DB9 – A STRIKING BALANCE THE NEW ASTON MARTIN DB9 A STRIKING BALANCE DB9 is a thoroughbred sports car with GT levels of comfort and refinement. Its design philosophy is uncompromising and brings together everything that makes a sports car great with that unique Aston Martin character, borne out of craftsmanship and use of the finest quality materials. Most cars are a series of But what is beauty without DB9 meets all of these Be uplifted by the magnificent SO WHAT IS IT THAT MAKES compromises. The result is aerodynamic efficiency? challenges. Undeniably styling; revel in a sumptuous, usually rational – even Power encumbered by beautiful yet efficient. fully equipped cabin trimmed A GREAT SPORTS CAR? impressive on paper – but weight? Straight-line Power in proportion to in the finest quality materials; often bland and soulless in performance without agility? weight. Harmony of sound enjoy the superb Linn audio reality. Sports cars should be Great sports cars balance and performance and system; select Drive and let all about character and driver these apparent opposites, dynamic ability inherent DB9’s 6.0-litre V12 and shift- involvement. They need to creating an experience through good design. by-wire fully automatic look great, sound great and that is both unique and transmission do the rest. have power and performance unforgettable. What the But an Aston Martin is also to stir the soul. driver sees, hears and feels luxurious. On those occasions Sunday, after all, is only a is in harmony. The reward is when top speed and maximum few days away. total involvement: a level of acceleration are not really engagement that truly necessary, indulge yourself. stimulates the senses, that re-ignites the passion for driving. STYLING UNDERSTATED ELEGANCE Sports cars are meant to be They are subtle, not Key Aston Martin design Great design, however, is beautiful, and no maker of attention-seeking. DB9 characteristics include the not just about form; it is sporting cars has a better appears as if milled from a distinctive grille, metal side also about function. An reputation for understated solid piece of aluminium. strakes and signature rear Aston Martin is by definition elegance and graceful window shape. very fast, so it needs to styling than Aston Martin. Its side profile is typically be aerodynamically Their beauty comes from Aston Martin: very clean, with ‘Aston Martins are not edgy. efficient. It must be superbly harmonious proportions, a a single sweep roofline. The They don’t have sharp stable at high speed – even ground-hugging stance, taut uncluttered lines flow through surfaces or pronounced the exhaust silencer is surfacing, and thorough to a distinctive tail, and the power domes. The bodywork aerodynamically shaped attention to detail. haunches on the rear wings is gently curved, like an to help achieve this. are wide and curvaceous. athlete with great muscle tone,’ explains director of The result is that DB9 drives design Henrik Fisker. arrow-straight at high speed yet, like all great Aston Martins, it does so with supreme elegance and grace. IT TAKES ONE PUSH OF A BUTTON AND A MERE 17 SECONDS TO RAISE OR LOWER THE ROOF OF THE VOLANTE HOOD UP OR DOWN, THE LINES OF DB9 REMAIN BREATHTAKINGLY BEAUTIFUL DB9 was conceived and DB9’s folding fabric roof is Safety is of course a major designed, from the outset, as light, attractive and durable, consideration. Special tilt both a coupe and a convertible and is also compact when sensors detect the danger of (Volante). This uncompromising stowed. There is no loss of a possible roll-over and deploy approach is typical of the practicality – DB9 Volante two strengthened hoops from whole DB9 engineering retains the rear seats, and the rear seat headrests. philosophy. That is why DB9 offers the same boot space Further safety protection is Volante is one of the most as DB9 coupe. offered by the windscreen structurally rigid and best A-pillars, which can withstand handling convertibles in the The roof retracts fully, at the more than twice the total world. It is also one of the single push of a button, and weight of the car. fastest and quietest. swiftly stows beneath a hard tonneau cover that closes flush It looks elegant and perfectly with the rear bodywork. proportioned from every angle – with roof up or down. As with all Aston Martins, beauty and proportion is of key importance. 