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

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Brit vs Italian: Who Shall Win?

  • Total voters
    80
  • Poll closed .
Aston Martin DB9 for me.

The 8C is gorgeous, but that's it. Looks. Everything else is just below the competition, and there are way too many cars worth the money & some of the options are ridiculously overpriced.

It's a good thing this car's got looks 'cause that's about it.
 
Reventón;3135450
Aston Martin DB9 for me.

The 8C is gorgeous, but that's it. Looks. Everything else is just below the competition, and there are way too many cars worth the money & some of the options are ridiculously overpriced.

It's a good thing this car's got looks 'cause that's about it.
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I don't see how the DB9 is a popular car, it's been around here for like almost 5 years and they have not changed a bit on it, I think it looks too original like the new Jaguar XK. It doesn't look exciting, I didn't say that when it first came out but don't you think it's a dull car now?
 
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gator of kana
I don't see how the DB9 is a popular car, it's been around here for like almost 5 years and they have not changed a bit on it, I think it looks too original like the new Jaguar XK. It doesn't look exciting, I didn't say that when it first came out but don't you think it's a dull car now?
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Simply, no.

The REASON they haven't changed anything on it is because it still works as it is. It's sexy, it goes, and it's sexy.
 
gator of kana
I don't see how the DB9 is a popular car, it's been around here for like almost 5 years and they have not changed a bit on it, I think it looks too original like the new Jaguar XK. It doesn't look exciting
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So what if it's been around for 5 years? The F430's been around for 4-5 years, hasn't changed. The Gallardo went for 5 years until the recent redesign. 5 years is nothing. And it has changed, and I'm sure Venari can back that up. Not in the exterior, but in the interior & the setup.

And it looks like the new XK because it was designed by the same person.

That's not why I chose the DB9 though. It's still a fantastic car and not a bad looking one. I also wasn't going to choose a car that has a F430 price tag with everything on it that was nowhere near as nice as the F430. That's why I said it's good thing it's got its looks.
 
Is it bad if I think XK > DB9 (but not the DBS)?

...Feel free to throw stones...

I think if the Aston came with more wood and had an awkward rating for displacement, I could love it a helluva lot more.
 
Reventón;3135471
So what if it's been around for 5 years? The F430's been around for 4-5 years, hasn't changed. The Gallardo went for 5 years until the recent redesign. 5 years is nothing. And it has changed, and I'm sure Venari can back that up. Not in the exterior, but in the interior & the setup.

And it looks like the new XK because it was designed by the same person.

That's not why I chose the DB9 though. It's still a fantastic car and not a bad looking one. I also wasn't going to choose a car that has a F430 price tag with everything on it that was nowhere near as nice as the F430. That's why I said it's good thing it's got its looks.
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Well that explains why the new XK is more dull looking than the old XK
 
And the old XK was around for a MUCH longer period than the DB9's been around, so there goes that argument I do think...
 
DB 9 for me. Yes, it's heavy. Yes, it's not as passionate as the 8C. But DB9 doesn't look like shortsighted inbred owl. It has preserved the looks of Aston Martin generations, starting from the early DB's.
 
8C
the aston is breathtakingly beautiful. and probably faster.

but the 8C is nut achingly beautiful. and much rarer. i do prefer not being one of the sheep. erm, herd.
 
I think the V8 Vantage is a better sounding, better looking, smarter car, and because of that the DB9 has lost its flare for me, I voted the sheet ruining 8C.:)
 
Voted for the 8C. Its like sex on wheels..... :drool: Not only that, but you know you will have that deep feeling about Italian cars having heart, soul and passion and that its an Alfa. Although the handling isn't as great and may have more issues than the Aston, it doesn't really matter cause you have owned a work of art. Besides, the DB9 is like the new poseur car now. Seen anybody cool not driving an Aston? Almost most of the footballers in the UK own one.
Jeremy Clarkson said it best.....
 
That isn't the most flattering photo of the Aston either.
 
In terms of looks:

Vanquish > DB9 > 8C :lol:

But I did end up voting for the 8C. The car is made of pure passion, with sexy leather seats made from unicorn skin. The Aston is a beautiful car, but for some reason I just don't love it as much as I should. And the interior looks off.

Still, it took me a good 5 minuted to decide on this vote.
 
this is a nail-biter. go aston.
 
This pole was too easy. The DB9 has the beauty and the performance, whereas the 8C is just a pretty face. I mean come on, Jeremy Clarkson said it performs "like a Mustang." I know he exaggerates a lot, but you could tell he really wanted to love this car. I was seriously let down.
 
