Aston Martin V8 Vantage Is The Best Supercar You Can Actually Afford

"The World of Vee" (theworldofvee)
02/17/2015 at 21:15 • Filed to: Aston Martin, Beyond Motoring

I've been looking into buying a fast, RWD/AWD 2 door coupe, and I've only been looking at 996 Porsches and C7 Corvettes. Mainly because I've been enamored with the 996 and I absolutely love the C7, and also because both of them can be had with a manual transmission. I've always admired the AM9 design language, but I don't have 6 figures to spend on a car. Or so I thought.

The V8 Vantage might be the best of the bunch, it's light, easy to drive and has the ever important 6 speed manual. Now before you yell about how supercars are better with DSGs, stop. You're wrong. Supercars might be faster on the track with a DSG, but you're not a professional and neither am I. The true driving excitement you get in most cars is on the twistys going about 75mph, clutch in and clutch out. I promise you, it's the single most fun an average auto enthusiast can have in a car.

So back to the car, it's gorgeous and it's quick, and it's gorgeous. Did I mention it's gorgeous? Because it is. And here's the best part. Prices for a 2007-2009 V8 Vantage, essentially the same car being sold today new, are right about $50,000. I test drove an 08 V8 Vantage here in Chicago and even in the snow-slicked roads it was still so much fun. I have to have one.

That's really it, carry on.

DISCUSSION (20)

Milky > The World of Vee
02/17/2015 at 21:33

"it's the single most fun an average auto enthusiast can have in a car."

Flat. Out. Lie.

ZacMS > Milky
02/17/2015 at 21:46

I think he meant in reference to driving a manual car, not specifically this manual car.

ZacMS > The World of Vee
02/17/2015 at 21:49

God do I ever love the styling of these cars. Plus the interior holds up very nicely. On another car forum I read regularly one member just bought a Murcielago, and it was beautiful on the outside but the inside looked straight out of the 90s. The AM interior might be almost 10 years old, but it certainly doesn't look it. Much like the outside too.

Vicente Esteve > The World of Vee
02/17/2015 at 21:52

How many times with 4.3 seconds be EXTREMELY more important than 4.7 seconds in the run to 60?

Milky > ZacMS
02/17/2015 at 22:05

No matter what car has the manual its still not the most fun thing you can do in a car. Considering certain acts can be done with another partner in a car …. we've all been in high school.

OPPOsaurus WRX > The World of Vee
02/17/2015 at 22:11

I love astons. I'd do that before a lambo or ferrari. They are classy. The manual is fun. This is my first manual and is fun. If I had to commute in traffic probably not

The World of Vee > Milky
02/17/2015 at 22:13

fair play. How about we amend that to except sexual acts, stationary as otherwise being the one obvious exception? :)

The World of Vee > OPPOsaurus WRX
02/17/2015 at 22:14

BRING ON THE TRAFFIC

haha but no seriously, I have a daily :)

The World of Vee > Vicente Esteve
02/17/2015 at 22:14

absolutely never.

Unless you're drag racing, in which case KEEP IT TO THE TRACK.

Vicente Esteve > The World of Vee
02/17/2015 at 22:19

I'd prefer to AutoX an Aston. SO MUCH MORE LULZ

Manuél Ferrari > The World of Vee
02/17/2015 at 22:48

It's definitely one of the best looking cars for that price.

I test drove an '08 as well. I came away feeling super disappointed.

It just didn't feel nearly as capable as it looked. I'm not obsessed with specs either. But it just felt kind of "meh" overall. The shifter was kind of bad and it didn't feel all that powerful.

It did sound great though!

The World of Vee > Manuél Ferrari
02/18/2015 at 00:13

yeah it's not the fastest, but it's so much fun to drive.

Manuél Ferrari > The World of Vee
02/18/2015 at 00:56

Now that I think about it the test drive I took was pretty short. So I can't be a good judge of how fun it is. I was so freaked out about hurting it that I couldn't enjoy the drive, haha

The World of Vee > Manuél Ferrari
02/18/2015 at 01:10

I have a C5 Audi RS6 and I'm fairly confident it's faster to 60 than the V8 Vantage (4.5 vs 4.8) but it doesn't matter. Even 0-60 in 6 seconds feels quick. The car is gorgeous and handles like a top, you're not gonna go flat out very often so worrying about that is out.

It's all about how the car feels in that vaunted 60-100mph range and in that speed range it feels wonderful.

Manuél Ferrari > The World of Vee
02/18/2015 at 01:17

Dat sound of the Vantage helps the feels!

Speaking of Audi I want an R8 V10 manual with an iPE exhaust. That would be lovely

Manuél Ferrari > The World of Vee
04/09/2015 at 19:54

I'm starting to rethink my position on this car.

The price is sooo attractive.

Hmm

Manuél Ferrari > The World of Vee
04/09/2015 at 20:19

omg look how good manual DB9 prices are getting:

http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/…

The World of Vee > Manuél Ferrari
04/09/2015 at 20:27

db9 and 996 would make one hell of a garage no? throw in a C5 S6 avant and you basically have my teenage dream garage

Manuél Ferrari > The World of Vee
04/09/2015 at 21:00

Yes! That would be a great trio.

Also I want a Testarossa. But prices have gone up so much over the last year :(

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > The World of Vee
05/15/2015 at 13:46

They sound good, too.