Aston Martin Vantage

4.0 Liter Twin Turbo V8

503 HP

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Guy who did stuff: Yousef Alvi

Aston Martin.  That name invokes one of two thoughts in a person’s mind. It either provokes images of power, wealth and influence or it invokes images of James Bond. Which to be honest…is one in the same because this storied brand is now forever tied into that character. Never before in history has product placement been so perfectly matched. It’s simple really… everything that makes James Bond who he is…makes an Aston Martin what it is.  

—Looks

—Desire

—Brutality

—Grace

—Passion

Those characteristics are ingrained into every Aston Martin vehicle from their inception.  An Aston is a car like no other…there are similarities but none have the combination of qualities that equal to an Aston Martin.

Sure you can compare this Vantage to a Porsche 911 and you can compare James Bond to Jason Bourne…but can you really? Just because they both operate in the same relative sphere doesn’t mean they are appropriate equals.

A Porsche 911 is a driving instrument, it’s a scalpel meant to surgically attack any and all roads. This Aston Martin Vantage on the other hand is meant to make it’s driver feel like they are alive. It’s meant to invoke feelings of elation and desire…all while riding on a tsunami of sound.

Both of have their place and both have their buyers. No one is better than the other but  I know which one I would choose.

I would choose this Vantage.

Just walking up to the Vantage evokes a spike in dopamine….you just instantly feel better.  About everything.  Your self image, your looks, your weight…all of that gets a boost of happy neurochemicals rushing through your brain.

Then you start the engine.  The dopamine gets washed out with with adrenaline.  This AMG 4.0 Liter V8 will go down in history as one of the best engines ever made.  It idles like a cam’d out big block Chevy (in every good way every imaginable)…but squeeze your right foot down and the noise is just explosive! 

Then point it’s sculpted nose toward some corners and she can dance.  Steering the front end with the throttle and feeling that mechanical grip is nothing short of a fully immersive experience.  The Aston is at your command.  

There is another reason I choose this Aston Martin…and it’s personal:

Look at the below image.  This is me in 1st grade.  

This socially awkward, skinny, lonely kid…wasn’t your stereotypical Indian kid.  He wasn’t good at math.  He wasn’t good at science.  He wasn’t really good at anything academic, physical or otherwise.  

There was something he excelled at…that was cars. He loved reading about them, drawing them, watching them and dreaming about them.  

He went through every car magazine like it was food.  Road & Track, MotorTrend, Car and Driver…the lot. Everytime an Aston Martin graced itself on a page…he took a momentary gasp. They were gorgeous specimens to behold and peering through his thick lenses…they captured his imagination.

They also motivated him. He knew what he wanted to do.  He wanted to write those words that have captured is young mind. He wanted to take those pictures that captivated his gaze. He wanted to live that dream.

Of course that is a ludicrous thing for a 8 year Indian kid to dream about.  He is supposed to be this…he is supposed to dream of being that. 

He is supposed to be sensible, pragmatic and not a dreamer.

Well…screw that.

That awkward 8 year old kid is now me.  ‘Me’ has worked his ass off for this moment.  He has persisted, stood steadfast and faced numerous ridicules over his goals. All of the ‘no’ and the ‘you can’t do that’ were mental ammunition to be shot toward his goal.

Well you did it….this is for that 8 year kid. This is for that 8 year old kid in all of us.

I leave you with this from Vice President Kamala Harris: