This is my new Aston Martin V12 Vantage, in Fire Red.

I first saw it 3 months ago, in the showroom of the local Aston Martin dealer. And I immediately fell in love. I had been considering a V12 Vantage for a long time (actually, since I purchased my V8 Vantage), but this one, in this color… oh my god…

I managed to resist buying it for quite a while, but last week I gave in. It’s just too beautiful and too brutal. So now it’s mine

Some specs:

• 6.0-litre V12 engine
• 510 bhp
• 570 Nm of torque
• Top speed 190 mph (305 km/h)
• 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h): 4.2 seconds

And a couple more pics:

These pics were taken during a test drive, so it’s still on dealer plates. I will be able to pick it up in about two weeks, when Syts and I return from our trip to Dallas.
I have already reserved a parking spot, next to his little brother.

And here’s my updated Twitter background:

But this exchange left me with two convertibles, the new Aston and the Lotus Exige. Not a very logical combination of cars. In practice we always used the Aston, it’s just a more comfortable car. The Lotus was sitting in the parking lot, unused.

Another issue was that neither of these cars was very practical, in terms of luggage space. (a Porsche 911 suddenly seemed like a very practical car).

Anyway, we decided that the smart thing to do would be to trade in the Lotus for a more sensible car. A car we could use for grocery shopping. Still being a Porsche lover, I soon decided it would have to be a Cayenne. A used Cayenne S would do fine, maybe even one of the older (and cheaper) pre-facelift models.

However, browsing used Cayennes online I changed my mind. I did want the face-lift model after all, as it’s much better looking (some would say less ugly). The other thing I learned is that most Cayennes are black or silver. Not what I had in mind.

So I widened my search, to include younger occasions and also the more expensive GTS and Turbo models.
And there it was: a 2008 Cayenne GTS, in white, with 23 inch black rims.

Of course costing way more than I was planning to spend.
I started researching the difference between the S and the GTS models. The GTS is faster, sportier and has a nicer interior. 405 hp, 0-60mph in 5.7 seconds (for a car weighing 2225 kg!). Sounded right up my alley.

A test drive with the white monster truck confirmed this. I loved it, an SUV that drives like a 911! (well, almost). So I signed right away.
Three days later we could pick it up. (the big advantage of buying used cars: no delivery delays). We have been enjoying our white van for 2 months now and we still can’t help grinning ear to ear everytime we drive it

Oh… Speaking of delivery delays…. 3 weeks after I got the GTS I purchased another car, a new one. And it’s scheduled to be delivered early 2012, a 24 months delivery time! Ouch… More about that one later.

What kind of car to get next?

It took a bit longer than expected, but yesterday I could finally pick up my new car: a shiny new …

Aston Martin V8 Vantage Roadster.

Some quick pics

Why the AMV8 Roadster?

Well, as I told you before, it was a though decision. Especially when it came down to the last two. A summary of my process of elimination:

Lamborghini Gallardo
This one was the first to be eliminated. Not because it sucked hardest, but because it was at the top of my list, so I checked it out first. It didn’t win for one simple stupid reason: I didn’t fit in the car, it is too low. When the roof closed, my head didn’t fit. When open, I was looking straight at the top bar of the windshield.

Ferrari F430
Ehm… same problem here. Apparently these Italian cars are built for small Italian guys.

Ferrari California
Ah, this is better. Lots of headroom. But seeing the car IRL and up close, I was disappointed about its looks. And there was the small problem of a 24 month (!) delivery time.

Aston Martin DB9
I had high hopes for this one, because of its 6 litre V12. So I arranged for a test drive. And I didn’t like it at all. It felt too heavy, too comfy. It was fast, but it didn’t feel fast. I know that is exactly what they intended this car to be, but it’s not for me. So I tried its little brother…

Porsche 911 Turbo
This would probably have been the smartest and safest choice, because I know it will be great. And so it was the toughest one to eliminate. To be honest, I still haven’t eliminated it, not really…

So why the AMV8?
Main reason: because I was ready to try something different. And because of the looks, the sound, the interior… and did I mention the sound?
I took two different AMV8’s (an 4.3 N400 coupe and a 4.7 roadster) for a test drive and it immediately felt good. So it won

What kind of car to get next?

Before I tell you why I am looking for a new car and the possible candidates, let me tell you about my car history and my current cars.

My Car History

These are the cars I have owned in the past:

• 1987 – 1990 : Renault 4
• 1990 – 1997 : Ford Fiesta
• 2000 – 2002 : Peugeot 205
• 2003 – 2005 : Audi TT
• 2005 – 2007 : Porsche 911 Turbo (996 model)

Check out the full story of my car history (with pictures) here.

My Current Cars

These are the two cars I own at the moment:

The one on the left is my Lotus Exige, in the special Lotus color Krypton Green. I have owned it since April 2008. The black one on the right is my Porsche 911 Turbo, the 997 model. I got that one in February 2007.

Why a new car?

I still love both of the above cars. The Turbo is very fast, comfortable and suitable for every day use. The Exige is fast, noisy (in a good way) and loads of fun, especially with the top off.
In fact, Syts and I love driving with the top off so much, that we started looking for one ultimate car to replace both the Turbo and the Exige. This would have to be a convertible, as fast and comfortable as the Turbo and as much fun as the Exige (and preferably generating the same amount of noise )

The candidates

Here’s the candidates I have been looking at:

Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet (997 facelift, 2010 model)
The most logical choice, because I love the Turbo Coupe so much. The upcoming 2010 facelift model looks amazing, and is even faster than the current one.

Lamborgini Gallardo LP560 Spider
I love the extreme looks of the LP560 model.

Ferrari F430 Spider
Been around for a while, but still a great looking convertible.

Ferrari California
The new kid on the block, with a metal folding roof.

Aston Martin DB9 Volante
A classic beauty, with a 6 litre V12. Yes, this is the one the guys drive in Entourage.

Aston Martin V8 Vantage Roadster
The baby Aston, just as good looking and the best sounding car ever.

My decision

I have made my decision last week and have purchased one of the above candidates, trading in my Turbo. However, I won’t tell you which one yet
The winner is a new car and a showroom model, so no waiting list. If all goes well, I can pick it up within two weeks. I’ll post pictures as soon as possible.

Based on my car history, can you guess which one I have chosen?