First off, your humble servant isnot James Bond. that's no Jaeger-le coultrereverso (the watch from which the V8 Vantageroadster draws its design inspiration) on the left wrist. there's no defibrillator in theglovebox. the drive isn't along the scorchedearthlandscape of iceland or to casinoroyale (though provence's twisty roads toMount Ventoux are no slouch).

The Aston Martin V8 Vantage roadstermost certainly isn't any manner of ford Motorcompany product nor a jazzed-up Jag orporsche 911. You slice the iconic top offa 911, even if you're porsche, and the carlooks like an aftermarket conversion. whenAston slices the lid off the V8 Vantage, youget something that looks like its own piece of art. it's as masculine looking as the coupe(though a couple hundred pounds heavier),the lines enhanced without the fastback roof,making this roadster look equally at homecruising Beverly hills or Miami Beach.

In fact, the roadster has one clearadvantage over the coupe: its soundtrack.no need for a high-end hi-fi in the dash;the raspy woofle! of the exhaust fills yourears with stereophonic sound when you'velowered the top. At speed and especiallywhen exhaust-note-strafing a stone or cementwall alongside a two-lane in provence, theroadster's 380-horsepower 4.3 rumbleslike a musclecar V-8 with whine added fora British accent. You'll work the gear changeextra hard just to make your own music.

Speaking of gear changes, the three-pedalsix-speed manual rules. Most Americans willchoose the automated manual six-speed, withpaddle shifters affixed to the column, justas more Americans will take the roadsterover the coupe. Aston's automated manualis better than BMw's sequential manualgearbox, but it's not as good as Audi's dsg.even with this tranny's built-in downshiftthrottle blips, it's not as smooth or as satisfyingas when you row your own. the traditional sixspeedmanual is one of the best gearboxesextant. the clutch takeup is smooth and even,the gearshift smooth and positive.
No complaints about the engine or chassis,either. the V-8 actually feels stronger thanits 302 pound-feet would indicate. with eithergearbox, it pulls hard even in uppergears and gives you the confidence to fillany traffic hole with quick application ofthe right foot. All road imperfections makethemselves known through the seat of yourpants, and that translates into high corneringability, but the chassis is at the same timesilky smooth and rock steady. it informs youof the imperfections without making youuncomfortable. steering is inspiring andquick, yet light to the touch. the roadsteris as tactile as the Alcantara placed insidethe interior door pulls. top up or down, thecar is quiet until you lay into the V-8. Youcan keep wind roar to a minimum with thetop down and the windblocker in place.doing the nerdy thing and winding up thewindows helps.

Biggest complaints concern the interior.it's snug for larger passengers. the bottomof the super-rakish A-pillar results in a frontblind spot at intersections. the center stackis busy with buttons, making it hard to find such rudimentary items as the tripmeterreset. And, really now, a $127,000 car shouldhave automatic-up power windows.dynamically, the only problem is that thefront end feels just a slight bit light at speedon certain surfaces. designers chose notto clutter the Vantage's muscular, tightlywrapped sheetmetal with a splitter underthe nose. form versus function.

Our impressions about the ride, handling,and steering read more or less the way Astonceo and chairman Ulrich Bez describes theVantage roadster. You endeavor to maintaina journalist's skepticism, yet when the manwho's been reinventing the company since2000 tells you what the car's like and you goout and drive the thing, and it turns out thatis what the car's like, you have to admit thatBez is a pretty smart guy.

It's easier to argue when Bez says Astonhas no peers; that it's in a class all its own.with the Vantage, dB9, Vanquish, and, comingbefore the end of the decade, the rapide four door, Aston Martin fits in price somewherebetween porsche and ferrari, and mostpeople in this price range won't make adecision based on the 911's cheaper price.rich buyers benefit because they have thechoice of a number of distinct brands inthis ballpark, from upper-end Mercedesand BMws to Bentleys, the porsches, andthe "entry" ferraris. choosing the AstonVantage is choosing the elegance of rich,harmonious materials nicely arranged toproduce a relaxed luxury, but with feel andperformance and low-speed ease of drivingrivaling the more businesslike porsches.it's a car for those who know how to wear aBrioni suit. throw in a sense of style that afew years ago was known as "cool Britannia,"and you have a lineup far removed fromthe aging product that defined Aston fromthe time between 007's dB5 (or maybe afew years later, when roger Moore droveone in "the persuaders") to the day Beztook over.

You might also dispute Bez's argument thatthere are virtually no Jaguar parts in the car.the 4.3 V-8 has the same cylinder spacingas Jag's 4.3 V-8, but Aston casts its own block,Bez counters. Again, the proof is in the drive.Any Jaguar underneath the Vantage's bodyhas been tightened or beaten into shape.there's none of the XK8's flaccidness, androadster cowl shake is almost imperceptible.this is a tactile, aluminum billet, one with afierce smile for a grille—nothing that wouldbe mistaken for a taurus.

In this new automotive world order inwhich it seems that even small automakersmight be able to thrive independently, theconsortium of prodrive's david richards,Kuwaiti money, and texas Aston collectorJohn sinders has brought the independentBritish car industry back from the grave.the Vantage is prime proof in coupe orroadster form. pAg's Aston is dead; longlive Aston Martin.