Sport mode, which shifts gears at higher revs, also delivers a harder punch. Our DB9 came with a 6-speed automatic transmission smoother than a cue ball. But after exiting the city limits and tearing down a stretch of asphalt connecting San Francisco with Napa Valley, the DB9 snapped up, greedily devouring 90-degree curves with just a hint of oversteer. Trudging through heavy traffic almost felt sadistic - kind of like taking a thoroughbred racehorse and giving it polio. The first day we took the car for a spin we kept the front-mounted 5.9 liter 470 BHP vehicle on a strict diet of city driving: no freeways, no tightly coiled back roads. But what it does have - fluid refinement, a hand built engine, a top speed of 191 MPH - is hard to resist. Sure it doesn't have the ultra-limited availability of its supercar stable mate. Think of the DB9 as the DBS' more reserved, better-educated sibling. But maybe you don't have the smoldering desire to own one of the company's 300 DBS flagship vehicles to be produced this year. Even though something near $200,000 isn't what most would describe as "bargain," for the exclusivity and overall performance, the DB9 Volante is what we'd call a good buy.You want an Aston Martin. Add another $3000 if you want the ZF automatic transmission and don't forget the $3000 gas-guzzler charge. #Aston martin db9 volante manualLike any good convertible, there's a premium to pay over the standard model with prices starting at $165,000, some $13,000 more than the base manual coupe. over the next year, of which half will be Volante models. And out on the twisties it is as engaging to drive - thanks to the full-throated song of the V-12 - as any pure sports car on the market today.Īston Martin expects to import about 400 DB9s to the U.S. The DB9, especially with the sequential shift automatic, is pleasant to drive around town (and profile in) with the top down. The driving experience will be similar to that of the coupe, which is taut with little body roll and enough wheelbase to help soak up most road imperfections. It can be a bit hard to read in bright sunlight, but looks stunning nonetheless. #Aston martin db9 volante driverBehind the wheel, the driver is treated to jewel-like instrumentation that features a chrome-on-silver presentation. It disappears completely beneath a hard tonneau - no unsightly stack mars the muscular lines of the Volante, unlike the DB7, which was saddled with an unfortunate hunchback appearance when the top was down.Īnother neat feature is a hinge mechanism that swings the doors upward 12 degrees to ease entry and exit from the vehicle and also avoids scuffing the door bottoms on high curbs. The flowing lines of the coupe translate well into the ragtop configuration. This ability to deliver pace and grace comes from the car's combination of wheels placed at the far corners, lightweight aluminum construction with 50/50 weight balance and a storming 449-bhp 6.0-liter V-12 underneath the hood.Įquipped with a choice of 6-speed manual or automatic transmission (the latter with sequential shift paddles on the steering column), the DB9 Volante is expected to accelerate to 60 mph in less than 5 seconds and possess a top speed of 180, just a tick slower than the coupe (which the factory says is good for 4.7 sec. The drop-top DB9 is one of a rare breed that provides sports-car thrills when pushed to its limits, while at the same time is capable of coddling you in incredible comfort. As an ultimate tanning machine, the Aston Martin DB9 Volante not only gives you a bronzed body, but also leaves you refreshed, as if you had spent a day at the spa.
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