If you're keeping a list of 100 things that you must do before you bid farewell to this life, let me add one more "must" for you.

You have to drive an Aston-Martin.

Notice I said "drive," because let's face it. These cars are expensive, ranging from about $113,200 for the Aston Martin V-8 Vantage, to about $179,000 for the DB9. If you're one of the rare folk who can afford it, congratulations!

But if you can manage to get a test drive, by all means do it.

There's that delicious sound of the engine -- unlike any I've ever heard. There's the gorgeous wood, that looks terrific without a lot of gloss to get in the way. There's the muscled, cat-like styling that likely will be a classic for decades to come. And of course, the aroma of all that incredible leather.

The V-8 Vantage is the best way to get an Aston for most people, and they'll be treated to a bravura performance by the 4.3 liter, 380 horsepower V-8 which will hit 60 in less than five seconds. Fuel mileage is around 12 to 13 city and 18 to 19 on the highway. You can get a six speed manual or an automatic clutch manual. And don't think that the lower price means a lesser experience in this incredible car -- that's simply not the case.

The DB9 has acceleration that can only be described as thunderous, given its 5.9 liter, 450 horsepower V-12 engine. Everything becomes a blur as you hit the road, pick up speed and just sit back and relax in one of the most glamorous cars in the world. Fuel economy is 10 to 11 miles per gallon in the city and 16 to 17 miles per gallon on the highway.

New for 2008 on the DB9 is a "Sports Pack" option.