You're all going to give me a kicking but...
Discussion
V8V CG said:
I thought it might help to draft this ready for when you need it, Slarti:
I really miss my DB9V. Don't get me wrong, I do like my 911 and I thought I had done the right thing going back to one, but I was a fool to listen to the siren voice inside that said a 997 felt well constructed, responsive, cosseting, making me feel 'at one' with it. Now I have a car that's not anywhere near as beautiful, and the feeling I thought I'd get back never materialised. I regret it really badly, and I feel like the man from the Ryme of the Ancient Mariner:
He went like one that hath been stunned,
And is of sense forlorn:
A sadder and a wiser man
He rose the morrow morn.
Haha! f****** brilliant! That's getting printed on a business card and getting shoved into my wallet. I'll be reading it when I'm at Bolton OPC next week having a browse.I really miss my DB9V. Don't get me wrong, I do like my 911 and I thought I had done the right thing going back to one, but I was a fool to listen to the siren voice inside that said a 997 felt well constructed, responsive, cosseting, making me feel 'at one' with it. Now I have a car that's not anywhere near as beautiful, and the feeling I thought I'd get back never materialised. I regret it really badly, and I feel like the man from the Ryme of the Ancient Mariner:
He went like one that hath been stunned,
And is of sense forlorn:
A sadder and a wiser man
He rose the morrow morn.
I know how you feel Slarti!
I went from a 997 to V8 but missed the back seats so then went for the DB9. The Astons definately have more character and are more inspiring to drive but like you, I feel I can't use it everyday. Mine only comes out occassionally and my daily drive is a Merc cab {diesel}.
I fancied a change but when I look at other cars, they just don't do it for me -this includes the new 991. So what i've done is ordered a c63 on lease and will get rid of the cab and will keep the Aston for special times.....
I went from a 997 to V8 but missed the back seats so then went for the DB9. The Astons definately have more character and are more inspiring to drive but like you, I feel I can't use it everyday. Mine only comes out occassionally and my daily drive is a Merc cab {diesel}.
I fancied a change but when I look at other cars, they just don't do it for me -this includes the new 991. So what i've done is ordered a c63 on lease and will get rid of the cab and will keep the Aston for special times.....
MichaelV8V said:
Simon T said:
yquem ???
And there's me thinking this was another name for a lady garden
S
Do you think that's why they gave it that name? Because of the taste? Must get a bottle And there's me thinking this was another name for a lady garden
S
I have a 997 GT3 RS 4.0 after a long succession of Porsche 993, 996, 997 turbo and 997 turbo cabrio. The GT3 RS 4.0 is the top of the pops - HOWEVER on a recent rip to Spa with my V12 Vantage I really bonded with the Aston as an everyday car with a performance on track which was almost in line with what I get out of my GT3 in terms of sheer enjoyment. Yes it is not as fast, it doesn't grip that well as the Porsche and it is 300 kg heavier but still it is a fabulous machine. After having re-fuelled 7 times at Spa I drove back to London the same evening in what felt like a better car than the previous morning. In the old days days this was only something you could do in a Porsche, but Aston has come a long way in terms of reliability and usage. The V12V is a great piece of engineering and whilst I like the DB9 (I had one for 5 years) it doesn't come close to the V12V for robustness, poise and elegance in one measure.
hornbaek said:
I have a 997 GT3 RS 4.0 after a long succession of Porsche 993, 996, 997 turbo and 997 turbo cabrio. The GT3 RS 4.0 is the top of the pops - HOWEVER on a recent rip to Spa with my V12 Vantage I really bonded with the Aston as an everyday car with a performance on track which was almost in line with what I get out of my GT3 in terms of sheer enjoyment. Yes it is not as fast, it doesn't grip that well as the Porsche and it is 300 kg heavier but still it is a fabulous machine. After having re-fuelled 7 times at Spa I drove back to London the same evening in what felt like a better car than the previous morning. In the old days days this was only something you could do in a Porsche, but Aston has come a long way in terms of reliability and usage. The V12V is a great piece of engineering and whilst I like the DB9 (I had one for 5 years) it doesn't come close to the V12V for robustness, poise and elegance in one measure.
That is a very interesting post. I have the v12v, and find it superb but very heavy. For thrills I take the 73RS....slower but so light and nimble that it blows the V12V away for fun, especially on tight Welsh mountain roads.
Found the same when driving a 3.8RS...way, way too big unless you're tracking. Was deliberating on a 4.0 before I purchased the V12V, but couldn't live with the rear wing etc, and don't really track enough to justify.
Very interesting to hear the performance was similar on track....at over 300kg heavier !.
franki68 said:
For the feelgood factor the Astons are light years ahead, but the 991 is an incredible machine , it is utterly brilliant and I will be getting one of some sort (not sure which one yet)when I get itchy feet
Light years ahead of the 997 models
Most of the 911 driver i know do not rate the new 991 so highly. Then again most of them drive a GT3 or RS. I for sure would have a V12V over the 991.Light years ahead of the 997 models
michael gould said:
MichaelV8V said:
Simon T said:
yquem ???
And there's me thinking this was another name for a lady garden
S
Do you think that's why they gave it that name? Because of the taste? Must get a bottle And there's me thinking this was another name for a lady garden
S
(click the smiley)
Robbo66 said:
That is a very interesting post. I have the v12v, and find it superb but very heavy.
For thrills I take the 73RS....slower but so light and nimble that it blows the V12V away for fun, especially on tight Welsh mountain roads.
Found the same when driving a 3.8RS...way, way too big unless you're tracking. Was deliberating on a 4.0 before I purchased the V12V, but couldn't live with the rear wing etc, and don't really track enough to justify.
Very interesting to hear the performance was similar on track....at over 300kg heavier !.
Robbo66 - don't get me wrong. I said that "the enjoyment was similar" (but not the performance). The GT3 RS 4.0 is a track tool of seismic proportions. It feels (and is) much lighter, it turns in much sharper and the grip and throttle response is in a league of it's own. The V12 Vantage needs to be driven much smoother with less steering input. I haven't timed them round Goodwood (honestly Sir!) but the GT3 RS would run circles around the V12 Vantage but for pure enjoyment they are both thrilling to drive in their own right. But on the way home the huge rear wing of the GT3 RS 4.0 makes you look like a knob so based on looks and street cred you made the right choice.For thrills I take the 73RS....slower but so light and nimble that it blows the V12V away for fun, especially on tight Welsh mountain roads.
Found the same when driving a 3.8RS...way, way too big unless you're tracking. Was deliberating on a 4.0 before I purchased the V12V, but couldn't live with the rear wing etc, and don't really track enough to justify.
Very interesting to hear the performance was similar on track....at over 300kg heavier !.
I would like to embark on a project of taking some weight out of the V12 Vantage. My guess is that there is pretty much you can loose without any big compromises. RS Williams in Cobham ran a V8 GT3 last year and their experience was that there was a lot of unnecessary weight build into the V8/V12 which could be taken out.
Edited by hornbaek on Thursday 22 November 15:48
hornbaek said:
I would like to embark on a project of taking some weight out of the V12 Vantage. My guess is that there is pretty much you can loose without any big compromises.
How might you strip a lot of weight out? Could do the interior but it would make it pretty irritating as a road car. Plexi glass windows?Btw, could you go the other way if you wanted a GT3 rival - I.e start with a racing car and turn it into a road car? That would be easier to keep the weight down I imagine, but would have other drawbacks.
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