Aston Martin Vantage V8
Aston’s Porsche 911 competitor is rapidly falling in price. The V8 Vantage is similar in structure, styling and performance to the larger V12-powered DB9, but is much more affordable and now available for little more than $100,000 on the secondhand market.
Launched in 2005, the two seater “Baby Aston” V8 Vantage must not be be confused with the uprated “Vantage” specification that has been available on V8 Astons since the 1970s. The new car is a model in its own right and is available as either a coupé or roadster. The Vantage has a bonded aluminium structure for strength and lightness. This technique was developed by Lotus for its Elise and then developed by Aston Martin for larger and more luxurious cars.
Since 2008, the Vantage V8 has packed a 4.7 litre 420 hp (313 kW) V8. However, the first cars were powered by a 4.3 litre quad-cam 32-valve V8 which produced 380 hp (280 kW) at 7,300 rpm and 302 lb·ft (409 N·m) at 5,000 rpm. More recently, the Vantage has been made available with the V12 fitted to the DB9. The original V8 Vantage could accelerate to 60 mph (97 km/h) in 4.7 and run out to 175 mph (282 km/h). It is this, increasing affordable, model that we will focus on here.
Before the global financial crisis, both Aston and Jaguar were part of Ford’s Premier Automotive Group. This common ownership is reflected in the Aston’s engine being based (fairly loosely) on Jaguar’s AJ-V8 engine architecture, albeit with dry-sump lubrication to allow the engine to sit low in the engine bay and unique features to the block, the heads, engine management and much else besides. The post-2008 engine is essentially the same motor but with thinner liners allowing a bigger bore.
In accordance with Aston practice, the engine was front-mounted. However, their engine was well set back in the body and there was a rear-mounted transaxle (six speed manual as standard, ‘sportshift’ an option that was introduced a little later) giving a 49/51 front/rear weight distribution. Slotted Brembo brakes were also standard to keep the show under control.
The car inevitably draws comparisons with the Porsche 911. The two vehicles are similar in size and performance and Ulrich Bez, Aston Martin’s CEO during the development of the Vantage was also architect of the 993 version of the Porsche 911. However, the heritage, packaging, styling and production numbers of the cars are entirely different. Porsche produced ten 911s for every V8 Vantage manufactured. The Porsche is a more engaging drive and easier to live with. However, it is not as stunning or distinctive to look at.
To see the Vantage (albeit a V12) on video, have a look at the finale of Series 13 of Top Gear. The landscape, the car, the noise and the camera work are superb.
Lotus Esprit – affordable supercar?
I cannot make up my mind about the Lotus Esprit. Is it an overlooked supercar or a cheap and slightly nasty attempt at the real thing, made of plastic and stifled by a four cylinder motor?
Launched in 1976, the Lotus Esprit was an attempt by Colin Chapman to take his Lotus car company upmarket. Lotus was well established as a creator of light and balanced sports cars made of glass fibre. Some of the company’s cars were beautiful (the Elite and the Elan) and some were not (the Europa and Eclat). For the Esprit, Lotus contracted the styling to the great Giugiaro. Always a fan of the wedge, the Esprit is perhaps the most successful, and one of the most extreme, of his pointy-nosed designs. Underneath, the car was mid-engined as the Europa had been. However the supercar appearance was hardly backed up by this engine being merely a two litre four cylinder powerplant. Admittedly, it was an all-alloy motor blessed with twin cams, but with only 160 bhp, the car was no rocket, despite coming in at 1033 kg.
The early Series 1 and Series 2 cars were, in strict accordance with Lotus tradition, under-developed. The Series 1 cars, in particular, have an appealing purity about them, but for bargain fun, the later cars stand out. The Peter Stevens restyle, launched in 1987, took away the purity of the Giugiaro design, but stayed true to the concept with a gentle softening of the corners. Not since Pininfarina updated the XJ6 Jaguar from Series 2 to Series 3, had a car’s styling been so successfully developed from the original. By the late 1980s, pretty much all the cars available in Australia were turbo-charged, providing a significant performance boost for the Esprit.
Unfortunately, Esprit interiors both date and wear quickly. However, the fibreglass bodies are tough and rustproof. The steel backbone chassis can rust, but this is rarely a problem on an Australian-delivered car.
Esprits are available for as little as $20,000. While at the other end of the spectrum, a NSW dealer is offering a 1997 3.5 litre V8 (pretty much the last stand for the Esprit) for $79,990.
The real value seems to be in the later four cylinder turbo models built around 1990. These cars are more developed, have the Stevens facelift but are not yet burdened stylistically by the huge spoilers that were applied from 1993. They are available around the $30,000 mark.
ONE FOR SALE
Tempting to have a look at is the smart-looking 1990 Series 5 that has been on Carsales.com for about a year. With 55,000 km and the option of clipping in either a solid roof or glass sunroof, this car looks interesting at the asking price of $34k. The car is in Victoria and is offered for sale with a roadworthy certificate.
YOUR VIEW?
Is the Lotus Esprit a bargain supercar or a plastic pretender? Please post a comment containing your view.
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