“The Ultimate Grand Tourer” may be the ultimate gentleman motorist’s sports car.  And while there are now more contenders[1] for the crown (with more performance and more technology), there is something timeless about the Aston Martin Vanquish.  That's because Aston Martin has not tinkered with the Vanquish formula since it debuted in 2001.  The perfectionists at Porsche[2] would agree - don't mess with a good thing.  Aston Martin’s time tested approach to this exercise in refinement is to put a V-12 (this time with 565 brake horse power and 457 pound feet of torque) in a tuxedo.  Like James Bond, the Vanquish is a sophisticated exercise in controlled violence—a killing machine with an Eton College[3] education, a bruiser with manners and panache, a fist fight concluding with a hand shake and a round of drinks.

So it packs a big punch.  But the little things also set the Vanquish apart.  From the simple, sporty wheels to the the luxurious, leather cabin, this Aston vanquishes the competition while its driver never breaks a sweat.

On second thought...the Vanquish's price tag, which is just north of $300,000, may produce a few beads of perspiration.  But if the Gentleman Motorist could only have two cars in his garage, he would be most satisfied with a Vanquish and a Range Rover.  One imagines the Queen would approve as well.    

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[1] It is too soon to tell, but the new Mercedes S63 AMG Coupe and the Mercedes AMG GT may give the Vanquish a run for its money.

[2] That said, the Porsche 911 feels like it was made by a bunch of  serious scientists while the Aston Martin Vanquish feels like it was made by a masterful mixologist.  In other words, the Vanquish is as much art as it is science.  And your soul knows the difference.

[3] Do not confuse England’s public schools with America’s public schools.  They mean two entirely different things.  Same goes for pants.

Photo(s) from Aston Martin.

The world needs iconoclasts—those individuals who are willing to think outside the box and challenge convention.  Galileo, the Wright brothers, and Steve Jobs all come to mind.  But let us take care not to confuse iconoclasm with idiocy.  Case in point, rolling coal.  Which, as you are about to discover, is one of the dumbest phenomena in the history of motoring.

As some of you may know, dear readers, different states have different requirements for license plates.  Perhaps the most obvious difference is that some states require two license plates (one in the front and one in the back) while others only require one (in the back).  This of course has a physical effect on vehicles because dealerships in states requiring two plates will often drill holes into the front fascia of your vehicle to install said license plate.  Bummer.  Some of you may be saying, “What’s the big deal?  So I have two plates on my car.  Everyone does.”  That is true while you are living in a two-plate state.  But what happens when you move to a one-plate state?  You can either (1) remove the plastic plate holder the dealer installed, leaving holes in the front fascia of your car or (2) drive around with a blank, plastic canvas on the front of your car.  Let’s face it—neither one is a great option.

Enter the decorative license plate.  One can acquire these plates to fill the empty space where your front plate used to be.  But should you treat your empty front license plate holder as a forum for personal expression?  If you do, please be cautious, my friends.  Your plate of choice may say something about you that you did not intend to convey.  So let us examine a few categories of decorative plates to see just how slippery this slope gets.