LovinMercedes

I just spent some time today looking at the pictures of the new Aston Martin Vantage V8.

Excuse me if I am missing something here but does this car not look exactly like a mini DB9? I would not be too happy if I were a DB9 owner. They talked so much about the exclusivity of the design of the new DB9 yet within one year a car shows up that basically looks the same but almost half the price.

Looks like the strategy of the Mercedes SL line. I thought if there was one criticism of the SL line it would be that they all look alike.

Does anyone see the logic here because I sure don't.

shoes

The idea is one kind of sausage, in various lengths, made famous by Mercedes. Aston doesn't build a lot of cars, so they build them all pretty much the same way, on the same chasis and just vary the overall lengths. It sure is a beautiful factory though and worth a visit.

I am not sure why they have made the cars look so much alike. What is worse, the designer of the DB9 also decided to crib his own design for the upcoming Jaguar XK8 replacement.

Like you, I am a fan of the DB9, perhaps the most elegant and sexy modern automotive design. The car's performance is just not up to its appearance, so I think we should commission some great photographer to take some shots of each of us with the DB9, hang this on our walls at home and be done with it.

I saw the V8 Vantage at the factory last Spring and in person, it comes off more like a Nissan 350Z than a DB9 in my opinion.

absent

I have to admit,new Vantage does look to much like a scaled down DB9.
Having an order for Volante ,does not make me too happy about it.

blueSL

Agree with all of you. The similarity between the DB9 and the Vantage, not to mention the the new XK design, just muddies the waters.

A year ago, Aston Martin were emphasising Henrik Fisker as their hero designer, but their plan has been upset because he's now left to build custom sports cars in California. So now they point to Ian MacCallum who penned the original DB7 which we all know looked too much like the Jaguar XK8. He's now running Jaguar design and seems to have only one design in his head.

Vanquish, DB7, DB8, Vantage, XK8, XK8 replacement. All too similar and I'm concerned DB9 secondhand prices are going to take a beating when the new XK comes out. It doesn't matter that there's lots of fundamental differences between them, they look too alike IMHO.

The Vantage is a smaller DB9 but not by much and the concept is different. 2 seats, hatchback compared to the useless rears and small trunk of the DB9. Harder edged and said to be an excellent handler. I do think the hype has peaked too soon though. It's been launched using a memorable colour (yellow) so we remember it, but it will be some months before we get to hear an independent assessment of how it drives.

carlosfernandez

Really interesting comments regarding the Aston, but not to much technological advance to me.

blueSL

I think the Aston Martin technology is actually quite interesting. It's necessarily more limited to what you'd find in a Mercedes because Mercedes technology is spread across many more cars to pay for its development. The aluminium chassic technology is especially interesting and, as we are seeing, allows multiple platforms to be produced quite easily. I think that once the other variants come out, Aston Martin will have a much broader range of mainstream cars than, for example, Ferrari.

blueSL

Here's a picture from Geneva, IMHO a valid alternative to the SL500 or 911S.

http://geneva.cars.msn.co.uk/images/...n_1024x768.jpg

Juice it

The biggest problem I have with the new Vantage is that it is only available with a manual trans. I am sure many like this but I for one am embracing the new auto technology. They should have a choice.

blueSL

I don't doubt for one minute there will be a version of the DB9 auto in the Vantage in due course. Aston Martin are tiny in world terms and not everything happens on Day 1. You say that's your biggest problem, I assume there are others and if you're not interested, there are lots of people who are. My dealer has 300 confirmed orders (deposits) alone on a car which might make 2000 in the first year. I'm pleased to be near the top of the list...

Juice it

At less than 100k I have no doubt they will easily sell as many as they produce. I like the looks however there are too many cars I like that are coming out or are already out that fit in the same category that I like a little more. It is a good time to be an auto enthusiast!

vantage78

Less than 100k? I wish....I think the price tag is closer to 130k USD? Anyone have any more info on the price?

blueSL

It's said to be 70% of a DB9 price, but I notice the options list is longer, so that by the time you spec it up, it's most likely to be 75%, rather more than the 911 it is competing for other than a 911 turbo which is much faster.

carlosfernandez

Did you see the new jaguar, look to close to the aston that i can't belive it.

blueSL

The head of Jaguar design, Ian MacCallum, designed the DB7 which developed into the DB9/V8 Vantage. He needs to come up with some new ideas...

absent

The Vantage's expected price here is around $140k,pretty much loaded vs euro version.

carlosfernandez

That's what mose of the magazine says about him.

LovinMercedes

My dealer told me closer to $100,000.

absent

I guess we'll have to wait and see...

carlosfernandez

In an article by automobilemag.com says that the new aston has a jaguar v8 engine, maybee is because of the owner, FORD exchange it's engeneer and also designs.

Juice it

If the Vantage is aimed at the 911 like I have read all over the place I would think it would be priced close to one so it will be a choice between the same buyers. 130 or 140 is a different league and at that point it would be too close to there own DB9. Hopefully it will be close to the 100k mark.

leggs

In the new C&D OR R&T they test drove one and said it handles diffrently than the db9. I beleive they listed the base price at a $120k. About $40k more than the base price of a db9.

leggs

I've see a lot of ferrari's especially the 360m and a handful of Maranello's. I've seen plenty of bentleys especially the new Gt. Lambo's lots of diablos and a few gallardos so far. Mb's, porsches, Bmw,lexus, etc. everywhere.

Aston Martin I've never seen a Vanquish in person, and I've only seen a handful of db7's still waiting to see a db9. Honestly if you have and are going to spend that kind of money Aston's are rare and truly exclusive, unlike many of the other cars that claim exclusivity but can't back it up.

blueSL

It uses the same block as the Jaguar V8, but all the moving bits are unique to Aston Martin. I expect it will end up costing rather more than the 911. It's one thing to target it as your competitor, it's another thing to do so at the price.