View Full Version : Alfa-Romeo 8C vs. Aston Martin DBS
NicFromLA
12-10-2008, 07:49 PM
Alfa-Romeo 8C vs. Aston Martin DBS
Both are, using TOP GEAR's standard, as Cool as the surface of the planet Pluto.
Both sell in the US for about $300K
Both are 0-60 just above four seconds.
Both are two of the most attractive cars of the decade.
So which one?
As always, what colour? Also bear in mind that the Alfa is only available in red, metallic red and black. As I understand the only limitation on the Aston is your imagination.
fisetdavid26
12-10-2008, 07:53 PM
DBS. It's a much better driver's car. The 8C is only good to sit in your garage/museum and let you admire it.
In titanium silver please.
Tall_G
12-10-2008, 07:57 PM
Alfa, in red please. Maybe doesn't drive as good as DBS, but is unique and provocative. And I'll bet damn good fun to thrash
NSXType-R
12-10-2008, 07:58 PM
DBS. Interestingly, I was just watching Jay Leno review it.
pimento
12-10-2008, 08:00 PM
8C. Not a footballer's car. That and I can buy a Caterham R500 with the change.
zeppelin
12-10-2008, 08:27 PM
This is too difficult, therefore I plan on having both.
Rockefella
12-10-2008, 08:28 PM
8C to keep in the garage. DBS to own.
cmcpokey
12-10-2008, 08:40 PM
wow, the most difficult car comparison for a long time.... umm Rocke's right. but if i had to choose one, 8C. its just too pretty, and looks like nothing else out there. the DBS looks like any other aston, DB4 on.
The Alfa is... an Alfa. Even if the DBS was superior in every way (which it isn't) the Alfa has as much soul as a car possibly can.
f6fhellcat13
12-10-2008, 09:13 PM
Hot Alfa is hawt.
70cuda88
12-10-2008, 10:08 PM
It smells of Clarkson up in here
clutch-monkey
12-10-2008, 10:33 PM
goddamn that's a difficult choice.
would have to drive both back to back...they both sound awesome and look so so nice, it'd come down to that.
teatako
12-10-2008, 10:34 PM
the Alfa is only available in red, metallic red and black.
Do you have a sauce on that? I´ve seen pictures of a yellow and a white one, and I recently had a little debate on that matter.
f6fhellcat13
12-10-2008, 10:39 PM
Do you have a sauce on that? I´ve seen pictures of a yellow and a white one, and I recently had a little debate on that matter.
The spider concept was done in white/silver
EDIT: Here's a yellow one, don't know if it's legit.
http://alfetta.files.wordpress.com/2007/12/1alfa-8c-yellow.jpg
teatako
12-10-2008, 10:43 PM
The spider concept was done in white/silver
Yeah, I saw that pic too. Can you get your actual production model Spider in white/silver though? or red, metallic red, black too. or neither. or all of them?
Knuto
12-11-2008, 12:40 AM
I think the looks of the DBS are not the best out of Gaydon. Looks a bit like a tuner-job imo. Also read the handling isn't the best. I would much rather have a DB9 or V8Vantage(the most beautiful) if it were to be an Aston. For me the 8C wins hands down. Not the best handling either, but looks are are just in a class of its own.
ruim20
12-11-2008, 02:13 AM
Why not the DB9? i never really liked the DBSs vents and other aerodinamic apendices.
Kooper
12-11-2008, 03:25 AM
I know the 8C isn't too good to drive from what I hear.
I just can't help myself though, if I had the money I'd buy an 8C and just admire the thing all day long. It could have had a couple of bricks in place of a proper engine and I still would've bought it.
Ferrer
12-11-2008, 04:06 AM
Why not the DB9? i never really liked the DBSs vents and other aerodinamic apendices.
That's the problem for me with the DBS too.
I think I'd take the Alfa, annoying gearbox and all.
LeonOfTheDead
12-11-2008, 04:50 AM
Alfa-Romeo 8C vs. Aston Martin DBS
Both are, using TOP GEAR's standard, as Cool as the surface of the planet Pluto.
Both sell in the US for about $300K
Both are 0-60 just above four seconds.
Both are two of the most attractive cars of the decade.
So which one?
As always, what colour? Also bear in mind that the Alfa is only available in red, metallic red and black. As I understand the only limitation on the Aston is your imagination.
the Alfa is available also in yellow (even if the image posted is of a pre-production car IIRC (see Maserati's rims) and in light blue.
black and dark red (not simply metallic) are available with a pearl-ish effect too (maybe just the black, can't remember)
nothing has been said about the Spider's colors up to know.
At first I thought the DBS was available only in Lightning Gray, the usual AMR Green and Infa Red, but it seems that I was wrong, since NSXType-R shooted a car in black, for example.
