Great... maybe if I start saving now I'll be able to put a down payment on this in 5yrs! Regardless... this is still the sexiest thing everrr!

Agreed with TC: this car will get you laid with the least amount of effort on your part compared to any other car out there.

Just wondering, I never though there was supposed to be a Vanquish replacement, as that car stopped being sold 2 years ago and the DB9 took over as the flagship. And the DB9, despite having 50hp less, was just as fast if not a little quicker.

Anyway, cannot wait for it to come out, the car is absolutely stunning.

I think selling 1500 of these at 400K a pop, which generates $600 MILLION in sales, will relieve any sorrow that may come from having to delay other models. I'm pretty sure that with sales that strong, outsourcing the Rapide is not going to be difficult nor will AM management be complaining :-)

Kevin,

Actually this car is not $400k, the Rapide is, and they hope to sell 1000-2000 annually. Of course, maybe that's horribly unrealistic, but you're talking about $4-8 million annually so a year delay is not desirable, especially since you can imagine the costs put into developing the Rapide and how they'd like to recoup (no pun intended) them.

But... yeah they should have some good cash on hand with all these preorders....

Jason

to Allen:
I read somewhere this isn't meant to be a replacement for the vanquish, that is still the DB9. The DBS is meant to be a whole different product stream.

I am so pleased that Ford sold AM before they totally screwed up the marque beyond recovery. Call it British national pride that Aston Martin are now back in British hands, but yanks don't have a clue about making classically stylish cars. I was waiting for the next Aston Martin under Ford to be a garish orange colour, have go faster stripes, a plastic dashboard with cup holders, and spinning wheel hubs as standard.

Prodrive have done a phenominal job in bringing it back from the brink in such style. Its great that they have already have 5 years of orders on the books for the DBS. I hope it gives them a good strong profit margin to carry on doing wonders.

My only dissapointment is that I probably won't ever even get a chance to ride in one of these, let alone own one.

If there is a rich, kind, and generous person out there that has $400K burning a hole in his pocket, there is a poor Air Force Sergeant here that drives a 1989 Volvo 240 that would really like "Santa" to bring him a new Aston Martin. For a person that has defended his country for the last 15 years, he sure could use something classier to drive than an old beat up Volvo. If this sounds like you, please respond back to me.

LOL CS

I drive a 00 Jetta GLS that will broke down on me any time. I'm not greedy like CS, but if you have extra 30k laying around, do not hesitate to buy me a new evo or wrx for me for christmas, since I'm a poor college student.

I mean this in a good way, look at all the leather in there, I bet that thing smells amazing inside, like a big boot =)

This car is so bad sexy. I don't know about the reliability of British cars, but they can definitely design them beautifully.

OMG...
anyone knows any banks with low sec. systems? please PM me.

Err the Rapide better not be $400,000 I mean look at what wonders that did for Maybach. I think the Rapide will try and compete against Maserati and at most Bently.

As to the Ford nearly killing the company, I agree that Ford Executives being in charge of anything is as about as intelligent as allowing, well Christ I cannot think of anything dumber. But you have to admit that Aston Martins turn-around with the Vanquish and DB9 came to be while still under Ford leadership (in a technical sense).

But I don't think these cars look like classical British cars at all, I mean what I we comparing these to, old Jaguars? Hell if the DB9 looks like an old Jag, you could make the case that Maserati is borrowing the styling too.

This car needs to get out of Iraq NOW!!!
No more hot, overpriced cars for oil!!!!!!!!!

drool

The only thing I can say is,"Damn the Brits know how to make a sexy vehicle. It features the rare combination of menacing power and dignified lines". It kinda goes against all my other "we have to be more practical" posts. Sorry about that. I am practical to a point, but I yearn for a car like that!!!!

Like Allen said, the cars did come to be under Ford ownership of Aston Martin. Either Ford designed the car (we know that isn't true), or they left it up to the design team that is still designing them today. In either case Aston Martin seems to have done find under Ford.

You guys care to refute my statement?

Ford allowed Aston Martin to still design their vehicles. The only major contribution Fords provided was assembly line improvements and machinery to update Aston Martin. (There was some component sharing w/ Jaguar to lower costs, but essentially Aston Martin was given free reign). Ford purchased Aston Martin, Jaguar and Volvo in an illadvised spending spree in the Nineties (Ford was flush w/ money from strong SUV/Truck sales). Ford has helped with quality control improvements w/ Jaguar (not a simple feat) and Aston Martin. Volvo was purchased with using Volvo's expertise in safety. For that Ford's Freestyle and Edge share similair underpinnings with Volvo platforms.

AstonMartin was sold to provide much needed cash for Ford. The Prodrive ownership will benefit greatly from the products and assembly methods that were created under Ford's tenure.

just read a story that the Chrysler Sebrung and the Dodge Nitro are sold-out too, for the last five years.

niz:
I might be wrong, but I thought AM was purchased from a private Arab group from Ford. Do you know who bought the company?

Aston Martin was purchased by essentially three players. 1) A very wealthy Texas Aston Martin collector 2)The founder of Prodrive (They fabricate WRC cars, very successful) and 3) I believe Malaysian firm. The design.assembly will still happen in Britian under the leadership of the Prodrive Chairman (I apologize, but I do not know his name). The Malaysians will provide capital and receive a sizable interest in the company.

Actually, at least in London, the wait time for a new DBS is around 6-7 months. Not years! If one were to order now, expect delivery in June 2009.
I was at a dealership recently. This is what they told me.