2011 in Review: The best driving experience

By John LeBlanc Over the course of any year’s worth of an auto writer's work, you’ll find many reports of us driving new, fast cars on closed circuits and race courses. But many of these so-called “track” events are either hampered by a limited number of laps, limited number of cars, or a slower-than-hoped for “pace” car. None of these restrictions were found during Aston Martin’s launch of its new V8 Vantage S, held last March at the private Ascari race circuit in southern Spain. The new Vantage S offers more power (430 hp), less weight (about 40 km), improved aerodynamic bodywork, quicker steering, a unique exhaust, and race-track-ready suspension, tires and brakes. Limitations at the golf club-like Ascari private track were few. I could go as fast as I dared. I could pass as many other writers as I liked. And drive as many laps as I wanted within a 15-minute session. And that wasn’t enough seat time, I could simply get back in line, and go out for another quarter hour of adult car-guy fun. A sweet and rare indulgence unlike any other I had in 2011.

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