My brother in-law - a notorious non-petrol-head - summed it up when I got mine: "If you'd got an Aston I would have had to kill you. I LOVE Astons." The triumph of perception, brand strength and the 007 image we all aspired to as school-boys (well.. I did).
On the cost aspect, a colleague (based in the Netherlands) and I worked out that on a monthly basis his company BMW 320 estate costs about 20% more than my GTS based on his lease cost and company car tax. OK, so his is new, all servicing, tyres etc paid for (including a fuel card) and he didn't have to put down a deposit, but the fact is that these cars are not as stupidly expensive as lots of people think. And most importantly they are far better, more joyful cars than most people will ever realise. The best kept secret in the motoring world?