RE: DB9 Volante
Tuesday 25th November 2003
DB9 Volante
Has Aston lost its magic?
This is the new Aston Martin DB9 Volante that will be unveiled at January's Detroit motor show.
It's been engineered from the outset as a convertible rather than being a coupe with the roof lopped off. The roof retracts within the body of the car under a hard tonneau cover rather than sitting atop the body as on the DB7.
Rollover hoops are built in behind the rear seats and pop up in the event of an accident.
The car is powered by the 48 valve, 6 litre V12 and is expected to hit 60mph in less than five seconds and head on to more than 180mph.
The design is the work of Henrik Fisker, Aston Martin's Design Director. The question is does it do justice to the marque?
Discussion
Oh dear - the rear shot screams Volvo.
Does the engine have the same level of tune as the Vanquish? Surely they can up the power on this unit? OK, it's 2 Mondeo V6 blocks back to back but look what a couple of turbochargers do for Noble....what would a quad turbo Ford/Aston V12 bastard child produce?
Does the engine have the same level of tune as the Vanquish? Surely they can up the power on this unit? OK, it's 2 Mondeo V6 blocks back to back but look what a couple of turbochargers do for Noble....what would a quad turbo Ford/Aston V12 bastard child produce?
What were you guys expecting, exactly? They said it wasn't but the intention clearly was a DB9 with no roof! When the AMV8 is released, IMO the DB9 range will start looking a little irrelevant. If you want an 'entry' Aston, you'll get a V8. If you want rip-snorting V12 performance, you'll get a Vanquish. This range seems to be loitering around for the sake of countering competition.
What I'd really like to see Aston Martin do is use the V12 in a stripped-out Barchetta in the mould of the DB3S, maybe for circuit racing. Making it look a bit DB3S-ish. Now that'd be amazing!
What I'd really like to see Aston Martin do is use the V12 in a stripped-out Barchetta in the mould of the DB3S, maybe for circuit racing. Making it look a bit DB3S-ish. Now that'd be amazing!
Does look a bit 'Korean' doesn't it, come to think of it. IMO Aston Martin would be better off diversifying their range in the following ways:
-Losing the DB9. The 'DB' name is being squandered as it should be found on the entry-level, 5-figure Grand Tourers. The DB7 Vantage is pointless alongside the Vanquish (all it is are a couple of useless seats more).
-Rename the AMV8 the DB8. It fits into both the number system and the engine configuration. Adding Vantage, Volante and Vantage Volante (and Shooting Brake?!) will put it in direct competition with the Tamora/T350, Maserati and XK8. At the moment the DB7 Vantage/DB9 is in competition with the Ferrari 456 (the reworking of which will trounce it) and the TVR Cerbera (which undercuts it dramatically on price)
-They/Ford have enough money, I'm sure, to engineer a 'new' Lagonda, with both V8 and V12 engine options. In the same way as the 1975-1989 Lagonda was incredibly cutting-edge for its time, so must this new one be. Build it to compete with the Maybach 62 and the Rolls-Royce Phantom, but - and here's the trick - price it a good deal beneath them. Bugatti have turned out enough 4-door saloon concepts over the years when they didn't (technically) exist. Why can't Aston Martin Lagonda?
-Build (or contract an outsider to build) some kind of race machine, as I mentioned earlier, like the old DB3S or DBR1. The Aston Martin V12 is phenomenal, so why not send it to Le Mans? I see potential being wasted, even if it's not *actually* an Aston Martin (as per Nimrod/AMR1). It would be amazing to see the grid at Le Mans including, among the Porsches and Audis; MG-Lola, Bentley and Aston Martin. Ford's Le Mans challenger could be a racing version of the new GT40, or the Aston Martin, or even a Jaguar - call it the F-Type!
-But, above all, Stop trying to be Ferrari. Ferrari have always had their hegemonic place in the sports car market as the builder of incredibly fast, slightly raw mid-engined, or refined yet brutal front-engined, sports touring machines. Aston Martin, traditionally positioned themselves between Ferrari and Bentley - still a Gentleman's conveyance like the Bentley, with the associated refinement and practicality, but with the overall performance (delivered more smoothly, though) to match Ferrari. The Vanquish, for example, is too high-tech for it's own good (the unpopular paddle-change and twitchy handling prove it's trying to be something it's not supposed to be, ie a 575M).
-Losing the DB9. The 'DB' name is being squandered as it should be found on the entry-level, 5-figure Grand Tourers. The DB7 Vantage is pointless alongside the Vanquish (all it is are a couple of useless seats more).
-Rename the AMV8 the DB8. It fits into both the number system and the engine configuration. Adding Vantage, Volante and Vantage Volante (and Shooting Brake?!) will put it in direct competition with the Tamora/T350, Maserati and XK8. At the moment the DB7 Vantage/DB9 is in competition with the Ferrari 456 (the reworking of which will trounce it) and the TVR Cerbera (which undercuts it dramatically on price)
-They/Ford have enough money, I'm sure, to engineer a 'new' Lagonda, with both V8 and V12 engine options. In the same way as the 1975-1989 Lagonda was incredibly cutting-edge for its time, so must this new one be. Build it to compete with the Maybach 62 and the Rolls-Royce Phantom, but - and here's the trick - price it a good deal beneath them. Bugatti have turned out enough 4-door saloon concepts over the years when they didn't (technically) exist. Why can't Aston Martin Lagonda?
