2008 Aston Martin V-8 Vantage

Back in September we caught this V-8 Vantage Roadster undisguised in Germany. At the L.A. auto show, Aston Martin officially unveiled the ragtop Vantage. The convertible will share the coupe’s 380-hp V-8 engine, with the option of a six-speed manual gearbox or Aston’s new Sportshift automated manual transmission. Although Aston tells us the car will gain about 200 pounds over the coupe, they also claim the performance will stay the same, meaning a 0 to 60 scramble in just 4.9 seconds. The triple-layer softtop stows itself below a rigid tonneau cover electronically in 18 seconds, and can be operated at speeds of up to 30 mph. The V-8 Vantage Roadster will go on sale late this spring, starting at $124,600. It looks better, but we expect it to drive worse than a Porsche 911 convertible.