WHEN it comes to cars, Britain is anything but a classless society.
You can drive the most expensive German or Japanese car and you won‘t get a second look. But get behind the wheel of an Aston Martin and even the most reluctant of motoring enthusiasts give it an admiring glance.
Perhaps it’s the rarity value, perhaps it’s the fact it’s one of the few iconic British cars left, perhaps it’s the James Bond connection, or perhaps it’s just because it’s a thing of beauty.
Even with a price tag of £91,000, the Aston Martin Vantage is not perfect.
I have my criticisms but none of them would stop me buying one.
This car was the V8 Vantage which looked all the more impressive in white. Open the doors and on each of the sills there is a plate that proclaims “V8 Vantage: Hand built in England”. That’s what you pay for. It’s like buying a Savile Row suit rather than one off the peg.
You also get scintillating performance. It hits 180mph and reaches 62mph in 4.8 seconds. And it lets everyone know, with a spine-tingling roar and an exhaust note straight from Silverstone.
It’s not easy to engage reverse gear, the sun visors are not deep enough and it’s hard to read the computer in daylight.
But positives outweigh negatives.
The car feels like the ultimate sports car with superb road holding and great handling. The hand-made leather seats hold you snugly in position. Aston Martin still place the handbrake on the right hand side of the driver and when it comes to luggage, boot space is generous for a car of this size.
There’s also space behind the seats for soft bags – but not passengers.
But if you can afford more than £90,000, the chances are you will have a four- seater too. It just won’t have the same iconic status – unless it’s the four-seater Rapide, that is.
Aston Martin V8 Vantage Coupe
- Price: £90,895
- Mechanical: 420bhp, 4735cc, 8cyl petrol engine driving rear wheels via 6-speed manual gearbox
- Max speed: 180mph
- 0-62mph: 4.8 seconds
- Combined mpg: 20.5
- Insurance group: 50
- CO2 emissions: 321g/km
- BIK rating: 35 per cent
- Warranty: Three years/unlimited mileage
Copyright © Daily Record 2012
