2008 Aston Martin V8 Vantage

The Aston Martin V8 Vantage is a supreme example of modern automotive design, a hand-crafted sports car that offers exceptional performance, outstanding agility and everyday usability. At the heart of every great sports car is a great engine, and the V8 Vantage Coupe and Roadster are powered by Aston Martin’s 313 kW (420 bhp) 4.7-litre V8, developed for both flexibility and outright performance. The V8 also sounds spectacular and is capable of propelling the car to a maximum speed of 290 km/h (180 mph). Just look at the thing!" That's about the only selling line the 2008 Aston Martin V8 Vantage will ever need. If you've seen a V8 Vantage on the road, you know what we're talking about. Few other cars look this, well, sexy. Thankfully, this baby Aston has impressive talent lurking beneath its gorgeous face. It all starts with Aston Martin's aluminum "VH" platform that also underpins the DB9 and DBS. This intricate assembly of aluminum extrusions, steel and magnesium castings and composite body panels are all bonded together with advance adhesives for light weight and exceptional rigidity. There are other desirable attributes as well, including a rear-mounted transaxle for enhanced weight distribution (49:51, says Aston) and a dry-sump lubrication system for the car's V8 engine. That engine is a 4.3-liter V8 producing 380 horsepower and 302 pound-feet of torque. This is good enough to propel the nearly 3,500-pound Vantage coupe from zero to 60 mph in 5.1 seconds. While this acceleration time is certainly quick, it's not exactly record-breaking -- line up against a BMW M3 and you're in real danger of embarrassment. An Audi R8 and Porsche 911 -- the Aston's principal competitors -- will likewise leave it in their German dust. A glimmer of hope comes in the form of 2008's new N400 trim level. Said to commemorate the company's success with its N24 race car at Germany's Nürburgring racetrack, this more sharply focused V8 Vantage comes with 20 more hp, firmer suspension tuning, lightweight wheels and exterior and interior trim changes. Even in N400 form, this Aston Martin doesn't make much sense from a bang-for-the-buck standpoint. Considering the 911 Carrera S is about $30,000 less, the fiscally conscious should also view the Aston with a very suspicious eye. But there's more to the V8 Vantage than just numbers. In terms of exclusivity, style and character, the V8 Vantage delivers in a big way -- particularly the sexy roadster -- to a degree that no austere German automobile could ever hope to match. And from that standpoint, the V8 Vantage will never disappoint.