Friday, October 29, 2010

Is the Aston Martin DBS as Good as It Looks?


The connection between James Bond and Aston Martin over the years has continued to be successful for both brands. Just take a look at the cars:

• The DB5 in “Goldfinger”, “Quantum of Solace” and “Golden Eye” (which recently sold for over $4 million)
• The DBS in “On Her Majesty's Secret Service”
• The Aston Martin V8 Vantage Volante in “The Living Daylights”
• The V12 Vanquish in “Die Another Day”
• The DBS in “Casino Royale” and “Quantum of Solace

When the Aston Martin DBS burst on the scene in the movie “Casino Royale”, the world was enthralled with this newest beauty. The press, enthusiasts and even film buffs couldn’t get enough of the British super car.

But Aston only makes a small number of these fine automobiles. That exclusivity led some to dull their enthusiasm, thinking the car was as too unobtainable. A few even questioned whether the car was as good in person as it was on the big screen, snickering that its reputation was built on a fictional character.

A recent weekend in a 2010 DBS presented an opportunity to see how much substance was behind all that style. The old questions rolled through my mind. Was the car as exciting today as it was when it exploded on the international scene? Would the DBS be “all hat and no cattle”?

John Eagle European Aston Martin of Austin provided a stunning DBS special edition convertible for a media test drive weekend. The “Carbon Black” paint shimmered in the Hill Country’s October sunlight, giving the car a “Hollywood” shine. Instantly smitten, it was hard to keep my cool while completing the requisite paperwork. The Aston was dazzling.

As a primer, Aston Martin of Austin’s dealer principal, Sonny Morgan, provided a short refresher on the car. The V12 powered DBS convertible has 510 horsepower, an optional 6 speed automatic transmission and is available with either four seats or a rear luggage shelf. Significant portions of the car are made from carbon fiber to make the car lighter and more nimble. The active suspension was derived from Aston’s DBR9 racing program.

The car’s interior is as stunning as its body. Leather, carbon fiber and real metal; no faux pieces like many Mercedes and Jaguars here! Starting the engine results in a nice V12 snarl, which is even better when the top smoothly drops down. The wonderful first impressions of the car sent chills down my spine. This Aston was indeed hot with a capital “H”.

Over the course of the weekend, we drove the muscular Aston in the Hill Country, down Sixth street, to local shops and restaurants. Every lane was pure joy, every stoplight an acoustic delight. Whether carving up apex’s on the way to a bed & breakfast outside town or stopping at an art gallery to peruse their offerings, every moment was a delight.

It was difficult saying goodbye at the end of the weekend to the DBS. Was this “celluloid star” as good as it looked on the big screen? Oh yes. The relationship with Aston’s superb supercar was as satisfying – no, more satisfying - than I could have imagined. This is a car that would stand head and shoulders above the rest without the James Bond films.

Aston still only makes a few DBS convertibles and coupes each year, so they are still as exclusive and rare as ever. The Aston Martin DBS is a car with as much substance as style. It’s expensive, but worth every dollar.

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Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Jay Leno Strikes Again - A Review of the Tasty New V12 Vantage

Jay Leno recently reviewed the Aston Martin Rapide. Watch as he puts the new V12 Vantage through its paces. Will he like the Aston Martin super car? Check it out:

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Friday, October 15, 2010

The Aston Martin V12 - Future Collectible?


Much has been written about the new (to the USA) Aston Martin V12 Vantage (http://www.astonmartinofaustin.com/web/1582/vantage12). The car’s track acumen and street appeal have resulted in accolades being heaped upon its bespoked hood. But many have missed one of the most attractive aspects of this 12-cylinder wonder car—it’s potential for long-term collectability.

Though there are no guarantees that a car will hold an increase in value, serious pundits believe the 2010 V12 Vantage holds tremendous potential. One of the reasons is that comparison to the 1962 DB4 Zagato are too numerous to overlook.

Consider that the 1960 DB4 Zagato was created to compete with the mighty Ferraris of the period. Aston turned up the wick on their sporting coupe, giving it a more voluptuous look, better power to weight ratio, superb brakes and sharper handling. Only a few of these rare, exclusive cars were built and even fewer raced. Today, those cars command multi-million dollar price tags and are considered among the most coveted Astons in the world.

The V12 Vantage has a similar pedigree. By engineering the DBS drive train into the Vantage chassis, the car has a wonderful power to weight ratio. The carbon ceramic brakes are fantastic, the sport suspension superb and the body lightened and modified to maximize both aerodynamics and sex appeal. The factory has entered a couple of V12 Vantages in various events successfully such as at the Nürburgring. They have even offered to build spec race cars available to private teams. And like the Series 1 DB4 Zagato, very, very few will be built.

Will the 510 HP V12 Vantage reach stratosphere values someday? No one knows. But with its similarity to the fabled Zagato and small production run, it has the potential to do so over the long term. Few other purchases today offer such upside, nor sound and look so good.

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Aston Martin of Austin
Austin, TX 78750
512-401-4604