If There Is One Thing Worse Than Not Having The Money...

[reddiesel]

https://astonmartinworks.com/pre-owned/aston-marti...


Then its having the money but with better uses for it . I have been across to look at this 3 times since Sunday , in fact it reminded me of the excitement I used to feel as a kid when I looked at an E Type . Its a sad indictment on JLR that they no longer produce soul stirring cars such as this one . 2005 and the introduction of the X150 was probably the last ?

[Crumpet]

Isn’t that the Mercedes engine in the Aston? The F-Type SVR has a far more interesting engine than that - one of the greatest, in fact. Don’t get me wrong, I’d probably take the Aston for the badge but JLR still make cars with a soul; there’s something about them that the Germans don’t have.

Edit: Just seen you have an F-Type SVR, so you know! Surprised you find it soulless!

[reddiesel]

Crumpet said:

Isn’t that the Mercedes engine in the Aston? The F-Type SVR has a far more interesting engine than that - one of the greatest, in fact. Don’t get me wrong, I’d probably take the Aston for the badge but JLR still make cars with a soul; there’s something about them that the Germans don’t have.

Edit: Just seen you have an F-Type SVR, so you know! Surprised you find it soulless!

Mercedes in the V8 and Aston in the V12 I believe . I remember reading an article about the F Type , it said the two best days are the one when you buy it and the other when you get rid and I think thats pretty much spot on . The Journalist in this case went back to Porsche .

[reddiesel]

https://driventowrite.com/2022/02/01/missing-the-m...

Here it is.......enjoy

[Simpo Two]

Crumpet said:

JLR still make cars with a soul; there’s something about them that the Germans don’t have.

I'm not sure any of the current JLR offerings have a soul. Is it The Leaper that's adding an illusion of soul?

[fatboy b]

Aston stopped making soulful cars after this beauty.

[fatboy b]

reddiesel said:

I remember reading an article about the F Type , it said the two best days are the one when you buy it and the other when you get rid and I think thats pretty much spot on.

So explain why you think f-type jags are soulless, but you still bought 2?

[Simpo Two]

fatboy b said:

Aston stopped making soulful cars after this beauty.

If soulful means hand-built, fair enough! Astons are more 'hand assembled'.

Of all the new cars available today, what is the most soulful? An Eagle Speedster would go straight into my fantasy garage.

[Crumpet]

Simpo Two said:

I'm not sure any of the current JLR offerings have a soul. Is it The Leaper that's adding an illusion of soul?

Is it not the romance of the Aston badge that’s giving soul to the Vantage? It’s not the V8 in it, that’s for sure. The V12…..yes, that’ll do it.

I’m still young(ish) so have no ‘glory days’ to hark back to, so the Leaper is just another logo to me! Although I did grow up idolising the XJ220, mainly because of the XJ220 Turbo Challenge on the Amiga!

Anyway, ‘soul’ is entirely subjective but for me a perfect, clinical car can’t have a soul. It has to have flaws - something JLRs manage to have in abundance! But the supercharged V8 brings anything to life. It’s epic! Maybe I’m using soul as a synonym for character. I think JLR cars have character, the big ones at least. There’s just something about them (and after my stty D5 I swore I would never have another, but here I am…..with a Jag…..and a Defender on order).

What does have a soul these days? My D4…..that had soul.

[Crumpet]

Simpo Two said:

Of all the new cars available today, what is the most soulful? An Eagle Speedster would go straight into my fantasy garage.

Singer make desirable cars. I imagine they have ‘soul’. But then they’re not really a new car. And it’s weird because I can’t imagine ever saying an old 911 has soul.

[remedy]

fatboy b said:

Aston stopped making soulful cars after this beauty.

That is stunning.

A UK muscle car that would surpass a Dodge or US Ford, and one that can easily pass for Max Rockatansky's ride at the same time.

[reddiesel]

fatboy b said:

Aston stopped making soulful cars after this beauty.

You obviously havent owned any or you wouldn't be talking such nonsense .

https://astonmartins.com/car/v8-vantage-v550/

Here is one , the last Newport Pagnell built Vanquish is another .

Edited by reddiesel on Friday 20th May 05:51

[Stuart70]

fatboy b said:

Aston stopped making soulful cars after this beauty.

Respectfully disagree. But I love that Vantage too.

[reddiesel]

fatboy b said:

So explain why you think f-type jags are soulless, but you still bought 2?

