British auto manufacturer Aston Martin certainly knows its way around sleek, sexy sport cars. It's amazing to enthusiasts how the company can combine such power and grit with British refinement, but somehow Aston Martin manages to make it happen. The brand was originally known in racing circles for its prowess on the tracks, but eventually Aston Martin vehicles made their way to regular city streets and country highways. The company has always been known for its coupe, models in particular, w... (full review continues below)
British auto manufacturer Aston Martin certainly knows its way around sleek, sexy sport cars. It's amazing to enthusiasts how the company can combine such power and grit with British refinement, but somehow Aston Martin manages to make it happen. The brand was originally known in racing circles for its prowess on the tracks, but eventually Aston Martin vehicles made their way to regular city streets and country highways. The company has always been known for its coupe, models in particular, with one of the most famous being the Aston Martin DB5 in the 1960s. This vehicle was featured in the iconic James Bond: Golfinger movie, which earned the brand even greater global recognition than it already enjoyed.
The current Aston Martin coupe lineup includes several different vehicles. One of these is the V8 Vantage S Coupe, which starts around $140,000. This Coupe is an upgraded version of the Aston Martin V8 Vantage sedan, and is aimed towards such competitors as Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Porsche. A true sports car, the Vantage is full of British charm and elegance, and it also features 420 horsepower capability. Standard features include a sporty, adjustable driver's seat, 19-inch wheels, a 6-CD changer, automatic climate control, xenon headlights, automatic climate control, an iPod-compatible interface, and a navigation system. The less-sporty, but still luxurious V8 Vantage Coupe is more refined in aesthetic appearance, but it doesn't skimp on its power options, either.
For those drivers desiring more power from their ride, the Aston Martin V12 Vantage S is a simple antidote. This luxury sport coupe contains just about as much interior and exterior luxury as one could possibly fathom; in short, it's quite extravagant. The V12 Vantage features a 6.0-liter engine and produces a whopping 510 horsepower and 420 lb.-ft. of torque. All of the vehicle's power comes from rear-mounted six-speed manual gearbox, which sends muscle straight to the back wheels. The base V12 Vantage coupe starts at $181,345, and its upgraded Carbon Black variant comes in at $196,345.
Another current Aston Martin coupe model is the 2012 Aston Martin Virage, which has a starting price of $211,610 - $227,110, which features fabulous leather upholstery and a powerful V-12 engine. The Virage was first introduced in 2004, but it has encountered serious upgrades since then, especially for the 2012 model year. The 2012 Aston Martin DB9 Coupe is very similar to the heavy, long Virage in terms of style and features.
The 2012 Aston Martin Rapide is one of the most successful sedan-to-coupe changes in automotive history. The Rapide starts at $212,110. It offers a V-12 engine and is based on Aston Martin's DB9 model. Three other coupe models are also currently available from Aston Martin. These include the Aston Martin One-77 (which has a starting price of almost $2 million), the V12 Zagato, which is a sporty tribute to Aston Martin's partnership with the Zagato brand, and the sporty Aston Martin DBS Coupe, which has a starting price of $280,576 - $301,102, which is much like the DB9-with an extra dose of power thrown in the mix.