Road test: 2015 Aston Martin V8 Vantage N430 - The National
For many years now, I’ve been fighting Aston Martin’s corner. I’ve been guilty of cutting the cars too much slack, for forgiving them things others might not get away with, simply because my heart can’t help but influence my head with Astons. Some modern Astons have been utterly brilliant – the DBS still ranks as one of my very favourite cars. The same can be said of the V8 Vantage, the DB9 and the Rapide – all charming and brilliant in their own ways – but the latest baby Aston, the Vantage N430, is one I’ll never hanker to be inside ever again. As a more focused, aggressive and sporting version of Aston Martin’s most playful model, it should all come together to form a car that I’d look for any excuse to drive. Instead, I find myself looking for any excuse to get out of it. And that’s never happened to me before with an Aston Martin. “Yes, but it’s an ASTON MARTIN,” I hear you silently shouting. Given a traditional six-speed manual, I might be singing its praises, but with this agricultural self-shifter, praise is the farthest thing from my mind. Forget the colour schemes (they tie in with Aston’s racing history) – although the battleship grey of the leather interior with my test car is fairly off-putting – as these. Source: www.thenational.ae
