Five-Point Inspection: 2013 Aston Martin V8 Vantage S Roadster

In the rarefied world of exotic automobiles there’s something for just about everyone, so long as their wallets are sufficiently engorged. For customers that wish to be smothered in comfort and morally objectionable amounts of luxury Rolls-Royce offers a host of suitable automobiles that will surely exceed their needs. If someone wishes to attract attention a brightly colored Lamborghini is hard to beat; they’re unsurpassed when it comes to ego-fluffing. And of course for eccentric drivers interested in something completely off the wall there’s the Koenigsegg CCX. Lady Gaga, your car is ready.

Boutique British brand Aston Martin falls somewhere between these extremes. Their products are opulent but sporty, outrageous looking yet tastefully designed, special without being completely obscure. They’re James Bond’s top pick and a fine choice for anyone lusting after something exceptional.

Aside from the laughable Toyota-based Cygnet city car the V8 Vantage Coupe is Aston Martin’s entry-level offering. With two seats, two doors and rear-wheel drive it has all the ingredients of a true performance machine. However, the S model is a step up from there, and the Roadster is yet another rung up the ladder. This dramatic drop-top is an extraordinary car and the subject of today’s AutoGuide Five-Point Inspection.

Helping bolster its incredible performance and justify its supercar price the Roadster’s body is constructed of a lightweight cocktail of materials including aluminum, magnesium, composite and steel. There are more ingredients here than spices in a good curry. And just like that flavorful Indian dish this Aston is delectable.

Further dressing up the car’s interior is piano black trim on the center stack and elsewhere, plus there’s some artful stitching on the door panels. Uniquely, the ignition slot is located high on the dashboard, a place where it’s nearly impossible to spill your Slurpee.

There’s a lot more to like about this Aston Martin’s cabin, including firm, sporty seats and premium materials but there are a couple downsides. Some of the secondary controls look a little chintzy and so do the digital readouts. But worst of all some of the stitching on the dashboard was actually crooked, and not just a little bit, it was seriously wayward, probably like the incisors of the British craftspeople that assembled it.

Without a truly great engine you can’t have a truly great car. Would the McLaren MP4-12C be as awe inspiring if it were hauled around by a wheezing three-cylinder powerplant? No, of course it wouldn’t. The V8 Vantage S Roadster is exactly the same. Under its long, shapely bonnet rests a powerful 4.7-litre engine that delivers 430 brake horsepower at a vigorous 7,300 rpm. Torque tops out at 361 lb-ft at a more reasonable 5,000 revolutions per minute. Looking at the stats this is clearly an engine that loves to run; it’s got enough kibbles and bits for a top speed of 190 miles an hour, a terrifying (or perhaps exhilarating) figure for a drop-top car.

SEE ALSO: 2013 McLaren MP4-12C Review

Drivers have a choice of transmission, either a classic six-speed stick or a seven-speed “Sportshift II” automated manual – which is a bit rough around the edges. If you’re going to buy a Vantage do us all a favor and get one with three pedals; like abstaining from alcohol during pregnancy, it’s the right thing to do.

The shifter controlling the car’s six-speed manual transmission is perfect for rummaging through the gears. In hand it feels sturdy, like a bolt-action rifle. Driving the Vantage is almost magical, the road ahead becomes a shooting range, tunnels transform into gun barrels and the gas tank morphs into a magazine full of ammunition. Like Superman, it feels like a speeding bullet.

Unfortunately it nearly takes a man of steel to operate the clutch. Its weighting is surprisingly heavy, though not brutally so. The engagement point is also a bit unexpected; it’s high in the pedal’s travel range, which can make driving the car smoothly a little bit challenging until you get a feel for how it responds.