I'm not sure about that. The XK8 is older. I always loved the design, apart from the rear and I still love it today. Even if times have changed several times, as you put it. The headlights in the X100 still look great today. The droopy pre-facelift X150 headlights don't. Even the facelift doesn't look as good as the X100 headlights. But at least it looks better than the pre-facelift. Just my opinion of course. But the pre-facelift X150 looks like a sad dog from the front.

 

Another Aston rip off like the Ferrari Roma

 

So every smooth lines coupe is an Aston rip-off now? Well, tell that to the 250 GTO and before that the Alfa Romeo Giulietta SZ and even the E-type, in a time when Astons were clunky things like the DB4.

Astons didn't start having the look you are implying it's being ripped off till the DB7, which was actually a Jaguar concep for the XK8. In other words, Aston is probably the last company who can claim any sort of rip off on that styling. Alfa, Ferrari, Maserati and Jaguar did it decades before. Aston was lost with things like the Buldog concept and the horrible Lagonda when they were trying to move away from their obsolete 70's design. Which they had to carry on till the mid to late 80s. The DB7 was what put them straight and that was towards the late 90's. And again an unused Jaguar design, on a old Jaguar platform, using a Jag engine.

 

If it was build in the last 15 years then most likely yes. Fine to not like Aston as a brand, but their styling cues have been base for several recent cars.

 

That's the thing. It's not THEIR style cues. They took it from others as well, like I mentioned above. The DB7 was as much of an E-type modern knock off as the XK8 and Aston has been redoing the DB7 ever since.

And if you are implying I don't like Aston you could not be more wrong. I love Astons. But credit must be given where it's due and I don't "drink the coo-laid" as they say.

But I don't dislike Astons at all. The current DBS is one of the most beautiful cars being sold today. I would rather have one than any Ferrari, Porsche or McLaren. At least in looks. Unfortunately is automatic only, like all the rest.

 

Why not buy an Vantage AMR manual then? They're being delivered to customers currently.

 

Honestly the price is too rich. Also if I would ever buy I would rather wait till they put the manual in the normal car. I'm not a fan of the AMR car style. Third is the front grill kills it. I'm hoping Aston will come to their senses and finally do the grill properly. Fourth I'm not sure I want to take the depreciation loss of buying a new Aston or any expensive car. Fifth, if this would be instead of my X150 project, although I never drove the new Vantage I'm sure the ride is not what I'm looking for. Too new. I want some of the old school feeling still. But not as old school as a 1970s car etc.

 

Hey you are spot on with your history, I know where you are coming from.
What you are looking for is the old school 70s car.
Modern manual transmissions are no match, unless you get into the Italians that know all about that 'jen ne sais quoi,

Its actually a combination of long pull in any gear, long throw and a matching exhaust note. There is a crude mechanical feedback, you can feel the gears. Italians are the only ones still practicing this art as are some custom builders. Its big money.
Modern short throw and 0-60 obsession just tries to make a manual as close to an automatic as possible. Too smooth.

But in modern traffic and 40mph speed limits in the city, while a modern trans sucks, both auto and manual, the vintage cars have become a blast to drive.
My other car is a 70s vintage and hands down its the most fun.
The last car I had which was relatively modern that had that shifting fun factor was a Maserati Biturbo. MosesBotbol had the same car.

 

But dont take it from me.
Check out the long throw on this shifter, you lose 2 seconds just between gear changes. But as Chris says "this is driving at its very best!"
"Most enjoyable car I have ever driven" and he has driven them all.

 

Interesting observation about the shifter. Yes! Although I'm not sure I want the rest of the driving experience of a 70's car. Maybe 90's is the sweet spot? Some of the old school feeling, gearboxes are still not as bad as modern but not as old of a ride all together as a 70's car?

By the way, when you say the Italians are the only ones still doing it, which current on sale Italian car are you talking about? They are either all DCT like the Maseratis and Ferraris or FWD, which cuts a bit of the fun.

 

A dog leg ZF at that! No power steering too.

I don't mind some of the modern manuals. Ford GT350 is really precise with an easy Civic style clutch. Makes it way too dangerous throw the power down; 130 on the on ramp no problem. Porsche 991 7 speed is fun. A real "on-off" clutch but the hill assist works like a charm. Lotus Evora 400 has really precise shifter, shifter height & feel, pedal positions are all so perfect. A manual for a manual driver! I haven't driven, but a friend just got a AM V12S manual 7 speed and he's in love. He traded in a Porsche GT3 and V8 Vantage for it.

 

I was in a car museum last week with a forum member.
We saw a Evora already part of a museum collection!
There's a future classic for you. I really wanted one seeing it there- it held its own against all other cars.

To answer MikeV8's question about a sweetspot. Is it in a 90's car.
No, the only way to get a sweetspot is to spend a fortune improving the handling of a vintage. A mini with a hayabusa would be the cheapest way.
Its the reason an XK wont be a classic.

 

No kidding! Which museum? Have you driven an Evora? There is no other car in its relative price range that connects the driver to the car like that. You feel like Hamilton, Senna, fill in the blank when driving that car. Such a fantastic sensation being in an Evora. The 400 is even better! Who cares if the door sills and back seat are velcro'd in place. It works and does not rattle, lol.

 

I will send you some pics after I download them from my phone. You need to see the visuals.
They had everything legendary from Tatras to F1 cars, even Lotus Bicycles. In this thread we were talking about the bug, they had like the second one the old man himself made. And among all that fame was a proud Evora front and center.

Before buying the XKR, I considered the Evora, and guess the reason I rejected the Lotus. The XK was better suited at being an executive car. And since then, people these days dont even wear a suit to a funeral.
But the XKR was a proper car, in that it was not made from parts of another car and with the latest engine. Even more modern than AM.