100% ASTON MARTIN ENGINEERED TO BE THE WORLD’S FINEST SPORTS GT DB9 is new from the ground Aston Martin developed its All major body and The result is that DB9 is up. Every feature has been own incredibly light and mechanical components are up to 600 kg leaner than tailored to make the world’s strong aerospace- either aluminium, magnesium some other GTs. That’s the finest sports GT. specification bonded alloy, or advanced lightweight equivalent of six men, aluminium structure. This composite materials. These plus luggage. The starting point was to ‘VH’ structure, which is include the aluminium V12 define the ideal dimensions, unique to Aston Martin, has engine and transmission, This light weight, allied to proportions and materials for given DB9 one of the most forged aluminium suspension, class-leading rigidity, the chassis. Aston Martin did structurally efficient body and aluminium-bodied contributes to improved not use an adapted platform frames in the car industry. dampers. Even the acceleration, agility, steering from an existing family or Its enormous rigidity aids windscreen surround is cast response, braking and fuel luxury saloon – the most handling, driver feedback aluminium, while the door economy. In short the result common starting point for GT and safety. More than any frames and inner panels, is a significantly heightened cars. This approach can lead other single component, steering column and driving experience. to compromise in styling and the advanced aluminium gearchange paddles are weight and loss of character. structure is the reason magnesium. In every case with DB9, the for DB9’s extraordinary ideal solution – not the easy nimbleness, responsiveness solution – has been sought. and overall character. That is why DB9 is a charismatic sports car. However, it is not just the Superb to drive; lovely to body structure that is light behold: 100% Aston Martin. and rigid. Other components have been developed with light weight in mind. Great sports cars must handle The aluminium V12 engine is The result is a car that can be This lightness and balance PERFECT BALANCE superbly. They should respond mounted as far back as driven with great delicacy, a make the whole driving quickly and predictably to possible in a ‘front mid- car that communicates richly experience more pleasurable – IN HARMONY WITH ITS DRIVER driver commands; they engined’ layout. The compact through its steering, that is from the deft touch needed to AND IN HARMONY WITH THE ROAD should be nimble and agile. aluminium transaxle housing stable and predictable. DB9 open and close the elegant the gearbox and final drive is excels not because it has ‘swan-wing’ doors, to the The front-to-rear weight positioned at the rear, forward myriad electronic controls touch and feel of even the distribution of DB9 is a perfect of the rear axle. added in an attempt to most minor controls. 50:50 with 85 percent of the overcome compromise, but car’s mass sited between the A lightweight and rigid carbon because it has an inherently DB9, more than almost any front and rear axles. fibre propellor shaft, housed in light and stiff structure, perfect other sports car, is in harmony a cast aluminium torque tube, weight distribution and finely with its driver, and in harmony transfers torque from the front- tuned suspension. with the road. mid engine to the rear-mid transmission. This gives DB9 its superb balance. V12 POWER & PERFORMANCE DESIGNED TO STIR THE SOUL A great sports car needs a These figures are impressive The six-speed ‘Touchtronic 2’ If preferred, or where driving great engine – it is the heart and DB9 will respond with fully automatic transmission conditions tempt, magnesium of any high-performance real passion. uses shift-by-wire technology, alloy paddles, sited behind machine. and replaces the conventional the steering wheel, enable But it can also relax, with gear lever with dashboard- instant, F1-style gear In DB9’s case, that great 80 per cent of the V12 mounted buttons to select changes, providing the engine is a powerful yet engine’s torque, or pulling Park, Reverse, Neutral and choice of rapid and involving refined all aluminium 6.0-litre power, available from as little Drive modes. The result is fingertip gear changing. V12. It produces 335 kW as 1500 rpm. Mid-range sophisticated yet intuitive: (450 bhp) and 570 Nm (420 performance is astonishing, quick and easy to use and Unlike many other sports lb ft) of torque. That results giving instant overtaking providing instant response to GTs, DB9 also offers a in a power to weight ratio of power almost regardless of driver input. six-speed manual gearbox, 194 kW/tonne (263 bhp/ engine speed, or even featuring a conventional tonne) – one of the highest which gear the car is in. gear change and new high- figures in its class. DB9 offers a choice of two capacity, twin-plate clutch. transmissions, both allowing Performance is enormous, the driver terrific interaction yet usable. Top speed is with the car. 300 km/h (186 mph) and acceleration sees 0-100 km/h (62 mph) in 4.9 seconds (add two tenths of a second for the automatic). Power Torque More than any other quality, The cabin of DB9 is built Under hard acceleration, the DRIVER INTERFACE DB9 seeks to serve up the around the driver.