Aston Martin — The Affordable Supercar
When a reviewer suggests that a two-seat car that retails north of $100,000 is affordable, that notion may be lost on more than a few readers. But if you consider that the new Vantage V8 delivers as much curb appeal and usable performance as its pricier DB9 and Vanquish siblings for mere Maserati money, it’s quite affordable in my book.
It’s ironic that today Aston Martin is a financial bright light in Ford Motor Company’s otherwise dark room. For most of its history, the British sports car firm labored with losses while it continued to build precious few of its interesting GT cars. Two events occurred to change that dynamic: Ford bought the company and added development money, and Ulrich Bez was retained as CEO to spend that money on sexy new cars. Bez, who helped Porsche with its 911, Turbo Carrera, and racing program, has delivered the goods.
My last test of an Aston Martin was the DB7 Volant. That model shared its platform with Jaguar’s XK and offered little more than 12 cylinders and a traditional DB grille to separate it from its less-expensive cousin. Today’s Aston Martins are not only unique, they’re fully capable of doing battle with their lofty competition and winning, on the track as well as the valet parking derby.
Fellow light aircraft and racing enthusiasts will enjoy Aston Martin’s cockpit. The precision gauges are strategically placed for easy viewing and tilted so that top engine and car speed are obtained when the needles point straight up. Even the marketing team gets in a plug. Every time you start the engine, a logo appears along with the slogan, "Power, Beauty and Soul."
As is now found in a number of cars, a big push-to-start button gets the 4.3-liter V8 to wake up and growl. The button may be copied by many, including Prius, but the engine it starts is designed for thrust. The alloy 4-cam V8 may owe its basic architecture to Jaguar’s motor, but it’s built by Aston Martin to extract 380 horses without supercharging and rev above 7,000 rpm with ease.
On the other hand, the V8 is hardly a model of efficiency, delivering mileage numbers that incur a $2,600 guzzler penalty from the feds, but it’s sure fun to drive between fill-ups. And the six-speed gearbox has ratios that are spaced just right to take full advantage of the modest torque.
Along with the skill to build a great sports car, Bez seems to have brought Porsche’s pricing philosophy along for a ride. Our test car had a number of options that might raise a buyer’s eyebrow. The stylish red brake calipers are $450. My Scottish instincts would have me reach for a jack and a can of paint. And even cruise control, a ubiquitous item on most cars, was another $450. I suppose one could get into a money funk about these trivial items, but one quick trip down a winding road or just looking at this car in your driveway, and all is forgiven. After all, you only live twice. — Brian Douglas
Specifications
Type: Front engine, rear wheel drive
Engine: 4.3 liter, DOHC-V8
Horsepower: 380 @ 7,300 rpm
Torque: 302 foot-pounds @ 5,000 rpm
Base Price: $107,400
As Tested: $126,490
Fuel Economy: 13 city/19 hwy
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Buick Invitational
It’s time for the San Diego stop of the PGA Tour again, The Buick Invitational, this January 22-28 at Torrey Pines. All Tour players have until Friday before the event to officially commit, but you can count on seeing some of the world’s best players go head-to-head with Tiger Woods. Last year he defeated two-time Masters champion Jose Maria Olazabal and Australian rookie Nathan Green, becoming the first player to win the tournament four times (1999, 2003, 2005, and 2006). Phil Mickelson, riding high from his 2006 Masters win, should be in attendance, promising a suspenseful competition. The Monday practice rounds and Sycuan Resort Pro-Am are free; Tuesday tickets are $15; the rest of the week runs $19 per day. Individual tickets and passes can be purchased online. (858/535-4500, www.buickinvitational.com)
— Paul Stuart
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Taste The World At Pebble Beach
Californians are spoiled when it comes to food and wine, and it’s about to get even more delicious. Starting this month, Pebble Beach Resorts presents Food & Wine Weekends — three weekends of exploring the world’s most celebrated wines and cuisines. California Dreaming, a Taste of Napa Valley (January 19-21) presents wines from Screaming Eagle, Shafer Vineyards, Harlen Estate, and Far Niente. Tuscany Treats, a Taste of Italy (February 2-4) features Antinori Estate’s Piero Antinori, one of Italy’s most esteemed winemakers, and legendary ambassador of Italian wines. Grand Dining on the Seine, a Taste of France (March 9-11) brings you Domaine Dujac, Chateau Lafite Rothschild, Chateau Mouton Rothschild, Chapouttier, Krug Champagne, Pavillon Blanc, and La Tour Vielles Banyuls, as well as panel tastings of Dom Perignon and Domaine de Romancee Conti. Luxury accommodations, gourmet meals, and top winemakers pouring their finest make Pebble Beach Food & Wine Weekends a true indulgence. Single occupancy prices range from $1,735-$2,435; double occupancy $2,850-$3,750. Fees include two nights stay and all food and wine. (866/226-5442, www.pebblebeach.com)
— JJ Hall
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There’s so much ice floating around the gadget world this New Year one might think the planet has frozen over. But then I’m referring to a different kind of ice: diamonds. As technology takes further steps into the realm of fashion design, this year’s gadgets are all about sparkle.
Nokia Sirocco Diamond cellphone
Diamond Dialing
Sayn Design was smitten with Nokia’s Aston Martin 8800 cell phone and decided to give the model a touch of its own. Limited to only 1,000 engraved, numbered copies, the Sirocco Diamond edition Nokia comes encased in gold with five Top Wesselton SI high quality diamonds adorning the back. And for additional flare, the company will engrave your name or family crest on the back, as well. The typical bells and whistles come installed, such as a 2-megapixel camera, video and music player, messaging capabilities, and Web access programs with blue tooth specifications. It comes packaged in a refined maple wood box with a matching gold base charger. A similar model, the Gold Edition, comes without the diamonds, but what fun is that? Pick it up on the company’s Web site (which also sells via eBay) for $3,450. (www.sayndesign.com)
Mii Store diamond flashdrive
Flashy Drive
How much is your data worth? Well, if you save it onto this diamond-encrusted platinum flash drive from Mii Store, it’s at least worth $19,000. Adorned with 350 white diamonds (hand placed by the good folks of Hatton Gardens in the U.K.), the drive comes with four gigs of memory and software applications by Sandisk. It works with both Mac and PC formats and has an interchangeable memory stick in case you want to replace it later with a stick of higher memory. The platinum chain helps it double as a serious piece of high-tech jewelry. (www.stor-data.com)
Otazu Ego Diamond laptop
In The Laptop Of Luxury
If diamonds are a girl’s best friend, then a diamond laptop is a girl’s best gadget. Designed to look like a purse, the Otazu Ego Diamond laptop from Ego comes with 470 stones set into the company’s white gold logo (a 350-stone version is also available). What’s more, the skin of the laptop is removable, so you can customize it for different events or wardrobes. Seen here is the leather skin; other options include printed suede and painted plastic. If there’s a skin you want but don’t see, Ego Lifestyle will custom make it for you. On top of that, Ego will design the diamond version specifically to buyers’ tastes, including custom etchings. Specs include a 12.1-inch LCD WXGA widescreen display and an 80-gig hard drive with Turion processor. But really, who cares about typing on it when you can match it to your shoes. It’s available for order through Barneys in the states, or you can order it direct through the company’s Web site. It’ll run you around $350,000. (www.ego-lifestyle.com)
— Ryan Thomas
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