Power. Beauty. Soul?

Aston Martin. A brand everyone is aware of, even if you're not remotely into cars, you've heard it. In recent years, polls have been taken to reveal the single coolest brand in existence, two years on the trot it's been Aston Martin, ahead of such brands as Apple and Armani.

Let's have a little look at their cars, before I get to the main point of this post.

I'll start with the DB2, where Aston Martin really began to take off, in terms of production cars. The DB2 is a beautiful and elegant design, which makes for a very graceful 50's tourer, a real gentleman's car for the era. Not too 'shouty' or 'in your face', but yet it doesn't blend in with the everyday motor.

The DB4. In my opinion, perfect! A beautifully timeless 60's design, the ultimate grand tourer, especially in GT or GTZ spec. The throaty roar of the exhaust fills the cabin, and so does a rich smell of the finest leather. In my opinion again, the purest of all Aston Martin designs from that era, mainly due to the upright headlights, as opposed to the cowelled units on later 60's cars.

The DB5. The most famous car of all time, or so named. James Bond's car in Goldfinger, recongisable by so many people as the typical English 60's tourer, almost like an exclusive E-type. Not much bad can be said about this car, a true design masterpiece.

The DB6. It may arguably be uglier than the DB5 & 4, but due to uprated brakes and suspension, amongst other changes, a much better car to drive in standard guise. Once again, making a truly incredible grand tourer for the English gentleman.

Now, let's skip to the 80's, and namely to the V8 vantages of this era. Powerful brutes, but still remaining that Aston Martin elegance, muscle cars in tuxedos. They are incredible cars, thunderous machines and just fantastic cars to be associated with! many people would agree, that they are one of the most beautifully striking cars of the 80's, not quite at Countach levels, but certainly 288 GTO competitors.

To the 90's it is, and it's a brief stop here. The re-incarnation of the V8 Vantage; who doesn't want a two tonne barge with 550bhp?! Simply magnificent machines!

What do these cars have in common though, mainly those from the 60's, 70's and 80's? Hand built, personally specified and individual British masterpieces; and with prices for some rising towards the £2million mark, who can argue against them being masterpieces? In the time they were drawn up, all of them had very capable amounts of power, even today they are fast machines. They are achingly beautiful cars, it's a given with any classic Aston Martin, they are illustrious designs that make grown men go weak at the knees. Finally, who can argue that a classic Aston Martin doesn't have soul? - Men who adore these cars, design these cars and dream up of these cars, they are the men ( & women ) who have put blood sweat and tears into the production of them, taking incredible amounts of care, in order to produce the customer with their 'dream machine' - an Aston Martin.

So, those cars certainly tie in with the 'Power.Beauty.Soul.' tag line that Aston Martin give to their cars nowadays, but what about the cars that leave the factories now?

Sure they are powerful, I'd love to hear someone try and justify claiming that a 700bhp+ V12 doesn't class as powerful, so that is a given.

Beauty? Sure, I'll give them that. This is because unlike many upmarket car manufacturers these days, Aston Martin do not design their cars around science. The 458 and MP4-12C for example, those curves are their because it helps make them drive round a track quicker, not because it's what the designer originally dreamed up of. So, I'll stick to my opinion, Aston Martin's are still beautiful.

But soul, this is where I struggle. Produced abroad an no longer hand built, I'm assuming for economic reasons, and that can be justified, as Aston Martin have never really been known for not going bankrupt. But, I do have an issue with the number produced, sure that ties in heavily with the economic needs of the company, but does every car they produce have to be done in such high figures? It's fine producing specials like the One-77, but what about their ordinary cars? For instance, a DB9 is no longer an exiting sight on the roads anymore, but merely just another Aston Martin. As was shown on a Top Gear episode many years back (2006 I think), the Mondeo ST220 was produced in lower figures that the DB9, and the DB9 is still in production. This is the main reason why I personally feel Aston Martin have lost the feeling of soul in their cars ( along with the fact that, to many, they all look the same! ). Classic car owners and enthusiasts will surely agree with me on this. When you get into something as cheap and basic as, say, a Ford Anglia, it feels special, it makes you smile, and people will wave when they pass you - it's a great and warming sight.
Now, climb into a DB9 and it's a different feeling, sure you'll be happy, they are fantastic cars, but, it's just another one. The guy down the road, he has one, it's exactly the same - and no-one will smile and wave at you, it just doesn't have the same effect.

So, I'll stop there, I have gone on quite a rant, and I could go further, but maybe I'm just picky? I'd love to hear your opinions, have Aston Martin taken the soul out of their cars?

Thanks for reading.

Image source: Here