Comparo: Aston Martin Vantage, Audi R8, Porsche 911 Carrera S

Story and photos by John LeBlanc Some find the Audi R8's victory as the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada's 2008 Car of the Year a bit hollow. Like winning a Formula One race because Ferrari, McLaren and BMW got lost on the way to the race circuit, with the R8's real competitors not participating in the annual AJAC TestFest event, the $139,900 Audi didn't break a sweat on its way to victory. So in terms of pure driving appeal, how does Audi's new flagship stand up against similarly performing under-$150,000 – dare we say affordable? – exotics like the Aston Martin V8 Vantage and Porsche's venerable 911 Carrera S? THIRD PLACE: Aston Martin V8 Vantage At $131,900, the front-engine rear-drive Vantage two-seat coupe is not only the smallest, but also the least expensive Aston – a whopping $61,300 less than the DB9 2+2 with which it shares many chassis components. The Vantage is a lot more nimble and little more raucous compared to its larger siblings. It goes, sounds and feels like a real sports car. But compared to the Audi or Porsche, the Aston's grand touring roots peak through in a couple of key performance areas. Despite the largest engine here – the Aston's eight is 100 cc larger than the Audi's 4.2 L unit – it splits the others' output numbers with 385 hp and 302 lb.-ft. of torque. Out on the road, simply put, the Vantage needs to go to the gym. At 1,630 kg, the Vantage's curb weight is 210 kg more than the flyweight Carrera S. It hurts the Aston most in the performance department, taking 5 seconds to get from rest to 100 km/h; half a second slower than the Audi, the quickest car here. And although the Aston delivered the smoothest ride of this sporty trio, when driven with gusto, the Vantage lacks the precision of its rivals, rolling in the corners and diving during hard braking. WHY BUY? Affordable Aston looks; sports car driving experience. WHY NOT? Grand touring suspension; extra weight limits performance. DROPTOP ALTERNATIVE? Aston Martin V8 Vantage Roadster, $146,800. SECOND PLACE: Audi R8 As last year's AJAC competition proved, on its own, the R8 is a winner. It may be hard to see out of, but the Audi's roomy cockpit, designed to get big-boned German businessmen from Munich to Modena in a hurry, is the most comfortable here. And Audi wallops the others in the power department with 420 hp and 317 lb.-ft. from the same screaming banshee V8 first heard in the RS4 sports sedan. And while the two-seat mid-engine R8 is neither the heaviest nor lightest of this trio, its way powerful mill delivers the best power-to-weight ratio and the quickest run from naught to 100 km/h, just nipping the 911 by a 10th of a second at 4.5. With all-wheel-drive standard, on public roads it's hard to make a driving mistake in the R8's forgiving chassis. At the limits of adhesion, oversteer is in check, and understeer (a traditional Audi bugaboo) has also been dialed down. No doubt, of this semi-exotic trio, the Audi is the easiest to get up to speed. And therein lies the rub. Compared to the Porsche, the Audi gives less back to the driver in what's going on at road level. The steering is accurate but it lacks the 911's surgical precision. And the R8's slightly softer set-up makes it feel less committed in the corners. WHY BUY? Eye-popping looks; comfortable cockpit; easy-to-attain performance. WHY NOT? Poor rear visibility; enthusiasts may want to wait for the inevitable V12 TDI version. DROPTOP ALTERNATIVE? Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder, $275,000 (estimate). FIRST PLACE: Porsche 911 Carrera S Compared to the twice-as-expensive Lamborghini Gallardo – which the R8 is loosely based upon – the Audi looks like a steal. But up against the over-30K cheaper $108,430 Carrera S, the R8's price-versus-performance numbers quickly seem out of whack. With the fewest cylinders (six) and smallest displacement (3.8 L), it's no surprise the Porsche has the least amount of power, with 355 hp and 295 lb.-ft. But the 911's svelte 1,420 kg curb weight pays big performance dividends. At 4.6 seconds, the Carrera S is only one-tenth of a second behind the R8 from naught to 100 km/h. And the Porsche just isn't fast in a straight line. All three here come standard with six-speed manual transmissions. But the 911 has the most accurate engagement, with a rewardingly tight, mechanical feel. Up against the Aston and Audi, the rear-engine rear-drive Porsche has sharper steering, more grip and strong-like-bull brakes. Nonetheless, with the firmest ride quality here, the Carrera S allows a lot more of the sports car experience (i.e. road noise, steering feel) to enter its dated-looking cabin. No one buys one of these land missiles for practicality purposes. But the Porsche excels here, too. The vestigial rear spousal seats can supplement the 134 L front trunk and its 11.5 L/100 km/h fuel consumption makes the Aston (at 18.3) and Audi (16.5) look gluttonous. With styling dating back over four decades, it's easy to forget how thoroughly comprehensive Porsche has bred this car. And the numbers don't lie. Sorry, Aston; suck it up, Audi. Altogether, age over beauty gives Porsche the affordable exotic win. WHY BUY? Steering, stopping, and cornering heaven; relative bargain. WHY NOT? Track car ride; dated interior and styling. DROPTOP ALTERNATIVE? Porsche 911 Carrera S Cabriolet $121,030.

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