Wednesday 19th February 2014

Aston Martin N430 and DB9 Carbon Black

Lick of paint and dusting of carbon for Aston's V8 Vantage and DB9

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Aston Martin has confirmed two special editions - the V8 Vantage N430 and the DB9 Carbon Black and Carbon White - will debut at the Geneva show. What, no new AMG-engined models? Seems we'll have to wait a little longer for those but what we do have are ... some nice colour schemes and extras.

Retro paint scheme serves the Vantage well

Seriously though, the N430 in particular does look rather enticing in its retro Aston racing green paint and DBR1 inspired yellow highlights. Like the previous N400 Vantage, the N430 alludes to the motorsport success of Vantage racing cars by being ostensibly a track-inspired model. So it gets fixed carbon/Kevlar seats and forged wheels helping shave 20kg from the kerb weight and the Vantage S power hike from the standard 426hp to 436hp. It's a tenth quicker to 60mph than the standard Vantage (now 4.6 seconds) and a more significant 10mph faster at the top end, hitting 190mph flat out like the Vantage S.

This is no stripped out race car for the road like the old N24 though, the N430 getting plenty of Alcantara trimmings to sit alongside the carbon fibre detailing and an optional 1000W Bang & Olufsen sound system if you really don't get along with the 4.7-litre one under the bonnet. Purists will be encouraged by the sight of a manual shifter in the centre console but you can also have the N430 with the Sportshift II seven-speed automated manual if you prefer. Prices start at £89,995 for the coupe (Roadster also available), which is £5K more than the standard Vantage but a more significant £10K less than the Vantage S. OK, so there's nothing really new about it but the N430 does bring together some of the best bits of the Vantage range. And it's a nice colour. We like.

So, we'll shoot the black car on the black background...

The DB9 Carbon Black and White editions, meanwhile, are a rather more straightforward trim option. Based on the standard DB9 the standout features are based on the monotone colour choices, respectively matched or contrasted against the carbon fibre trim elements. Clue was in the name there... In an apparent admission that this is a spruce-up on a long-serving model Aston's description of the DB9 as 'timeless' says much, design boss Marek Reichman phoning in a quote about the packs giving the car "a fresh and highly desirable new appearance."

In a show packed with brand new metal the idea that paint schemes qualify as a "new appearance" may provoke a few chuckles but, hey, they still look lovely. Right?

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More N430 pics here:

[Galsia]

It is hard to get excited when Aston Martin seem to release exactly the same car year on year.

[arkenphel]

Not very exciting news from AM then. Yawn.



Nice as they are, GIVE US SOMETHING NEW AND STOP TRYING TO FLOG A BEAUTIFUL DEAD HORSE.

[j90gta]

As handsome as Astons are, they do really need to build something fresh and not just a derivative. A lick of paint just isn't enough.

[bakerstreet]

Agreed with what others have said. its just getting a little samey now. I'm hoping that when the new AMG engines are launched, the engineers will be allowed to go wild with the last Ford V8 cars and bolt a supercharger as well as shaving 100Kg off the weight.

They seem to keep increasing the power output by tiny amounts. I'm guessing they don't want it to get too close to the V12 engined cars.

[Rib]

tbh I think the lick of paint makes it worse! reminds me of the old rover 25 with the orange bits painted on it!

agree with others, bring out some new porn! can just watch the same old porn over and over, gets boring lol

[Greenslade]

The guys in the design department must really be scrabbling to keep their jobs

[rtz62]

You mean the BRM model, green with orange grille surround etc?

[smilo996]

Well clearly they are building something new as these are designed to extend the existing designs just a bit further. Shame their outgoing German MD had nothing more innovative to give to Aston than handing them German engines. Especially as there are a number of great options that could be sourced from the UK.

Then again Porsche have been droning on making the same car for 50 years. So Aston's ten year old DB9 design looks very young indeed.

[rtz62]

Why do I have the horrible feeling that we have seen this before, with Rover/MG, rehashing old models with paint and trim updates. Or the MG SV V8, a better example of desperation just prior to finding the coffers are empty.
I hope I'm wrong, but when such a prestigious marque produces cars that are visually almost indistinguishable from each other then I think the cause for concern is justified....

[Zod]

I have those wheels from the N430 as my winter wheels!

[365daytonafan]

smilo996 said:

Well clearly they are building something new as these are designed to extend the existing designs just a bit further. Shame their outgoing German MD had nothing more innovative to give to Aston than handing them German engines. Especially as there are a number of great options that could be sourced from the UK.

I think credit where it's due when Bez took over Aston Martin they were making a few hundred cars a year. He leaves them making upwards of 5,000 cars a year a modern factory and a technology partnership with AMG that should hopefully enable them to introduce new models in the next few years.

Do I think he has got everything right no. The cars are too idenikit for my liking and that expansion has certainly cheapened the brand (although VW's expansion of Bentley has done the same thing), but without Bez and Dave Richards there probably would be no Aston today.

[Remagel2507]

Can't say I'm a fan of those wheels on the V8V remind me too much of those cheap Halfords wheels that loads of people seem to get

[krisdelta]

Zod said:

I have those wheels from the N430 as my winter wheels!

Snap

[JDMDrifter]

I like the look of the N430

[nonuts]

JDMDrifter said:

I like the look of the N430

Me too, and all those moaning about 'they need to come out with something new' why? Those cars are still some of the best looking, cohesive designs going. If I had the money I'd be very tempted to get a N430 or V12 Vantage.

[MaserBob]

The yellow round the front end looks like badly applied lipstick!

[Harry H]

Absolute crap....so bad it's embarrassing. Someone at AM needs to be taken out into the car park and shot.

[Quickmoose]

A gorgeous car is always gorgeous...

Woud we moan if Jaguar were still making the odd E-type here and there?
I guess something new would keep the fashionistas happy.

Until the sight of a DB9 or Vantage is common place however, I for one don't care how many times they release new colour schemes. The fundementals are faultless

[MaserBob]

Agreed the fundamental design is lovely - problem is that each makeover results in a worse looking car - cheaper and cruder

[MikeO996]

JDMDrifter said:

I like the look of the N430

But why do it to the Vantage and not the S?