When you power up the electrics in the 2009 Aston Martin V8 Vantage coupe, three words flash up on a blue screen tucked into the speedometer -- Power, Beauty, Soul.
Reminders, as if it were necessary, that you are about to experience something rather special.
Actually the order is a little off. You've already run your eyes, and perhaps hands, over bodywork shaped into a form that's not only beautiful but aerodynamic. And also, thanks to some long-standing styling cues, a heritage that dates back to the teen years of the last century.
Power you discover after slipping into the fine leather bucket seat of a V8 Vantage in the pit lane at Mosport, as I did recently on a sparklingly clear fall day.
After clicking the belt into place, firing up the silky/snarly, 420-hp V-8 "on the button" then snicking the gear lever into first, I accelerated downhill through the right-hand spiral of the concrete-confined entry to one of the world's great racing circuits, an experience that is, well....
The revs, and the counterclockwise rotating tach needle, rise in a rush as you accelerate uphill, grabbing third and then fourth before its crest and the blind, take-it-on-faith turn-in, to the breathtaking downhill plunge through the twin apexes of turn two.
Get it right and the Vantage clips both apexes without you having to move the steering wheel and exits the corner moving naturally over to the right side of the track surface before you force it over to the left again, brake, downshift and turn into a long and sweeping right-hander.
Surge up into fourth once more and over another brow and the left-hand downhill dive that was always called "the chute" with its suspension-squashing compression at the bottom, where you brake hard and catch third for the uphill right-hand entry to turn 5A -- called Moss's corner after the legendary racer who drove an Aston Martin a time or two.
A busy moment or two of braking and downshifting follows before exiting 5B and accelerating up through the gears again as you negotiate one of the most serpentine pieces of road ever to be called a "back straight."
You're using every one of the Vantage's 420 hp and 7,500 rpm on this long climb and doing 180-190 km/h over the rise, before dropping back into fourth for fast turn eight, then into third for the quick left- and right-handers that lead back out onto the pit straight.
By now, you're becoming aware of the intangible "something" that the third word in that display, Soul, attempts to describe.
Mosport's fast, sinuous, sweeping bends suit the V8 Vantage, but that's no surprise as this classic marque was born to run on racing circuits.
Its creator, Lionel Martin, built his first car in 1914 to compete in the Aston Clinton hill climb and added its name to his own to create a legendary brand that went on to win sporting acclaim in the great events of his day. And it continues to do so in ours, with recent wins in 24-hour endurance races at the Nurburgring (V8 Vantage N24) and Le Mans (DBR9).
Aston Martin went through many changes of ownership as its fortunes waxed and waned. It was under Ford stewardship from 1994 to 2007, before it was acquired by the current owners, Britain's racing-oriented Prodrive organization backed by Kuwaiti investors and a Brit businessman and marque enthusiast (Ford retains a small share, too).
Its current offerings, built in the company's Gaydon factory in Britain, include the $200,000-or-so, 6.0-litre, 450-hp V-12-engined DB9 Coupe and DB9 Volante, the almost $300,000 DBS with a 520-hp, 6.0-litre V-12 and the "entry-level" V8 Vantage coupe, which lists for $140,000; it's $155,000 in roadster form. Arriving next year will be the four-door Rapide and the One-77 (only 77 will be built), 700-hp super car.
The V8 Vantage coupe was introduced for 2006 (with the roadster arriving a year later) powered by a 4.3-litre, double-overhead-cam, V-8 engine rated at 385 hp and 302 lb-ft of torque. The 2009 V8 Vantage -- in which I managed to scam a quick drive during a customer event staged by Aston Martin North America and one of its four Canadian dealers, Toronto's Grand Touring Automobiles -- does a bit better than that.
Increases in the bore and stroke have upped the motor's displacement to 4.7 litres and the cylinder head now sports larger valves. These changes have boosted output to 420 hp (up 11 per cent) at 7,300 rpm and torque increases to 346 lb-ft at 5,000 rpm, a 15-per-cent gain spread over a broader curve that promises improved mid-range drivability. That's enough power to get the Vantage to 100 km/h in 4.7 seconds and propel it to a top speed of 290 km/h.
There's a lighter clutch action to make using the six-speed manual easier in traffic, and the paddle-shifted Sportshift F1-style automated manual transmission's "crawl" feature has been revised for better low-speed traffic operation.
The suspension has been firmed up 11 per cent up front and 5 per cent at the rear and Bilstein dampers are now standard. Stiffer bushes and revised geometry are designed to improve steering feel and response. The 20-spoke, 19-inch alloy wheels are also new.
Taking chassis changes a step further is the Sport Pack for both coupe and roadster, which includes lightweight, five-spoke alloy wheels, even stiffer springs and a different rear anti-roll bar. It was a Sport Pack-equipped Vantage I drove on the track, where it proved not only quick, but remarkably easy to drive.
Changes to the lavishly leather-swathed interior (which takes 70 hours to complete) include a new centre console, a push-button start system and a new navigation system.
Aston Martin has built just more than 60,000 cars since 1914, and currently sells about 7,000 a year, a high proportion of them V8 Vantages. After even a short acquaintance with them, I'm not surprised.
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2009 ASTON-MARTIN V8 VANTAGE COUPE
. Type: Luxury sports coupe
. Base Price: $140,000; as tested, $146,000
. Engine: 4.7-litre, DOHC, V-8
. Horsepower/torque: 420 hp/ 346 lb-ft
. Transmission: Six-speed manual
. Drive: Rear-wheel-drive
. Fuel economy (litres/100 km): Not available; premium gas
. Alternatives: Audi R8, BMW M6, Cadillac XLR, Chevrolet Corvette, Dodge Viper, Jaguar XK/XKR, Lexus SC430, Maserati Granturismo, Mercedes-Benz CL and SL class, Porsche 911
Like
. The exterior is beautiful, but the interior, particularly that of the roadster, is stunning
. Performance is good, too
Don't like
. I can't even complain about the price, which doesn't seem too high all things (including a 200-hour plus build time) considered
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