2009 Aston Martin V8 Vantage Roadster - Short Take Road Test - Car and Driver
Does James Bond drive a convertible Aston Martin . Never, sir. Plus, convertibles are for chicks (okay, Bond did once drive a Sunbeam Alpine, worse than unholstering a Hello Kitty edition Walther PPK). And that slippery roofline is the best part of an Aston’s bod. The aluminum-constructed Vantage, Aston’s smallest and lowest-priced car, is the triggerfish in the company’s lineup. The Sportshift paddle-operated six-speed adds $3600, the first of many items on the option buffet. In a car that costs more than two BMW M3 s, xenon headlamps take another $795, and cruise control is $450. What Aston calls “fine stitching” fine-tunes the price by $220. Aston is only emulating Porsche with its have-it-your-way pricing smorgasbord. However, if you must special order a Vantage because the dealer lacks one with the $145 first-aid kit, consider subbing a $3 box of Band-Aids. Noteworthy changes for 2009: The 380-hp, 4. 3-liter twin-cam V-8 is now a whirling 420-hp 4. 7, the bore and stroke an even 91 millimeters after growing 2mm and 5mm, respectively. Rally specialists Prodrive, one of Aston Martin’s new owners, worked suspension tricks—stiffer. Source: www.caranddriver.com