-Build (or contract an outsider to build) some kind of race machine, as I mentioned earlier, like the old DB3S or DBR1. The Aston Martin V12 is phenomenal, so why not send it to Le Mans? I see potential being wasted, even if it's not *actually* an Aston Martin (as per Nimrod/AMR1). It would be amazing to see the grid at Le Mans including, among the Porsches and Audis; MG-Lola, Bentley and Aston Martin. Ford's Le Mans challenger could be a racing version of the new GT40, or the Aston Martin, or even a Jaguar - call it the F-Type!
-But, above all, Stop trying to be Ferrari. Ferrari have always had their hegemonic place in the sports car market as the builder of incredibly fast, slightly raw mid-engined, or refined yet brutal front-engined, sports touring machines. Aston Martin, traditionally positioned themselves between Ferrari and Bentley - still a Gentleman's conveyance like the Bentley, with the associated refinement and practicality, but with the overall performance (delivered more smoothly, though) to match Ferrari. The Vanquish, for example, is too high-tech for it's own good (the unpopular paddle-change and twitchy handling prove it's trying to be something it's not supposed to be, ie a 575M).
Be gentle everybody!
I admit, I don't think the DB9 has the same presence as a DB7 V12 car, but wait until you see it in the flesh. It does look better than the photographs suggest.
I disagree with a lot of the comments about Astons future though.
The AMV8 concept is the right thing for them to do, and in no way was the DB ranges 'entry-level'. They were originally the only ranges that they did. The DB7 was the successor to the DB6 ie. 2+2 GT car.
Yes Vanquish isn't as it should be. 500+ bhp should have been from launch, but I stand by their decision on the paddle-shift. Having driven 355/360 F1s and Vanquish for many miles in all sorts of situations and conditions there is nothing wrong with it as long as you know how to drive it.
Motorsport - yes I would love to see Aston back on the track, but only with the right product. The new VH chassis is there to be developed and don't be surprised if DB9 doesn't end up at a race track near you soon.
Have faith.
I admit, I don't think the DB9 has the same presence as a DB7 V12 car, but wait until you see it in the flesh. It does look better than the photographs suggest.
I disagree with a lot of the comments about Astons future though.
The AMV8 concept is the right thing for them to do, and in no way was the DB ranges 'entry-level'. They were originally the only ranges that they did. The DB7 was the successor to the DB6 ie. 2+2 GT car.
Yes Vanquish isn't as it should be. 500+ bhp should have been from launch, but I stand by their decision on the paddle-shift. Having driven 355/360 F1s and Vanquish for many miles in all sorts of situations and conditions there is nothing wrong with it as long as you know how to drive it.
Motorsport - yes I would love to see Aston back on the track, but only with the right product. The new VH chassis is there to be developed and don't be surprised if DB9 doesn't end up at a race track near you soon.
Have faith.
I really don't think these pictures do it any favours....just like the launch piccies of the coupe.
However, Autoexpress had some shots of the car outside the new Gaydon factory, and in daylight you can make out so much more body "surfacing".
Oh, and it look fabulous in 5th Gear's video footage too.
However, Autoexpress had some shots of the car outside the new Gaydon factory, and in daylight you can make out so much more body "surfacing".
Oh, and it look fabulous in 5th Gear's video footage too.
But I suspect the people to whom it is aimed will share none of the concerns raised above. After all how many V12 2+2's are there to chose from.
Aggressive/butch and all that stuff drop-top would be the right sort of clues to give to Mr Wheeler, to do something with the Cerbera (long maligned and left to whither) as a true gap in the market (reasonably-ish priced in a non Suzuki way....)
Aggressive/butch and all that stuff drop-top would be the right sort of clues to give to Mr Wheeler, to do something with the Cerbera (long maligned and left to whither) as a true gap in the market (reasonably-ish priced in a non Suzuki way....)
The thing is, the DB9 (like the 7) is aimed at the SL/CL end of the market where agression is a negative point. Look at the old V8 Vantage and Vanquish where the competition is F575 amd Murcielago and agression is a pre-requisite.
An Aston Martin is for those who like to wear their labels on the inside and that is what the DB9 is about. Svelte, seductive and toned.
If you want agression and attitude then buy something else. I get a huge amount of satisfaction driving the DB7 and knowing that I don't have to listen to 50% of the public thinking "lovely car" and the other 50% thinking "w
er". Give me 100% smiling in admiration any day.
An Aston Martin is for those who like to wear their labels on the inside and that is what the DB9 is about. Svelte, seductive and toned.
If you want agression and attitude then buy something else. I get a huge amount of satisfaction driving the DB7 and knowing that I don't have to listen to 50% of the public thinking "lovely car" and the other 50% thinking "w
er". Give me 100% smiling in admiration any day.Gassing Station | Aston Martin | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff