RE: Aston V8 Vantage N430: Review

[whoami]

martin elaman said:

Yes even more Gimmickry is coming I'd say, and over 1600kg's? that's too heavy! The new Aston's will be bigger and heavier still. And yes the new small MB coupe will have the now infamous electric steering- its been reported by CAR already. A good weight to shoot for in a sports car is around 1300kg's!! Then its requires less power, power assistance, and "settings". martin

Best of luck with that.

[mikey k]

that's lotus or MX5 territory

[RichB]

martin elaman said:

A good weight to shoot for in a sports car is around 1300kg's

Aston Martins have not been lightweight sports cars since the post-war period.

[Zod]

martin elaman said:

Zod said:

FUD: the SLS weighs 1620kg with gull wing doors and lots of "gimmickry". Astons already have electronically adjustable suspension and there's nothing wrong with AMG (non-electric) steering (and no indication that AM will use it).

Yes even more Gimmickry is coming I'd say, and over 1600kg's? that's too heavy! The new Aston's will be bigger and heavier still. And yes the new small MB coupe will have the now infamous electric steering- its been reported by CAR already. A good weight to shoot for in a sports car is around 1300kg's!! Then its requires less power, power assistance, and "settings". martin

We'd all like cars to be lighter, but with current safety regulations it is difficult. How much do you think the current Astons weigh?

[martin elaman]

Zod said:

We'd all like cars to be lighter, but with current safety regulations it is difficult. How much do you think the current Astons weigh?

Its a good thing you weren't in the room when they designed the latest Maclaren's- 1330kg-- "but, but. no, no, can't be done". Yes we all know how much Astons weigh so I wont dignify the ridiculous question you have put to me. martin

[greygoose]

martin elaman said:

Zod said:

We'd all like cars to be lighter, but with current safety regulations it is difficult. How much do you think the current Astons weigh?

Its a good thing you weren't in the room when they designed the latest Maclaren's- 1330kg-- "but, but. no, no, can't be done". Yes we all know how much Astons weigh so I wont dignify the ridiculous question you have put to me. martin

Sounds heavy for a push chair.

[Zod]

martin elaman said:

Zod said:

We'd all like cars to be lighter, but with current safety regulations it is difficult. How much do you think the current Astons weigh?

Its a good thing you weren't in the room when they designed the latest Maclaren's- 1330kg-- "but, but. no, no, can't be done". Yes we all know how much Astons weigh so I wont dignify the ridiculous question you have put to me. martin

You are very excited about this.

You are also wrong (so less of the haughty tone about knowing the wiehgts of current Astons); the 650S weighs nearly 1500kg. The P1 weighs about 100kg less, which is an impressive achievement, but look at the price.

Smaller angines should allow Aston Martin to work towards making the cars lighter, but getting them down to 1300kg would require investment that they just cannot afford.

ETA: a quick glance at your posting record indicates that you post in lots of threads about new performance cars, making general complaints about electric steering, whether or not the car has it, the need for proper control feel (which most of us here want - it's a large part of why I drive the car I do) and a wish for lighter cars.

And do stop writing your name at the end of every post, It's in your username and this is 2014 on the internet on a site that eschews signatures.

Edited by Zod on Friday 27th June 17:13

[ILoveMondeo]

Not forgetting a mclaren 650 costs twice as much as a vantage.

All those fancy composites cost a fair bit!

[Speedraser]

Zod said:

I'm still a BMW man!

It's difficult to express, but sound and feel are at the heart of it. The V8 makes a lovely sound, but it just isn't quick enough for my tastes.

With my current car, I have something that gives me some of what I loved in my M3 CSL (rawness and short wheelbase) and some of what I loved in the M5 (lots of power,but with more low down torques), but with a manual box and an interior that feels more special in a body that just looks perfect.

Edited by Zod on Thursday 26th June 18:57

Not quick enough? The V8V in 4.7 form (and either 420 or 430 hp) is as quick or quicker than everything you list in your garage except the M5 and, obviously, the V12V (basically on par with the manual DB9 since the V8V is only 20 or 30 hp down, and a couple hundred pounds (weight, not currency) lighter.

[RichB]

But despite the speed the M5 is still a BMW saloon which looks like a taxi and the V8V is, well, an Aston martin

[divetheworld]

RichB said:

But despite the speed the M5 is still a BMW saloon which looks like a taxi and the V8V is, well, an Aston martin

It's all 'Top Trumps' figures when you get up to those lofty performance figures anyway unless anyone can tell me they can squeeze enough performance out of an M3/M5/V8V/V12V to say the car is your limitation, not your ability.
So with that in mind, the car is what makes you feel special or thrilled to drive it.

Different stokes and all that. I'm just glad you're a petrolhead who appreciates cars. The M5 owner is likely to be one aswell, gotta respect that.

[RichB]

divetheworld said:

Different stokes and all that. I'm just glad you're a petrolhead who appreciates cars. The M5 owner is likely to be one aswell, gotta respect that.

Yep just never got BMWs but that's just me.

[raftom]

jimmy156 said:

I always think that the best looking Aston vantage of any variety is an early, unadulterated V8 coupe.

IMHO it's a shape for the ages, one of the all time masterpieces of auto design. I've yet to find a single curve or angle, both in pictures or in real live, that's not perfect.

It's quite a problem for AM to improve upon this.

[Zod]

Speedraser said:

Zod said:

I'm still a BMW man!

It's difficult to express, but sound and feel are at the heart of it. The V8 makes a lovely sound, but it just isn't quick enough for my tastes.

With my current car, I have something that gives me some of what I loved in my M3 CSL (rawness and short wheelbase) and some of what I loved in the M5 (lots of power,but with more low down torques), but with a manual box and an interior that feels more special in a body that just looks perfect.

Edited by Zod on Thursday 26th June 18:57

Not quick enough? The V8V in 4.7 form (and either 420 or 430 hp) is as quick or quicker than everything you list in your garage except the M5 and, obviously, the V12V (basically on par with the manual DB9 since the V8V is only 20 or 30 hp down, and a couple hundred pounds (weight, not currency) lighter.

the V12V is a lot quicker than the DB9 mine had 450 bhp), but not by as much as it feels (which is a lot).

The V8V feels not much quicker than an E46 M3. My first experience was a 380bhp Roadster. Lovely car, but not real that quick. My not recent was a 420bhp Roadster. Rather quicker but not close to a V12V. And I mean on country roads, not the track.

Edited by Zod on Monday 30th June 09:49

[Speedraser]

Zod said:

he V12V is a lot quicker than the DB9 mine had 450 bhp), but not by as much as it feels (which is a lot).

The V8V feels not much quicker than an E46 M3. My first experience was a 380bhp Roadster. Lovely car, but not real that quick. My not recent was a 420bhp Roadster. Rather quicker but not close to a V12V. And I mean on country roads, not the track.

Edited by Zod on Monday 30th June 09:49

That your first V8V experience was a 4.3 Roadster makes this make perfect sense -- it's the least powerful and heaviest V8V (nearly 200 lbs / 90 kg heavier than the Coupe). The V12V is, obviously, quite a lot quicker than a 420 or 430 hp V8V Coupe, but as you said about your DB9, the difference (while very real) isn't as great as it feels. The V12V is a wonderful thing.