Aston Martin bills its sleek and muscular new V8 Vantage Roadster as a “car for CEOs.” It wasn’t CEOs, though, but a bunch of kids who swarmed our hand-built test car one recent evening at a Preston Road shopping center in Dallas. One boy, maybe 7 or 8, reached out tentatively to touch the hood, as if to make sure the two-seat Roadster was real. Another, this one a teenager, shouted: “I really like your car!”
Who wouldn’t? The 2008 Roadster is an auto enthusiast’s dream. (And, you know what kind of dream I’m talking about.) The smallest of Aston’s models, it’s the English automaker’s 14th convertible since 1950. Its roof, a “soft-top” made with something called Thinsulate, retracts automatically in just 18 seconds—and topless is really the only way to drive it.
But, what a drive it is. After starting the engine with the push of a glass button, you’re greeted by a loud, “thoroughbred” exhaust note. The 4.3-liter engine, hand-assembled in Germany, is paired with a Sportshift “automated manual” transmission with six forward gears. The combination produces a whopping 380 horsepower, slinging you from 0 to 62 mph in 5 seconds. Top speed: 175 miles per hour.
Inside the cockpit, meantime, you’re snug and well-supported in the plushest surroundings imaginable. Think hand-stitched, electronically adjustable leather seats; Sirius satellite radio; an optional navigation screen; and a simple aluminum instrument cluster with back-lit, three-dimensional figures.
With its double-wishbone suspension and high-performance feel, the Vantage Roadster provides a driving experience like few others. It’s also a good bet to boost your own performance. Spotting our Roadster in the parking lot, a Starbucks barista took our order and purred, “What are you doin’, lookin’ all sexy out there?” I didn’t have the heart to tell her my sex appeal would go back to the dealership the next day.
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| HOT SEAT: Hand-stitched leather and sleek controls make for one luxurious interior. photography courtesy of Aston Martin |