In Italy the Alfa was supposed to be sold at about 180.000 euro, the DBS costs 230.000 euro.
This is too difficult, therefore I plan on having both.
basically, I agree.
After all, they have some differences to help us to choose.
The DBS has a presence on the road very evident, and aggressive. it's loud and proud to be the angry sister of the DB9.
being also strictly based on the DB9, it also immediately evident the car is built as an everyday car, more comfort, more details (inside and outside), it's, I would say, more complete.
the 8C Competizione is subtler, more elegant and perhaps female. It's not very complicated, it's just a beautiful body. the surfaces are plan, the bends are easy on the eye and voluptuous.
inside the car is pretty simple, and again the idea of something made of just one single piece comes back again, beginning with the aluminum cockpit.
and even if this car too is based on another one (the Maserati Granturismo/S to be precise), their relationship is merely technical.
so it's quite evident the Alfa is first of all a limited edition of a work of art, not a car, and that's also why I don't care how it handles in the end, it's a car you want first of all to own, driving is not the first thing the comes to mind. And I appreciate that.
the DBS can even be not perfect car to drive, with some lacks in terms of handling or driving performance, but I guess it's not what that car is all about.
It's another kind of work of art, one that you want to own, as the 8C, but even to drive, brutally fast. but this is not a GT3 RS, or an Audi R8, there is no way a DBS owner (averagely of course) will take it to the local track to smoke the tires and so on. it's a GT, first of all, as the DB9 itself.
that's why I want both.
Yeah, I saw that pic too. Can you get your actual production model Spider in white/silver though? or red, metallic red, black too. or neither. or all of them?
as I posted in another thread, they just started working on the 8C Spider. the first soft top was (manually and difficulty) mounted about a month ago, and there is a lot of work still to be done.
Bleeding Heart
12-11-2008, 06:25 AM
The Alfa looks much better than the DBS...
NicFromLA
12-11-2008, 07:04 AM
Do you have a sauce on that? I´ve seen pictures of a yellow and a white one, and I recently had a little debate on that matter.
This is to the best of my knowledge. On the Alfa website at one point they showed the car in yellow, but US dealers don't have ordering info for that colour (which isn't to say that a few won't come to the US). Someone else mentioned light blue, but I've never seen or heard anything about that. I'm going by US spec which is red, metallic red and black. If someone INSISTS on voting for the Alfa and saying they'd only get it in, say orange, so be it. The UCP Police aren't going to come to your house and beat you into a coma with tire irons.
Ferrer
12-11-2008, 07:36 AM
Someone else mentioned light blue, but I've never seen or heard anything about that.
http://images.forum-auto.com/mesimages/563905/LeMansClassic2008AlfaRomeo14.jpg
LotusLocost
12-11-2008, 09:53 AM
Alfa 8C.
Red.
Period.
Gardin
12-11-2008, 10:45 AM
Alfa Romeo 8C without doubt, the Aston Martin is a gorgeous car but the Alfa takes it to another level and no cars have more soul, than Italian cars.
---Avantime---
12-11-2008, 11:57 AM
8C all the way.
wwgkd
12-11-2008, 11:58 AM
Tough call, since they're both great looking. The 8c is one of the most beautiful cars I've ever seen, but by most accounts not as much fun to drive, so I figure 8c for the girlfriend and DBS for me. Then we can switch when we want.
Kitdy
12-11-2008, 02:17 PM
Ferrer what is the gearbox's problem?
NSXType-R
12-11-2008, 02:46 PM
Ferrer what is the gearbox's problem?
He has a problem with the whole car.
He always has problems with cars. :D
Ferrer
12-11-2008, 03:36 PM
Ferrer what is the gearbox's problem?
It's a stupid flappy paddle gearbox.
clutch-monkey
12-12-2008, 12:43 AM
that blue looks quite nice on the 8C. but i do like that deep red or the black.
i refuse to vote lol.
Ferrer
12-12-2008, 09:13 AM
that blue looks quite nice on the 8C. but i do like that deep red or the black.
Doesn't look bad. But the 8C has to be rosso corsa.
silverhawk
12-12-2008, 09:36 AM
i cant decide whether i like and dont like the 8C. i need to see it in real to judge if i do like it or not so i'll take the DBS. the DB9 was too plain for me.
LeonOfTheDead
12-12-2008, 10:43 AM
This is to the best of my knowledge. On the Alfa website at one point they showed the car in yellow, but US dealers don't have ordering info for that colour (which isn't to say that a few won't come to the US). Someone else mentioned light blue, but I've never seen or heard anything about that. I'm going by US spec which is red, metallic red and black. If someone INSISTS on voting for the Alfa and saying they'd only get it in, say orange, so be it. The UCP Police aren't going to come to your house and beat you into a coma with tire irons.
