ORIGINAL: Rodney Naghar
So what's she like?
Apart from being stunning.
Compare and contrast please
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You did ask Rodney, I apologise if it is a bit long.............................................
1/ Is it worth the extra?
What you appear to be paying for is the bespoke finish of the car, examples would include...... the solid chunk of metal that sits in the amazing side vents, these follow the side crease that runs along the car, the steel mesh grills in the bonnet, the led lights that are your indicators, an amazing shape full of curves & accents that is only possible with hand finishing, the gearlever surround is real metal, as is the handbrake & the heater controls, the dials are milled from aluminium, everything is covered in top quality stitched leather. The car contains several plaques, hand finished & inspected by "name".
IT FEELS VERY VERY SPECIAL TO SIT IN & LOOK AT, BOY YOU GET PLEASURE FROM JUST LOOKING AT THE CAR & KNOWING IT IS YOURS! Although I would also note some quirky things, like the electronic hand brake, which is awkward, fiddly & basically a crap idea!
Of course the Porsche is manufactured with more "effective " tolerances, there is no doubt in my mind Pork will be more reliable & more functional! For example the Aston has already shown small chips on the metal kick plates & door handle, being solid metal, it will be easy to sort these, but it shows the car won't have the integrity/durability of the Porker, the leather is also showing small marks already. The rear parcel tray is also rattling like a good one on B roads! In fact the Aston will need pampering more! But to be honest, my initial feelings are you want to do just that! I will have to wait on the reliability front, as it is early days.
I feel the bespoke special finish & exclusivity can justify the price difference, if this floats your boat!
2/ The image:
Because the car is perceived as "BRITISH" and it so rare (not many people have seen an AMV8 on the road) with a 007 image, this car turns you into a minor celebrity! Not in a flash way, rather a we are all british & proud to see one of "our" ultimate marques on the road. Of course there is the same look away mentality (that Pork suffers with) from many, but overall there is a FEELGOOD factor that is lacking from Porsche ownership.
I'll give you an example, some one from our village spotted the car arrive the night before, you can't see the house/car from the road, but as I was leaving the next day he appeared at the bottom of the drive, having heard the car start, just to see the Aston. This didn't happen with my 996TT & he is a Porsche owner! Now whilst I certainly don't buy a car to impress others, it is nice for them to share in your pleasure rather than scowl at you!
3/ The driving:
Now much has been written about the Astons relative lack of performance, I have come out of a Turbo, so am used to serious grunt. Clearly it is not as fast. But intial feelings are that it has enough performance, it feels more than fast enough above 4500 revs and the sound is fantastic. I still love Pork, but this car sounds amazing, it certainly adds to the driving/bonding experience! My car has been "uncorked" so sounds great all the time & has a few more horses!
Handling: Up to 7/10th the car is fine, the driving position is vastly better than the 996 911, you can get a comfortable position without the steering wheel fouling your knees & the seats are far more supportive. I had a bad habit of holding onto the steering wheel in the Turbo, not so in the Aston, I can get a near perfect position. What is bad is you can't see the front end, so it is very hard to place in tight spaces, getting into the garage is a nightmare!! The steering is nice & meaty & the wheel chunky to hold, but it doesn't give you the detail of a 911 & there is also the occasional kick back. Push above 7/10th's & you notice the car start to pitch & float, it still tracks straight & true, the 49/51 weight distribution is evident by the way it goes round bends all of a one, but the float & pitch is a little unnerving. My feeling is it is virtually the same as a 996 series on standard suspension, but not as good as the 030 sports suspension which I have always championed, also not quite as good as the 997S. You will note that the UK comparison tests had the 997 on the optional sports suspension with ceramic brakes, this is one reason why it won the test so cleanly. So if you have 996 with 030, or a C4S, TT, GT3 then they are a better drivers car from a suspension/feedback point of view. Although the Aston isn't ultimately as good when you really push the car (this is when Pork really comes alive) it is better & more fun flowing between bends at 6-7/10th with the V8 howling, it is more balanced & fluid than Pork, so you can enjoy the driving more at lower speeds! In the Aston 2nd will rev to 75 & 3rd to 103mph, so you only need two gears for most B roads, but it does mean at 30mph you really need 1st (47-ish mph) to blast off & at 50-60 you still need 2nd to get lift off . This car thrives on revs & goes through to 7300rpm, but it doesn't rev as fast as Pork, although it makes a refreshing change from the Turbo. So the gearing is a bit long & you need to keep it revving to get performance, but that isn't a hardship as it sounds so fantastic. The gearbox is very clunky, but positive. It feels great really interactive, adds to the driving experience, you feel you are "really driving" this car! But as it is heavy it is hard to make very fast changes smoothly & the foot-well is also tighter than Pork, my left foot keeps catching the foot- rest when pressing the loud pedal.
The overall ride quality is much better than Pork, especially 030 (let alone x-74!!) so it is much more comfortable, but it does suffer from a really aggravating pitching bobbing movement over lightly bumpy roads. I am starting to get used to this, but initially it is very unpleasant & the biggest flaw (so far) for me, although the other half doesn't notice it & just prefers the comfort offered by the Aston!
The dealer & practical stuff: Service is £750 a pop, it does about 15 mpg, the rear hatch/boot make it much more practical to use than a 911, the dealer I have used (from a sales perspective) is light years ahead of Porsche they seem to actually care about your business & nothing is too much trouble, they even phone you back! I have yet to sample the service, but my OPC was always fabulous for service, so will be hard to equal...if not sales! the spec is good, standard stereo is great, I would never have specced rear park sensors, but as they are standard, I have found them to be great, as with pork it has all the other usual toys.. most on the options list!
Summary: My feeling is I need to adapt to the cars high revving nature, I don't think it will give me as much ultimate B road buzz as an 030 specified 911, TT or the 997S, but it has so many other compensating factors (the looks, ride, interior, feel-good factor, exhaust note etc) that first impressions are positive. As they say you pays your money you takes your choice. But with second hand prices of AMV8's getting more reasonable, 55 plates will soon be near to O.P.C.'s well specified 55 plate 997C4S's, makes you think
!
Of course after 6 different types of Pork, I am still a Porsche fan first & foremost, but Aston have created something different here, it isn't really a direct competitor for the 911, rather something of the british bulldog/yorkshire bull terrier swathed in fine clothes (looks fabulous but a bit of a brute underneath), rather than a German Doberman (more agile & what you see is what you get).
Ultimately it is a very "special" car & it gets under your skin!
The Mrs has the final say......Her summary is.."better to behold, admire and sit in (loves the ride quality & special leather swathed interior), still too fast for her liking, loves the sound & the feel good factor, but... makes her feel more nervous in the corners"!