I think its largely down to the driving experience in that for the money paid they simply dont feel special enough . Cheaply finished inside and too heavy , I concede that in a proper colour it looks good and that everything , depending on the spec is there that you would need . I dont think anything mass produced can compare to the feel of a bespoke Product . I avoided the Vantage simply because of the Mercedes Engine and I am wondering now if I did the right thing especially as Aston will shortly resume Production of their own V8 engine . Will this be any better or more reliable than the Mercedes unit I dont know . Do the majority of people care about such things as engines , I suspect probably not . It was the same when Ford bought Jaguar and indeed Aston Martin , purists moaned about the Transit Ignition in the X350 and Ford parts in the DB9 did they detract from the overall product and who listens to purists anyway ? I consider I bought two different cars in the V8 R and the SVR , Jaguar obviously felt likewise or they wouldn't have produced the latter
Perhaps its that allure to any proper Englishman of the Aston name , a bit like Ferrari to the Italian . Two brands that aren't really comparable but perhaps appealing to two definitive sets of national Characteristics .

[Funky Squirrel]

I wonder if the f type had been released with only v8 or S/C v8 if it would have felt more special.

[piquet]

It is interesting how the brands are viewed, for me the james bond link ruins aston martin. If i was looking to spend that kind of money i'd want the new bentley continental which has that good looking brute in a sharp suit thing better then the vantage, but that's just me.

I have an f-type svr, adore it, absolutely adore it. I also have a 3.8 e-type and love the comparison.

Most of my miles i do in a x351 long wheel base autobiography which on the motor way just oozes along, i did look at buying another car for better fuel economy on long distance, but once i escaped from the man maths, doing the miles in the xj made more sense in absolutely comfort. I also use the back seat as a mobile office.

I never quite get what people mean by soul when it comes to cars, they have character and the characters can be very different, i collect watches and they have character but never soul.

Every car i have ever had i've had better days then either when i bought them or sold them, but then that could just be me, i waste money on them because for my the extra hourly burn rate of money is worth it.

[jamieduff1981]

Funky Squirrel said:

I wonder if the f type had been released with only v8 or S/C v8 if it would have felt more special.

I suspect so. The 3.0 V6 was a downmarket engine but at least still made good noises and had reasonable go. Putting that stupid little 4-banger in the F-Type absolutely flatlined any interest I ever had in owning an F-Type - and that was from a position of intending to buy one before that happened.

[carte blanche]

jamieduff1981 said:

Putting that stupid little 4-banger in the F-Type absolutely flatlined any interest I ever had in owning an F-Type - and that was from a position of intending to buy one before that happened.

Out of interest, why do you feel this way (genuine question, not trying to start an argument)? I can understand not wanting the four-cylinder but I don't see why it would detract from the appeal of the larger engined models. I think it's a good thing that Jaguar offer a range of engine options in the F-Type so buyers can choose what suits them best - if somebody just wants a nice-looking car and is happy with the four pot then why not sell them one?

[reddiesel]

Funky Squirrel said:

I wonder if the f type had been released with only v8 or S/C v8 if it would have felt more special.

I look at the new ones and for me they have completely destroyed the car with absolutely pointless plastic add ons , the completely stupid reversed bonnet vents on the V8 R , the lumps of plastic on the front bumper . Jaguar of course have plenty of previous for this sort of behaviour , the X150 frontal aspect for example . I suspect in SVR form and possibly lightened further the one Model would probably have been enough , Convertible and Coupe . It certainly would have retained its allure .

[reddiesel]

piquet said:

It is interesting how the brands are viewed, for me the james bond link ruins aston martin. If i was looking to spend that kind of money i'd want the new bentley continental which has that good looking brute in a sharp suit thing better then the vantage, but that's just me.

I have an f-type svr, adore it, absolutely adore it. I also have a 3.8 e-type and love the comparison.

Most of my miles i do in a x351 long wheel base autobiography which on the motor way just oozes along, i did look at buying another car for better fuel economy on long distance, but once i escaped from the man maths, doing the miles in the xj made more sense in absolutely comfort. I also use the back seat as a mobile office.

I never quite get what people mean by soul when it comes to cars, they have character and the characters can be very different, i collect watches and they have character but never soul.

Every car i have ever had i've had better days then either when i bought them or sold them, but then that could just be me, i waste money on them because for my the extra hourly burn rate of money is worth it.

Interesting you mention the James Bond link , its hard to believe that this has any relevance today when it comes to your typical buyer . I tend to see Astons as an aspirational British Product like a good Saville Row Suit or Northamptonshire Shoes . Jaguar have totally exited that market and so after the SVR where do you go ?