Aston's finely honed and fun roadster
Aston Martin's limited edition Vantage N420 may be £8k more than the standard Vantage, but it's worth every penny.
The Aston Martin Vantage has never had trouble upstaging its bigger, DB9-based brothers, says Andrew Frankel in The Sunday Times. "The V8 version is cheaper and more fun to drive, while the V12 Vantage is just as quick." The smaller Aston has always been the better one.
The latest model is the N420 "a version of the standard car that has been lightly worked over with the aim of sharpening up the driving experience". It will also cost you £8,000 more but "it's worth every penny". It is a "finely honed road car that would acquit itself well at a track day" and is "a ball" to drive.
The ride is never less than firm, says Richard Meaden in AutoExpress, and on bad surfaces it "can be pretty punishing". But this doesn't spoil the fun much. The car "really comes into its own on fast, swoopy A and B-roads, where you can revel in its predictable balance, exploitable handling and that exuberant soundtrack". The 4.7-litre V8 engine may not be "as free-revving as a Porsche 911's flat-six, but what it lacks in top-end zing it works hard to compensate for with meaty reserves of mid-range response".
Subscribe to MoneyWeek
Subscribe to MoneyWeek today and get your first six magazine issues absolutely FREE
Sign up to Money Morning
Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter
Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter
The N420 is no full-blown Porsche 911 GT3 rival, says Matt Prior in Autocar. What it is, though, "is a worthily more focused and more entertaining car than the regular V8 Vantage, at an acceptable premium".
Price: £96,995.
-
FTSE 100 hits record highs – why is it rising and will we see more gains?
Advice UK equities have been described as unloved for a long time but as the FTSE 100 hits new highs, we explain if now is the time to buy British.
By Marc Shoffman Published
-
How to invest in copper
It may be time to invest in copper as the red metal appears poised for a big jump. Dominic Frisby looks at what should investors should buy
By Dominic Frisby Published