4wd DB9 Hybrid

[897sma]

http://cars.uk.msn.com/news/aston-martin-db9-4wd-h...

And faster than the petrol version!!

[02verco]

Hummmm and the tax cost? Very nice, I wonder how much more it adds to the curb weight

[IanV12VR]

You would have thought it would have had a green badge on rather than a blue one

[mikey k]

Very clever and interesting
The dash is a bit Tron but a step on for the current offering
Looks like it is electric motors to drive the front wheels and shaft drive to the rear.
Which sort of suggests it is only 4WD when both batteries and engine are in use
So when it is purely electric = FWD & purely petrol = RWD
Looks like it has a "KERS" style energy recovery system as well
Well done Aston

Slightly off topic I watched a vid of the H2 Rapide yesterday
Amazing they have managed to cram two turbos in the engine bay with the V12

I think these two cars give us some good clues to AM's aspirations for their future power trains.

Edited by mikey k on Friday 14th June 12:47

[kalibre46]

Very nice. "loads of stuff under the bonnet". Yes, so much so it doesn't appear to close properly.

I wonder who did their sill plates?......

[PiloteAM]

IanV12VR said:

You would have thought it would have had a green badge on rather than a blue one

In Germany blue is used in the same way we use green here, e.g. BlueMotion VWs.

The car was built by Bosch.

[PiloteAM]

02verco said:

Hummmm and the tax cost? Very nice, I wonder how much more it adds to the curb weight

It weighs the same as the convertible, 300kg more. That's a lot, but it's not a light car anyway.

I think it's pretty cool (assuming it drives OK), almost worth it to thumb your nose at the congestion charge

You lose the back seats, but they're pretty useless anyway, apart from for luggage.

[drmw]

At least with that dash presentation you stand a better chance of being able to read it at speeds above 30mph

[PiloteAM]

Ah, but just realised its 4wd. Not interested.

[mikey k]

PiloteAM said:

Ah, but just realised its 4wd. Not interested.

But is not really!
Only when you are using both fuels simultaneously
Good for torque!

ETA same as the new BMW i8 sportscar which it will compete with

Edited by mikey k on Friday 14th June 16:38

[PiloteAM]

mikey k said:

But is not really!
Only when you are using both fuels simultaneously
Good for torque!

ETA same as the new BMW i8 sportscar which it will compete with

Well, that means that electric-only it will be FWD!

That makes it essentially the same as a Cynet

[PiloteAM]

In all seriousness, it's quite a good move from AM, but is be more interested in something petrol-electric and RWD.

I think the Porsche 918 might be electric front, ICE rear too.

[mikey k]

Yep maybe it is the cygnet replacement?

Most of the main stream electric hybrid sports cars (Audi, Fezza, BMW, Porsche etc) seem to be going this route with a few notable exceptions;

Fisker - AWD electric motors with petrol generator (assuming they survive!)
Tesla - RWD electric only
Jag - AWD electric motors with petrol generator

[897sma]

It makes much more sense than trying to get a mechanical drive train for full 4wd. In this case a relatively easy addition as a couple of electric motors on the front wheels shouldn't effect the rest of the car too much