Aston Martin’s V-8 Vantage is the company's least expensive car, but it looks a lot like its V-12–engined big brothers, the DB9 and DBS. Although only car nerds can distinguish which current Aston is which, the Vantage's short overhangs, taut lines, and absence of gratuitous scoops and fins make it the best looking of the bunch. Even in DBR9 racing green—without the proper sponsorship decals, it’s a color more suited to a wedding than a racetrack—people instantly recognize it as an exotic. The interior, which is mostly shared with its more expensive siblings, looks the part. To start the car, the stainless steel and glass key, which Aston calls an "Emotion Control Unit," slides dramatically into the middle of the dash.

2009 Aston Martin V8 Vantage - Short Take Road Test - Auto Reviews - Car and Driver

Rate this story

Rating: 1 ... Bad 2 ... Not the best 3 ... Average 4 ... Good 5 ... Awesome