Tuesday 21st June 2005

Aston puts GT racer on sale

550bhp DBRS9 delivers the GT experience

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Aston Martin DBRS9: 430bhp/tonne

Aston Martin Racing has unveiled the DBRS9, a competition car for club and national racing series, and a bridge for teams and drivers looking towards international GT racing.

The DBRS9 is based on the DB9 road car, but shares many design features from the full GT1 specification DBR9. It uses the road car’s aluminium bonded chassis with a DBR9-based roll cage. Aston Martin Racing’s engineers have tuned the standard 12 cylinder, six litre engine to produce approximately 550bhp (an increase of 20 per cent) and reduced the overall weight by 480Kg, to increase the power to weight ratio to nearly 430bhp/tonne. Much of this is down to the extensive use of carbon composite materials for all the body panels (except the roof) and on the interior trim, as well as polycarbonate side and rear windows.

The DBRS9 has a six-speed H-pattern gearbox with new, shorter ratios for competition use, which can be upgraded to a full sequential racing box. The car’s ride has been lowered and the double wishbone suspension has been rose jointed and fitted with two-way adjustable Koni dampers and stiffened competition springs.

While Aston Martin Racing’s focus has been to optimise the DBRS9’s performance, it has also been designed with practicality in mind. Both the seat and steering wheel are easily adjustable, and there is the option of a passenger seat, for demonstration drives. Removable body panels, a modular chassis and a package of spares simplify service and maintenance.

“There are many people who want to race Aston Martins competitively in everything from the occasional track day to weekend club or national series races,” said David Richards of Aston Martin Racing. “The DBRS9 opens GT racing up to more enthusiasts and with its levels of performance will offer aspiring racing drivers the experience of a GT racing car without the complexity associated with running a full GT1 car.”

The DBRS9 will start at £175,000 plus options and taxes. The cars will be built to order at Aston Martin Racing’s headquarters in Banbury, UK with first deliveries expected later in 2005.

Dr Ulrich Bez, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Aston Martin, said: “Positioned between the road-going DB9 and the 2005 Tourist Trophy winning DBR9, this car will make a racing experience more accessible to Aston Martin race enthusiasts.  It reinforces the DB9’s performance potential and inherent racing qualities.”

[pesmo]

£175k for the occasional track day Mmmmmmmmmmm.

430 BHP/tonne ain't too bad though for a big car

[vetteheadracer]

Saw one of these on the stand at Le Mans and it looks luvely!

[joephandango]

Anyone got a lend of £200k ?

[errek72]

Odd, this.
They make the most beautifull GT with the DB9 and than make it underpowered and grossly overweight (strange in itself because of the lightweight construction methods it is built with).
Then they bring out a no-holds-barred max-powerish racer that is ultralight and powered-up.

How about making it a true Aston that is fast and beautifully subdued? Isn't that the point, in stead of trying to out-Lambo the italians?

[dunno]

Corvette will still beat it :P

[errek72]

dunno said:

Corvette will still beat it :P

Mmmh, that's what I was trying to say, but way shorter :-)

[dunno]

[4WD]

Yes, very odd. Where's the half way measure? Ahh....

Vantage DB9 - show yourself!

[jaytee368]

Presumably reliability won't feature in their marketing strategy.

[p7ulg]

Another good reason to buy a lottery ticket

[lap_time]

I've said it a few times before, but a C5R crate engine in a Marcos GT2 would be better.
Hmmm, now where did i put those spanners...

[robdickinson]

"reduced the overall weight by 480Kg, to increase the power to weight ratio to nearly 430bhp/tonne. Much of this is down to the extensive use of carbon"

Is it me or is the bulk of 480kg saved just on body panels (on an aly based car) somewhat shocking? thats 1/4 of the weight of ther car isnt it?

[edc]

I like this "it has also been designed with practicality in mind ... and there is the option of a passenger seat"

[V8 Archie]

jaytee368 said:

Presumably reliability won't feature in their marketing strategy.

I might be wrong, but I thought they showed that the cars are extremely reliable if you put enough fuel in them and don't drive them into the scenery.

[warmfuzzies]

Saw it at Le mans to, but all I could think of was the Gingerbread man from Shrek.....Do you know the muffin ma????


kevin.

[bonedaddy]

Who's been at that picture with the Tipp-Ex?

[dougbarker]

It's where the racing team colours go.

Not really sure about this car as I can't see what it would race in. Can't think of any club championships it could really run in, and I am not sure it would be competitive in British GT. Thoughts?

Re the Marcos GT2 + C5R engine - I suspect the DBRS9 has the better aerodynamics package.

This *is* a race car. Not road legal and unlikely to be.

[DanH]

How similar is this to the lemans car? That was a fantastic machine.

[lap_time]

dougbarker said:

It's where the racing team colours go. Not really sure about this car as I can't see what it would race in. Can't think of any club championships it could really run in, and I am not sure it would be competitive in British GT. Thoughts? Re the Marcos GT2 + C5R engine - I suspect the DBRS9 has the better aerodynamics package. This *is* a race car. Not road legal and unlikely to be.

Thats why you upgrade the aerodynamics like AM did...