Jason Statham and his Aston Martin DBS Volante-2

Jan 3 2012

It must be rather splendid to live in a world where you do not need car finance to get your hands on the wheel of an Aston Martin but, sadly, for most of us that is just a pipe dream.  Enter the world of an A-list actor such as Jason Statham, however, and it is enviably possible.

Statham has been glimpsed behind the wheel of an onyx-black Aston Martin DBS Volante-2, a gracefully masculine panther of a car that unfailingly turns heads as it growls into view.  You can bet he just slapped the cash on the table (or digitally transferred it from his bank account) in one gulp; no car credit agreements for the über-wealthy Hollywood elite, eh?

Inspired by the design for the DB9, the DBS Volante (drophead to us commoners) is justly acclaimed for its exhilarating performance and its magnificent engine note.  Amongst other things, that is.  It is by far the most generously proportioned car in the Aston range, and has the most sumptuously comfortable sports seats for driver and passenger (forget back passengers, unless they are small cats or Chihuahuas).

The 6.0-litre, 510bhp V-12 engine erupts into ear-drum compromising life with a throaty bark and effortlessly sprints from 0 to 60mph in 4.3 seconds.  It is comfortable at low revs but positively loves being driven above 4,000 rpm.

As you would expect, this fabulous beast is beautifully trimmed throughout and has wonderful little techno-luxury features, such as the sapphire key fob that must be inserted into an aperture in the dashboard before you can get the thing started.

With a starting price of £179,022, however, you may well find getting a car loan a bit of a struggle.

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