Aston Martin V8 Vantage

Aston Martin V8 Vantage

The Aston Martin V8 Vantage is a two door, two seater sports car full of luxury, available in two trims, the V8 Vantage Coupe and the V8 Vantage Roadster (convertible) with power cloth soft top. The V8 Vantage Roadster’s power-operated cloth soft top can be lowered in 18 seconds.

Standard equipment in the Aston Martin V8 Vantage includes xenon headlights, 19-inch wheels, eight-way power seats, automatic climate control, a limited-slip differential, rear parking sensors, power lumbar adjustment, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, a battery deactivation switch and an audio system with a six-CD changer and an iPod/USB audio interface. The V8 Vantage Roadster adds a power soft top.

Other optional features includes memory functions, cruise control, heated seats, satellite radio, a wind deflector for the convertible, a navigation system, front parking sensors and a pair of upgraded sound systems.


The Sport Pack adds lightweight forged-aluminum wheels and revised springs, dampers and antiroll bars. Custom paint colors and leather are also available.

Standard safety features in the V8 Vantage includes traction and stability control, antilock disc brakes with brake assist, rear parking sensors and side airbags. The V8 Vantage Roadster adds pop-up roll bars and optional front parking sensors.

Every Aston Martin V8 Vantage is equiped with a 4.7liter V8 producing 420horsepower and 346 lb-ft of torque. A six-speed manual transmission is standard and a six-speed automatic with shift paddles is optional.

BMW 335i

BMW 335i

For the 2009 model year, the BMW 3-series sedan and wagon received a minor face lift that included new front and rear lights and a modified trunklid, grille, and front bumper. Inside, the car received the latest version of iDrive and some improved materials. These changes have now been carried over to the coupe (taillight pictured below) and convertible models for the 2011 model year.

BMW has made two other, more significant changes to the 3-series lineup for 2011, introducing the sportier 320-hp 335is and adopting a new 3.0-liter turbocharged engine in all 335i models except the 335is. Called the N55, this inline six-cylinder engine uses a single, twin-scroll turbocharger, as opposed to the twin-turbocharged N54 engine that still powers the 335is. (To confuse things, BMW dubs the new engine TwinPower in reference to the turbo’s twin-scroll design.) BMW has said it is holding off on producing higher-output versions of the brand-new N55 because it has confidence in the durability of the N54 to raise the boost for more horsepower.