Question - DB9 The Early Years

[Jon39]

As the DB11 is the DB9 successor, I wondered how the initial UK sales of the two cars compare.

Quarterly new registration figures are available, but the figures reveal quite a low volume of sales for the DB9, during the first two quarters (Q1 2004 and Q2 2004) of the model life.

I know the DB9 was the first model to be built at the newly constructed Gaydon factory, so perhaps there might have been a planned gradual increase in production to begin with. I have not even been able to find, when the first customer deliveries actually began.

For an acclaimed model, which presumably had strong initial orders, the figures for the DB9 during the first two quarterly periods, seem lower that might be expected.

Does anyone have knowledge about the initial production of the DB9 ?


UK SALES

	QUARTER			1	2	3	4				1	2	3	4				1	2	3	4				1	2	3	4
DB9		(2004)		7	45	170	108		(2005)		378	429	331	117		(2006)		248	222	220	100		(2007)		293	236	169	146
DB11		(2016)					109		(2017)		352	186	124			(2018)							(2019)

( source DVLA )

Edited by Jon39 on Tuesday 9th January 20:27

[damianke]

I had a very early DB9, Q3 2004 delivery, and went round the then new Gaydon factory to see the assembly process. The place was really quiet and felt very empty, by comparison to today.

It was a slow build up as the factory was just coming on line. It wasn't like DB11, where they are introducing a new model to the existing assembly process. Everything was new and it seemed to be quite a slow affair getting it all up and running. There are far more DB11s around now than there were DB9s at the same stage; it seems like the whole process is much slicker and better organised.

[8Tech]

Looking at those figures, I would say initial DB11 sales were for owners who just wanted the latest car but that sales have slowed worryingly. Either that, or the DB11 is not far enough ahead of the DB9 to get owners to swap.

That is my case anyway.

[Norgrom]

I think the styling isn't quite right so it hasn't had the same initial or lasting impact as DB9, sadly. That said, competition, Brexit and economic factors will also be at play with the DB11's UK volumes and it IS both very colour sensitive and it looks better in the flesh.Beauty is in the eye of the beholder but when I looked at the Autocar road test that light blue did the car no favours in the photos they used.

[mhurley]

I think the convertible DB11 looks better than the coupe

[Jon39]

Figures are now available for 2017 quarter 4, and 2018 quarter 1.
I have therefore added that information to the comparison table below.

It has occurred to me, that as the new Vantage retains the previous model name, there could be some confusion with the DVLA data, when we compare sales. There has been a gap in production which helps, but hopefully the V600 will be distinguished by being registered as V600.



UK SALES

	QUARTER			1	2	3	4				1	2	3	4				1	2	3	4				1	2	3	4
DB9		(2004)		7	45	170	108		(2005)		378	429	331	117		(2006)		248	222	220	100		(2007)		293	236	169	146
DB11		(2016)					109		(2017)		352	186	124	93		(2018)		187					(2019)

( source DVLA )