technical adviser to several automotive groups and clubs, and reviews automobiles for Colorado Company as well as KWGN-WB2 Morning News every Thursday at 7:30 am. He can be reached via e-mail at frank@amoroso.com.

We would like to extend a very special thanks to Jack TerHar and Jeremy Child at Sill TerHar Aston Martin, www.sthmotors.com, for arranging our subject test vehicle.