2008 Best Car Series: Aston Martin DB9 vs Alfa Romeo 8C

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Brit vs Italian: Who Shall Win?

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  • Poll closed .
YSSMAN

YSSMAN

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We've chosen the winners, and now we've gotta start narrowing the list down. The first of what will likely be eight epic battles, we see one of the British winners facing off with another from Italy.

ONE KEY THING HERE:

I want you to really think about what you believe to be the best car here, taking some time to think about it. Some of these races are going to be very tight, especially ones like these, so lets start off with a good one!

=======

For an exciting start of Round One:


The Aston Martin DB9

VS


The Alfa Romeo 8C

Vote carefully... I know I have to think about mine for a bit...
 
Wow this one's tough to decide on. It'll take me a while! The DB9 is such a beautiful machine, and although it didn't perform how everyone expected it to, it's still a very capable GT.

The 8C I've read nothing of, but every time I see a photo of one, I'm immediately drawn to it (especially the convertible in white :o). I just don't know between the two!!!
 
Yeah. This'll be a difficult choice. Both cars more or less fill the same segment, and do so very well. And knowing that there isn't really all that much out on the 8C will make it harder.
 
Please, allow me to think out loud for a moment...

What we have here is an epic battle of automobiles that have essentially been crafted to do the same thing;

1) Look absolutely beautiful

2) Go like a bat out of hell...

But when you get down to it, the cars are completely different. One the one hand you have the Aston, a car full of metal, and wood, and just comes off as something that conveys a feeling that is classically British. Its a proper GT car with that stiff upper lip. It knows it isn't the fastest or the cheapest car out there, but it just doesn't care. Its the car that Bond loves, and its the car that British-loving car fanatics (like me) drool over. But then I reach a problem. It really isn't. When I think modern-classics when it comes to British motoring, its the DB9's siblings that come to mind... The Vantage, the DBS, and that pesky Jaguar XK. Sure, the DB9 fits the bill correctly, but its almost as if something has been lost in translation. Maybe its the age, maybe its the car its up against, but something just doesn't quite feel "right" with the DB9.

The Alfa 8C then represents a diabolical alternative to the Aston Martin. It is quite simply the difference between a girl you can take home to your mother, and the one you meet up with in the alley behind the night club. The 8C is the motoring equivalent of Penelope Cruz, shockingly beautiful, loves to sing and dance... But you can't understand what the big deal is all about. The problem with the 8C is that while it is unbelievably sexy, sounds absolutely amazing, and puts forth an image of automotive erotica... It doesn't follow that up with performance figures whatsoever. Its slow, it doesn't handle particularly well, and I'll be damned if it isn't "cheap" whatsoever.

I nearly imagine the devil (the 8C) and an angel (the DB9) on both of my shoulders, each with an interesting and worthwhile offer. Stereotypically, it is a difficult decision indeed.

I guess what it comes down to for me is that if I were spending my money and had to live with the car every day, I'd have to go with the 8C. It just fits the bill better in my opinion, it embodies the paradox of automotive bliss at its best. For a brand-new car that nobody knows anything about, its amazing that it can win me over so easily.

EDIT:

I see its an early tie already... This could get VERY interesting!
 
I think both cars are great, let me just get that out of the way first.

However, most of you can probably have guessed who I voted for, the Aston Martin DB9 is a fantastic car. I can't think of any better GT car in it's class at all. This car is probably one of Aston Martin's greatest achievements. Sure the Alfa looks quite good, but when everything else seems to suffer (According to TopGear) is looks really worth it? Atleast the Aston seems to go how it looks, far enough this is Alfa's first major new supercar but it would have been better if they had got a few more things right, not just the looks.

Aston wins this for me, and hopefully thats what the rest of you think. :)
 
Pfft. You're crazy with your rational and logical arguments. Yeah, the Aston is a somewhat better car, but you know what the Alfa is? An Alfa.
 
Toronado
Pfft. You're crazy with your rational and logical arguments. Yeah, the Aston is a somewhat better car, but you know what the Alfa is?
Click to expand...

Rubbish?

I'll take the Aston hands down. That's what I would buy with my own money, or probably a Vantage.
 
Toronado
Pfft. You're crazy with your rational and logical arguments. Yeah, the Aston is a somewhat better car, but you know what the Alfa is? An Alfa.
Click to expand...

So it breaks down every 5 miles, and everything in the interior falls off within 2 months of ownership? Mmm..Sounds great...:crazy:
 
Toronado
And then you get out and call a tow truck, and you see the exterior, and then you know: You bought an Alfa.
Click to expand...

But that would be exactly the same with the Aston, apart from you wouldn't break down as often! And it would be like this:

"And then you get out and tell your wife to make a cup of coffee, and you see the exterior, and then you know: You bought an Aston, then sit outside drinking your coffee gawping at your car knowing it hasn't broken down and got you home safely."
 
Look, it doesn't have to be rational. You are overthinking this. Do you think the 8C cruised into second place above the far better F430 because it was better?
 
Toronado
Look, it doesn't have to be rational. You are overthinking this. Do you think the 8C cruised into second place above the far better F430 because it was better?
Click to expand...

Well it wasn't because it was a Alfa, there were 2 other Alfa Romeo's (147 and Brera) in that poll, neither of them scored particularly high.

