What are we looking at?
Nothing majorly new in all honesty. Sure, the V12 Vantage S Roadster is flagged up as a debut, but it's not hugely significant in a show dripping in new metal. Indeed, we've driven it, and its coupé relation. Likewise the Vanquish's new eight-speed automatic transmission isn't going to get the crowds running over to the Aston Martin stand, though some of the trick carbon bits of the Vanquish Carbon Black special edition might appeal. Big news for Aston Martin is a new CEO, Andy Palmer, previously of Nissan, bringing some fresh outlook to the brand and planning on building its reach worldwide while still preserving its unique heritage and craftsmanship.
What's the best thing about it?
Palmer is unlikely to be there on the public days, so Parisians will have to make do with looking at some familiar, if still glorious Astons and wonder how the aluminium and carbon fibre bodies would cope with the city's famous touch and barge parking technique. Not very well we'd imagine; perhaps buy one and keep it down at your gaff in Nice - and buy a supermini for around town.
Show stopper or filler?
Sad as it is for us to say so Aston's stand definitely falls into the filler category in Paris. Beautiful filler admittedly, but with so much more interesting stuff going on around the Expo halls, Aston Martin's stand looks all-too familiar.