CyborgGT
This pole was too easy. The DB9 has the beauty and the performance, whereas the 8C is just a pretty face. I mean come on, Jeremy Clarkson said it performs "like a Mustang." I know he exaggerates a lot, but you could tell he really wanted to love this car. I was seriously let down.
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:rolleyes: Jeremy Clarkson is hardly the last word in car reviewers. It's like watching Fox News to get a unbiased view on world events.
 
Or CBS, if you want the other side, but I digress.

I think I'm a bit more justified in saying that I don't know enough about the 8C to vote for it. From the sound of Reviews, though, it doesn't sound like it's living up to it's beautiful bodywork in the way of speed. The DB9 is a known quantity, and I believe it to be a better allrounder, save perhaps for less extreme looks, more "britishness."

'least it's no GT-R to look at. Love that one as I may, it is NOT attractive.
 
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In this case I think he is the last word. He made the same argument everyone who voted for it here is making: the car is art, in that it looks good but has absolutely no function beyond that whatsoever. Plus, it's an Alfa. Since when have they ever been "best car in the world" material? This isn't the Cool Wall, where practicality and performance are thrown out the window.
 
I'd rather have the Alfa, even if it does break down. It's just SO beautiful, I'd say it's in another league compared to the DB9. I still think the DB9 is very beautiful, but I find the 8C to be heaven. If you have the $250k (or however much it is) to spend on the 8C, you'll have money to repair it. Reliability be damned.
 
It's interesting reading through the comments, if consensus was to be believed the Alfa should be miles ahead, but it seems as though many of the Aston votes have come from the voiceless masses.
 
Hmmm, that's no fun. Its still "close," but the Aston has inched further ahead while I was sleeping/studying. May the best car win!
 
neanderthal
8C
the aston is breathtakingly beautiful. and probably faster.

but the 8C is nut achingly beautiful. and much rarer. i do prefer not being one of the sheep. erm, herd.
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So, you choose to prefer being one of the suckers born every minute? :sly:
 
Rotary Junkie
And the old XK was around for a MUCH longer period than the DB9's been around, so there goes that argument I do think...
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And the DB7, which the DB9 is so strikingly similar too, was around MUCH longer than the XK was.

CyborgGT
Since when have they ever been "best car in the world" material?
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Since when has Aston ever been "best car in the world" material? That isn't meant to be a dig, but I think such a claim warrants explanation.

CyborgGT
This isn't the Cool Wall, where practicality and performance are thrown out the window.
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And the DB9 is more practical and has better performance? By what standards?
 
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According to the posts here, the DB9 is supposedly faster in most aspects than the Alfa. Let me find some test figures.

Hm, R&T's site is giving me
0-60 in 4.2,
1/4 in 12.4 @ 115.4.

http://www.roadandtrack.com/article.asp?section_id=3&article_id=6168

Now, a 2005 article I found for the Aston, same mag...
0-60 in 4.8
1/4 in 13.2 @ 110

http://www.roadandtrack.com/article.asp?section_id=3&article_id=1746&page_number=2

Now, that's an old article, and Aston may have revised the DB9 since then, but right now, they're talking as if the Alfa is faster.

As for handling, the Alfa was described as having "Terriffic balance," which is contrary to Clarkson's review, while the Aston is also described as a good handler, for it's size and weight. However, I don't remember reading anything about the Alfa at cruising speeds, while the Aston is right in it's element there.
 
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Toronado
Since when has Aston ever been "best car in the world" material? That isn't meant to be a dig, but I think such a claim warrants explanation.
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To be honest, none of the cars in the whole of this competition are "best car in the world" material. And now that I really think of it like that, I can't think of a single car ever made that is deserving of such a title. But what I meant by my statement is that a lot of cars are miles ahead of Alfa in terms of reliability and build quality.

Toronado
And the DB9 is more practical and has better performance? By what standards?
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We're just comparing these two cars here. The DB9's more practical because the brand isn't known for falling apart. It performs better because... well it just does.
 
I think Aston Martin cars has just gotten boring, sure they're great but there's no flaw
 
CyborgGT
We're just comparing these two cars here. The DB9's more practical because the brand isn't known for falling apart. It performs better because... well it just does.
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Did'ja read the post above yours, mate? ;)

((I cannot believe i just wrote that...))
 
CyborgGT
But what I meant by my statement is that a lot of cars are miles ahead of Alfa in terms of reliability and build quality.
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But we cannot make such assumptions with this car, because it is made up of mostly Ferrari and Maserati bits.
 
Toronado
But we cannot make such assumptions with this car, because it is made up of mostly Ferrari and Maserati bits.
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Which is exactly why, imo, the car is overpriced. You get less Ferrari-like everything for more than Ferrari price.
 
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