EDIT: Sorry, I got that wrong. There was actually 3 Alfa's in the poll, the 147, Brera and the Mi.To. With the 147 topping out with an amazing vote count of 1...
 
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Toronado
Waiting patiently for someone who understands how tongue-in-cheek my arguments have been.
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Am I allowed to feel rather stupid at this current moment in time?

Although, I can't particularly say that you made completely obvious for such a young foolish mind such as myself.
 
ogawdogawdogawdogawd...

They both do a great job at what they do...looking good. They're also both (presumably) sold in the U.S. I think my main issue with the Alfa, though, is that, at least for me, it is an unknown commodity. I really haven't read or watched much about it. The DB9 is a safe vote, one you know won't let you down. Then again, the Alfa might not embarrass you, either.

I think I'm erring on the side of caution. Aston.

((By the way, you're looking at the poor sap who voted 147...and accidentally at that.))
 
The Alfa gets my vote because even though as a sports car it's only OK, but from a design standpoint it's awesome. One of the best looking cars out on the market today I believe.
 
The Alfa Romeo 8C was my definate choice, the Aston Martin is too heavy and looks so much like an original car, so last year. It's time for Aston Martin to make a new car, the Vanquish and the DB9 are getting old
 
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gator of kana
The Alfa Romeo 8C was my definate choice, the Aston Martin is too heavy...
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You could say the same for the 8C. The DB9 is a grand tourer, so it's not exactly supposed to be light.

And the Vanquish is discontinued.
 
People, it’s very simple.

Alfa 8C ≈ AM Vantage > AM DB9
 
Jeez this one is close! If we can get all of them like this it will be a very interesting competition indeed!
 
The DB9 is about as good as a luxury supercar can get. The Alfa may look and sound good (as does the Aston) but reliability for car that expensive should be mandatory.
 
Sage
People, it’s very simple.

Alfa 8C ≈ AM Vantage > AM DB9
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Buy this man a beer!

YSSMAN
Jeez this one is close! If we can get all of them like this it will be a very interesting competition indeed!
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Both of the ones involving "chinese" cars will be total blowouts.

JCE
The Alfa may look and sound good (as does the Aston) but reliability for car that expensive should be mandatory.
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The reliability of the Alfa is an X Factor. We can't assume it will break down all the time, as it is essentially a outsourced Maser GT, which itself was more-or-less a repurposed Ferrari 612 drivetrain wise.

ROAD_DOGG33J
You could say the same for the 8C.
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Not really.
 
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No thought needed for this one from me. Alfa 8C.

When the Aston came out I loved it, it really is beautiful, it's clearly a good car, but it's appeal has really waned for me. 50% of the world seem to fawn over it only because they've seen it on Top Gear, 45% of the world love it because they're footballers and they've seen it on Top Gear, and only 5% are car enthusiasts who'd actually buy it for the heritage, the noise and because it's a good car.

As for the Alfa, you could argue that Top Gear are "making it cool" by saying that every car enthusiast should own an Alfa, but I wish they wouldn't. The press have been saying Alfas have been crap for years (even when they haven't been) but owners love them and always have. The only owners who don't love them are meat-head sales reps that have been given them for the car to break down and force them into a Vectra.

I've loved Alfas since I saw Tarquini dominating the 1994 BTCC in the 155 - I was 9 years old. I think this rules out any Top Gear influence. Every time I bought a car magazine I would turn to any Alfa Romeo test first. Alfa for me has more passion even than Ferrari, which has sullied itself by whoring its name with tacky merchandise and by chavs who wear Ferrari baseball caps.

I would have chosen the Alfa 147 over the Aston had it come to it, so for me the 8C wins hands down. The fact that it's even more beautiful than the Aston is just a bonus.
 
Not when its most direct (performance) competitor (the somewhat smaller V8 Vantage) weighs a hundred more.
 
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This is another easy one for me. I absolutely love the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione. Every time I see a picture of it, I think the same thing, "Wow! That car is absolutely gorgeous". And it comes down to just that. The Alfa is beyond beautiful. Alfa have hit the nail square on the head with the styling. Thrown in the Ferrari sourced V8 and the package is just about perfect.
 
Took a while, but I just had to go with the 8C.

I think the biggest influence is that AM has the V8 Vantage, which is such an exciting, splendid, gorgeous and sensual car that just sits next to the DB9. The lesser car just drowns its bigger brother.

Also looking at what a brave and bold step the 8C has been for Alfa. They finally got the opurtunity to make the car they've always wanted. They did it in their own style (reliability, performance etc) but that's what gives it charm, character. That's what makes it an Alfa Romeo.

And come on people, in white it makes anything stop dead in its tracks.
 
exigeracer
Took a while, but I just had to go with the 8C.

I think the biggest influence is that AM has the V8 Vantage, which is such an exciting, splendid, gorgeous and sensual car that just sits next to the DB9. The lesser car just drowns its bigger brother.

Also looking at what a brave and bold step the 8C has been for Alfa. They finally got the opurtunity to make the car they've always wanted. They did it in their own style (reliability, performance etc) but that's what gives it charm, character. That's what makes it an Alfa Romeo.

And come on people, in white it makes anything stop dead in its tracks.
Click to expand...

I agree with the color white
 

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