550M vs. Vanquish

If you owned both 550 and 575 , then give the Vanquish a try ..Car is gorgeous . Havent driven one but from what i read it cant match the Maranello dynamics.

Look on autosportdesign website , i think they have some Vanquish with the manual gearbox conversion for sale .

 

Sounds like you already made up your mind.....

 

The main difference is the Vanquish is more of a GT than the 550/575. Ferraris are more track cars, Astons are road cars first and foremost. It is the quintessential gentleman's GT. Just an absolutely wonderful car for cruising. I just love mine.

The exhaust note is phenomenal. Get an S, Linn stereo and have them bypass the exhaust bypass ( which mutes the exhaust b/w 1500-3000rpm) so you hear that indescribable growl throughout the rev range. Very comfortable ride, plenty of power and rare- only 2500 total ever built 1000 or so S worldwide, probably under 150 S in the US (only 50 cars/year exported to the US).

Good luck.
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Top Gear did a 575M/Vanquish segment a few years back. If I find the link I'll post it. Both drivers chose the 575M. Not the last word in auto journalism, but entertaining.

IMO, the 550 is prettier than the Vanquish (which looks less sleek than the DB9), inside and out - probably Pininfarina's best design post-1990.** You can have it with a six-speed, rather than some soon-to-be-obsolete paddle-shift gearbox. And it's a Ferrari V12 -- hard to argue with that.

Long-term, I think the Ferrari would do better in terms of retaining its value. If you've owned Ferraris for the last 20 years, you probably know the right tech people to help you through any issues.


** Yes, the Vanquish is a beautiful car compared to most of what's on the road. Compared to the 550/575M, which are exceptional cars, though, it comes up short. It has also been surpassed by the DB9 and AM V8, which are Callum's best work.

 

I wasn't crazy about the DB9 when I drove it, after all it has fewer hp and an automatic tranny. I felt cramped- the interior felt smaller both in height and shoulder. The 900 Watt Linn stereo had gremlins, and the exhaust just wasn't as electrifying as the Vanq.

The AMV8 is a neat little car. It drives really nice- tight, but very smooth. Aston hit a home run with this litle car, but it's only a V8.

If you get a Vanq, bypass the exhaust and make sure you get the software upgrades on the tranny, better shift points than the non S model.

P.S. This second generation of F1s is fantastic- lightning quick shifts. I was very impressed with it in the AMV8.

 

550 offered the manual tranny.
Depreciation and maintenance will be less.

Vanquish looks so much better inside and out.
Sounds wicked.

I went through these same mental gymnastics not too long ago and ended up looking for a GT2 ( or that elusive Boxer if the right one comes along ). Looks are cool but I want performance.

Of the two, I'd go emotion; Vanq.

 

vanquish = best looking car of all time period


550s = pretty boring looks IMHO. Plus ive yet to see a ferrari interior styling I like...


Get the aston since youve had ferraris before. Try something new!

 

That's a very nice car!

.....ahem....
no comment

 

Top Gear did a comparison between the Vanquish and the 575M.

Part 1: http://youtube.com/watch?v=l5TtzC9p9Rg
Part 2: http://youtube.com/watch?v=EjHkdLkjUCw

 

The AM has more of a "presence" than the 550. I have never driven either, but based on looks, I would go with the AM.

 

Yep; I can only justify the cost of one.
Boxer would be the collectible appreciating garage queen.
GT2 would be the "flog mercilessly, put up wet, repeat" thrill ride.

 

actually they said it was faster etc. but both would take the aston IIRC

 

scratch that, that was the S i was thinking about

 

I think these were done by Henrik Fisker, but who ever is responsible, they did an incredible job.

 

Err, That's not strictly correct - There was a 575M v's Vanquish piece that Clarkson did with Damon Hill, and indeed they both agreed the Ferrari won on Dynamics, But then Clarkson & Steve Coogan, (Who was the other driver both), Drove 575HGTC V's Vanquish S, and again rated the Ferrari's dynamics - (on a track)...But both said they were fed up with Ferrari and would take the Aston Vanquish S in a heartbeat - Don't believe me, look it up on You Tube, both episodes are there.

Argento

 

+1
Aston Vanquish S it s a great version, the sound also is amasing like the car.

 

When I drove the 550, I just could not get past the feeling of how much weight it felt like was on the front end.
Never drove the Aston. Engine looks further back but tranny is up front.
Aston interior fit and finish much better than the 550 except for the use of aluminum a bit too much

 

Despite the fact that this comment was made some time ago, since the thread was just brought up I must strongly disagree here. Neither car has any presence (in that other road users will never notice either vehicle) but the Ferrari (whether 550 or 575) has slightly more than the Vanquish. I've seen both on the road several times and can say with no doubt that no one notices the Vanquish, but one or two people notice the Maranellos.

I'm not biased here either - the Vanquish is one of my favorite cars - much more than the Ferraris in question (and certainly I notice it more than the Ferraris). But the Vanquish looks so similar to the DB9 which looks so similar to the new Jaguar XK, it's not going to ever get noticed except by enthusiasts.

 

Excuse me, but G Damn that car is beautiful!