If the answer to life is considered the ultimate question, then the 2009 Aston Martin V8 Vantage is a great answer.
I hold in my hands a glass and stainless steel object that the kind folks from Gaydon (Aston Martin's home in England) call an Emotion Control Unit. You and I might call it a "car key" but we would be wrong and maybe a bit simple. This Emotion Control Unit, or ECU for short, is a work of art and not just the type of art that hangs on your wall gathering dust. This particular piece of art provides access to the 2009 Aston Martin V8 Vantage, its glorious 4.7L 420-hp V8 engine and a driving experience that allows you to rip your blinders off and finally know first-hand, what driving a car is supposed to feel like in your mind, body and soul.
The 4.7L V8 engine in the Vantage produces sounds that leave you breathless and in a constant hunt for the next open stretch of road.
For 2009, Aston Martin has revised their V8 engine and increased its size (from 4.3L to 4.7L) and power (from 380 hp to 420 hp), while improving fuel economy and reducing emissions. The 2009 Aston Martin V8 Vantage will go from 0 to 60 mph in about 4.7 seconds. Keep on pushing the gas pedal, as well as your local highway patrol, and the Vantage will top out around the 180 mph mark. The 4.7L V8 also has an increase in torque which peaks at 346 lb-ft, a 15% increase of the 4.3L engine. Amazingly, the engine is able to deliver 77% of its power at just 1500 rpm which means you are in for tire squealing, tachometer thumping, driver crying levels of excitement while behind the wheel.
The 2009 Vantage I had the pleasure of driving was equipped with the 6-speed manual transmission which is the standard choice. Available as an option is Aston Martin's Sportshift system which adds electro-hydraulic control to the existing Vantage 6-speed manual gearbox and replaces the conventional manual shift knob. You also get paddles on the steering wheel which give the driver precise control of when you want to shift. The Sportshift is able to make gear changes in less than 200 milliseconds, much faster than a traditional manual. However I would still prefer the manual transmission to retain the connected feeling one gets with 3 pedals at your feet and a gear shift in your hand.
The interior of the Aston feels upscale yet retains its sporty supportiveness.
Stepping into the driver's seat of the Vantage, you are greeted with hand-stitched leather and suede. The sporty seats are supportive under hard-driving yet still comfortable. The center console is easily within reach and thus affords quick access to the radio, optional Hard Disk Drive (HDD) Satellite Navigation and Bluetooth phone system. The radio features an in-dash 6-disc changer and when matched with the optional 700 watt Aston Martin Premium Audio System, the sound is amazing. At times I found myself turning the radio up and down depending on the song, so I could hear the clarity of the audio system or the beautiful notes being made by the dual exhaust system. Soon AC/DC's "Thunderstruck" came on and I was listening to both…loudly. That song should be illegal when you are driving a sports car.
The ride of the 2009 Aston Martin V8 Vantage is stiff like you would expect a proper sports car to be; however, it was never jarring or uncomfortable. The car is equally adept at meandering around town as it is blasting down the highway. It is a true driver's car and it wants you to keep on driving it long after the sun goes down, which is made easy thanks to all 360 LED lights in the front, side and rear lights as well as the optional HID headlamps.
The Vantage is one of those rare cars that stop people in their tracks to try and get a second glance at the car as it goes by.
The 2009 Aston Martin V8 Vantage has a base price far less than what you would expect. The base price for the Vantage coupe with manual transmission is $119,500. This car is created with the same hand-built care and craftsmanship as the $182,450 (base price) Aston Martin DB9 coupe and the $269,000 (base price) Aston Martin DBS. As equipped, the Vantage I am driving costs $136,630 and creates a perplexing question: specifically, if you could afford a Mercedes SL 550 (the car of choice for 16-year-old girls in Orange County), a BMW M6 (barely enough room to fit the popped collar of your Lacosté Polo), or the Porsche 911 (a classic sports car but you clearly prefer the musical stylings of David Hasselhoff to that of the Who), how could you not step over to your local Aston Martin dealership and take the Vantage for a test drive? Your pulse will quicken, your heart will beat wildly and your head will now be clear of any other options you were considering. If you are looking for a car that makes you smile every time you grab your Emotion Control Unit to head out for a drive (even if its just to get groceries which fit just fine in the trunk, as I found out) then the 2009 Aston Martin V8 Vantage is your car…and you are one of the lucky few on the road who get it.
For more information on all 2009 Aston Martins visit NADAguides.com, the leader in vehicle information since 1933.