2009 Aston Martin V8 Vantage - Car and Driver
Aston Martin’s V-8 Vantage is the company's least expensive car, but it looks a lot like its V-12–engined big brothers, the DB9 and the DBS. Although only car nerds can distinguish which current Aston is which, the Vantage's short overhangs, taut lines, and absence of gratuitous scoops and fins make it the best-looking of the bunch. To start the car, the stainless steel and glass key, which Aston calls an "Emotion Control Unit," slides dramatically into the middle of the dash. When we tested the Vantage on its debut in 2006, it won a comparison test against the Porsche 911. But a year later, it lost to the Porsche 911 Turbo and Audi R8 because it was too soft and too slow. Although we'd have to get all the cars together again to determine if the results would change, both issues have been addressed as part of a series of improvements that debuted for 2008. Most notable was an increase in the V-8's displacement from... The Vantage's steering is now beautifully weighted and accurate. Unlike many of its rear- and mid-engined competitors, the Vantage has a lot of tolerance for abrupt maneuvers. Source: www.caranddriver.com
