Cool article

http://www.suntimes.com/output/lifestyles/cst-ftr-car16.html

Have Aston, will strut

June 16, 2006

BY LUCIO GUERRERO Staff Reporter






When you drive an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage Volante you don't just think you are James Bond -- you are James Bond.

It's a rare opportunity -- but now everyone -- who has the cash -- will get a chance to drive something this nice thanks to The Concierge Car Service of Chicago. The downtown company rents luxury cars -- from the $100,000 Aston to Porsches and Hummers.

"Renting an exotic car is not really a regular rental," said Jim Foster, who recently leased a Porsche 911 for two days. "It's fulfilling a passion." He opted to go the exotic car route because, after all, who stares at a Chevy Cavalier? "And, of course, there is also a bit of an ego trip involved."




KING OF OAK STREET: Sun-Times reporter Lucio Guerrero says he feels taller driving an Aston Martin. (SCOTT STEWART/ SUN-TIMES)


I LOVE YOU, DAD
Still looking for a Father's Day gift? Concierge Car Service is offering a "Father's Day Dream Car Package" that includes choice of a Porsche, Range Rover, BMW or Mercedes for three days at $999. For more information on this package or on other upscale rides, go to www.conciergecarservice.com.

We wanted to see for ourselves what this "ego trip" was about. We wanted to know if the car makes the man, or the other way around.

So we borrowed the Aston from Concierge Car Service for a few hours (it rents for $1,250 a day) and hit some Chicago hot spots. We then took a non-luxury car (Ford Focus) to the same places to see if the rich -- or the pretend rich -- get treated differently.


INITIAL IMPRESSIONS


The 2005 Aston Martin DB7 is not a car that you just get into; you kind of fall into it. But that's OK, because the leather bucket seats cushion your fall nicely. The car's console screams elegance with its cherry wood, black knobs and splashes of silver. Everything is an arm's length away. Even starting the car is cool. Turn the key and push the ignition button (like the Batmobile!) and it lets out a lusty roar.

With the top down, the car isn't just stunning, it's mesmerizing. After a few minutes in the car, a passerby said, "Hey, nice Aston Martin."

Now, the 2005 Focus -- well, the cloth interior is nice in the summer. You won't stick to it.

As for the purr of the motor, if the engine could talk, it would say, "Please don't hurt me," when idling next to the Aston.

The words, "Hey, nice Ford Focus," have yet to be uttered.


GIBSONS, 1028 N. Rush

When you have a $100,000 car, you have to go to the place where they aren't so out of the ordinary -- the Gold Coast. Along Rush Street, the curb looks like a high-priced showroom. And the coolest cars get parked right in front.

So how do you get special treatment? Just ask. But you'd be surprised how inexpensive it can be.

When we pulled up to Gibsons, we asked the valet about leaving it in front of the steakhouse. After checking with the manager -- he had come over to inspect the car -- we were given the OK. When we came back, the most unbelievable thing happened: We were comped. We offered $20 for the $10 valet price, but the valet shook his head and said, "No. That's OK." (We still gave him the $20. After all, when you drive up in an Aston Martin, you can't be stingy.)

When we inquired about parking the Focus in front, there was no talk of managers or special permission. Instead, my query was met with a polite chuckle. And we had to pay.


JOE'S SPORTS BAR, 940 W. Weed

We headed next to a spot guaranteed to have a testosterone-pumped, sports-loving crowd.

Again, we were surprised by the stark difference in the way things work when you drive a luxury car. When we arrived in the Aston and inquired about parking in front, the $9 valet instantly turned to $20.

After the valet parked the car by the door, we went inside and covertly spied on the valet. We saw valet guys sit inside the Aston, caressing the dash and trying to see how the car looked with the top up.

When the valet drove the Focus away, we never saw anyone go sit in it after it was parked, nor did anyone try to open the hatchback -- which can be fun because it makes a funny "pop" noise.


ROCK 'N' ROLL McDONALD'S, 600 N. Clark

We figured McDonald's would be the great equalizer -- status means nothing when you are ordering a Big Mac, right?

At the drive-thru in the Aston, something happened between the window where you pay and the window where you pick up the food. When we reached the second window in the Aston, three heads were crammed in the little box checking us out. In the Focus, we received barely a glance..


OAK STREET

Some of the most expensive boutiques in the city -- Barneys New York and Hermes -- are located on Oak Street.

We parked the Aston on the street and walked away. In two minutes a man went over to get a better look, circling it like a shark checking out its prey. After five minutes, he went back to his car -- a black Mercedes SL500. A guy who drives an $80,000 car was impressed with the Aston -- either that or he was looking to trade up.

The Focus got no attention. After 10 minutes, we got depressed and left.


BOTTOM LINE

We can afford the Focus, but we long for the Aston. We felt taller, better-looking, confident and debonair in the $100,000 beast. Women loved us; men envied us.

In the Focus, we felt practical.

So we got our answer: The rich do get treated differently. But we always suspected that -- we just wanted to go for a ride.

 

I thought they had stopped 7 production by '05. Go figure.

 

WTF they still make the DB7

 

According to Wikipedia, it ended in 2003.