Luxury Life & Style - (Page 50)

ASTON MARTIN V8 VANTAGE door handles are flush with the body, a fin- ger's touch extracting it for use. The signa- ture AM grille is integrated to the nose at a low point on the body, with powerful head- lights in their proper fixture at the fender's edge above the grille ends. While the design as a whole hints at the Jaguar XK, a longer study will reveal typical Aston Martin attrib- utes. The only oddity to the exterior styling falls at the feet of the taillights, biggish in com- parison with anything else on the road, ex- c e p t for possibly the Lincoln Zephyr. Considering both AM and Lincoln are Ford products, perhaps it's a new design idea from Dearborn, but in all, there isn't much else in common. After some years of bad publicity brought about by reliability and assembly problems, it's amazing that the AM name is still alive and kicking. But English tenacity dies hard, vertise that you're driving one of the world's and British ways of business often prevail. ASTON MARTIN V8 VANTAGE best vehicles, the Vantage's gentlemanly Since Ford has owned the company, AM Specifications* quality is unmatched by the competition. The has been exposed to many advances in pro- BODY: sounds, exterior design and overall presence duction methods and technology, allowing Material ...............aluminum alloy,steel, of the AM are sleek and impressive, but un- for Aston to rival even German construction composite, and magnesium alloy obtrusive, and of a seemingly higher breed- and reliability standards. Ulrich Bez, AM's Overall Length .......................172.5 in. ing. For some, it's simply more comfortable chairman, aims high with new goals of be- Overall Width...........................73.5 in. that way, but make no mistake about it, the coming not only more popular, but also pro- Height .....................................49.4 in. Vantage was designed from the get-go as ducing some of the world's best cars. Wheelbase ............................102.4 in. a sports car. Something the $110,000 V8 Vantage is cer- Curb Weight ........................3,461 lbs. Inside, the Vantage welcomes passen- tain to assist. gers with a leather-clad environment in that All things considered, the Vantage V8 is MECHANICALS: atypical British way. Nowhere inside will you one of the most exciting sports cars in a long Transmission ..............6-speed manual find a splinter of wood, but rather a very to- time, with just a few of the usual suspects Engine.....................................alloy V8 the-point cabin of well-cut leathers stitched from Italy and Germany rivaling it. But while Displacement .......................258 cubic to blend with aluminum appointments and those suspects are exciting, well-made ve- inches/4.3-Liter trim. hicles of astounding performance and ma- Horsepower ...........380 @ 7,300 RPM Overall, the interior is a bit coldish, but terial quality, Aston Martin has always had a Torque ....................302 @ 5,000 RPM purposeful, and on the refreshing side, re- certain level of unmatched distinction. flective of classic Astons from the 1950s and It's one of those companies offering a no TIRES: 1960s. It feels aesthetically more true to a compromise philosophy: sporty and elegant, FR ..................................235/45 ZR18 sports car heritage. The instrument panel is fast and docile, aggressive and respectful Photos courtesy of Aston Martin. RR ..................................275/40 ZR18 a work of metal art, a blend of chrono- among its formula. Perhaps it's more a car PERFORMANCE: graphic-styled gauges exuding a presence of contradiction and mystery than anything of precision usually found on the finest of else, but whatever it is, it works, and works 0-62 MPH........................4.9 seconds watches. The two seats support and ad- well. It's not the first sports car to pop into Top Speed ...........................175 MPH just to make even some of the longest drives mind, but sometimes, that's preferred. Visit *Manufacturer informational claims unnoticeable. Aston Martin of Beverly Hills at 8833 West The exterior body is a sleek, bullet-like O l y m p i c Boulevard. 310-659-4050. www.astonmartin.com. http://www.astonmartin.com

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Coda
Editor's Note
Publisher's Note
Carte Blanche
Interview
Feature Home
Artist Profile
Seen in The Sout Bay
Automotive
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Jet Set
From The Cellar
Entertainmet
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Luxury Life & Style