I've read yellow is available over here, but I just saw the image (and other similar to that) posted before, and that is not a production car.
Doesn't look bad. But the 8C has to be rosso corsa.
sure?
http://www.nextautos.com/files/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/xt6a1937.jpg
Ferrer
12-12-2008, 11:08 AM
sure?
Looks good, but I'll stand by my decision. Rosso corsa it has to be.
Kitdy
12-12-2008, 11:33 AM
I tried to go on their site to configure my 8C but it was crappy and froze. I wanted to see other colours.
wwgkd
12-12-2008, 11:37 AM
I tried to go on their site to configure my 8C but it was crappy and froze. I wanted to see other colours.
I just tried and had the same result. But I like the red and that black one above looks georgous, so it's hard enough picking between those two without adding other options...
NicFromLA
12-12-2008, 04:28 PM
Looks good, but I'll stand by my decision. Rosso corsa it has to be.
I'm up in the air between Rossa Corsa or black. I think the yellow and metallic red are nice looking but not for me.
I tried to go on their site to configure my 8C but it was crappy and froze. I wanted to see other colours.
Yeah, it sucks. And it used to be good.
Kitdy
12-12-2008, 04:37 PM
I'm up in the air between Rossa Corsa or black. I think the yellow and metallic red are nice looking but not for me.
Yeah, it sucks. And it used to be good.
If the website is indicative of their build quality...
Ferrer
12-12-2008, 05:04 PM
If the website is indicative of their build quality...
This is an italian car we're talking about...
Kitdy
12-12-2008, 05:54 PM
This is an italian car we're talking about...
Ah so the web design speaks to the build quality.
Ferrer
12-12-2008, 06:01 PM
Ah so the web design speaks to the build quality.
Italians don't understand that thing you call build quality. Just like they don't understand automatics.
f6fhellcat13
12-12-2008, 06:37 PM
Italians don't understand that thing you call build quality. Just like they don't understand automatics.
Must I remind you of the 400i again. :)
Kitdy
12-12-2008, 07:12 PM
Must I remind you of the 400i again. :)
Pff you know what he meant, and wasn't that a GM transmission?
Yes it was, an American made Turbo Hydramatic THM400 - introduced in 1964.
So it's not as if it was Italian built.
Ferrer
12-13-2008, 02:23 AM
Pff you know what he meant, and wasn't that a GM transmission?
Yes it was, an American made Turbo Hydramatic THM400 - introduced in 1964.
So it's not as if it was Italian built.
Exactly. And the Quattroporte has a german gearbox.
Italians idea of an auto is the Cambio Corsa. Which obviously doesn't work. At all.
I am also not voting. The DBS looks a lot better in person than in photos (like many modern cars), but its is still a DB9 with an ugly body kit.
I don't care how beautiful the Alfa is, as an Alfa it should be a joy to drive.
LeonOfTheDead
12-13-2008, 05:16 AM
Exactly. And the Quattroporte has a german gearbox.
Italians idea of an auto is the Cambio Corsa. Which obviously doesn't work. At all.
it works, for our standards.
it's too harsh when downshifting in the traffic? well, not so different from the person who designed it ;)
Ferrer
12-13-2008, 05:33 AM
it works, for our standards.
it's too harsh when downshifting in the traffic? well, not so different from the person who designed it ;)
You know, just tell Guido to stay with a manual... :)
LeonOfTheDead
12-13-2008, 06:18 AM
You know, just tell Guido to stay with a manual... :)
the average Italian it's not Guido but "Tizio" or "Caio" or even "Sempronio" (please use only the first or they will look at you in a very weird way).
btw, "Guido" means " I drive" :D
so all modern BMWs feature a Guido system :D
wwgkd
12-13-2008, 08:55 AM
the average Italian it's not Guido but "Tizio" or "Caio" or even "Sempronio" (please use only the first or they will look at you in a very weird way).
btw, "Guido" means " I drive" :D
so all modern BMWs feature a Guido system :D
That is probably the best lesson in language I've ever gotten (to the extent that I'll remember it at least.) Thank you.
LeonOfTheDead
12-13-2008, 10:12 AM
That is probably the best lesson in language I've ever gotten (to the extent that I'll remember it at least.) Thank you.
you are welcome, more to come on demand.
Ferrer
12-13-2008, 10:14 AM
you are welcome, more to come on demand.
We could make a sub-forum to speak only italian or something.
Possiamo fare un sub-forum per parlare solo in Italiano.
How am I doing? :)
LeonOfTheDead
12-13-2008, 10:17 AM
We could make a sub-forum to speak only italian or something.
Possiamo fare un sub-forum per parlare solo in Italiano.
How am I doing? :)
it's "Potremmo fare/creare un sub-forum per parlare solo in italiano".
quite good, 9,5/10:D