The DB9 is the first model to be built at Aston Martin's Gaydon facility in Warwickshire, England. The moniker "DB" stems from the initials of David Brown, the owner of Aston Martin for a significant part of its history. The DB9, which was designed by Ian Callum and finished by his successor, Henrik Fisker, superseded the now-discontinued Aston Martin DB7 (also by Callum) which started production in 1994.
The Aston Martin DB9 comes in two variants; the coupé and 'Volante' convertible, each producing 470 bhp (350 kW; 477 PS) from a 6.0L V12 engine, originally taken from its sister car the V12 Vanquish. In fact, this V12 engine is why Aston Martin did not call the car the DB8, which could suggest that it has only a V8 engine. One report states that Aston Martin believed that this car was such a huge leap from the Jaguar XJ-S based DB7 that it named it DB9 instead of DB8, which they thought would indicate a gradual evolution. The Gaydon facility's production capacity for the DB9 could allow for approximately five thousand units per year, which is roughly the same production volume as other esteemed sports cars, in particular the Ferrari F430 and Porsche 911 Turbo. The DB9, however, is more often compared against other competitors in its segment: the Ian Callum designed Jaguar XKR, the Volkswagen-produced Bentley Continental GT, the ten-cylinder powered BMW M6, and the AMG variants of the Mercedes-Benz SL. Traditionally being a maker of more exclusive automobiles, CEO Dr. Ulrich Bez assures Aston Martin loyalists that production numbers of the DB9 will be slightly higher than previous models; however, Aston Martin will still retain only a small statistical percentage of the high-end sports car market.
The DB9 is the first Aston Martin model to be designed and developed upon Ford's aluminium VH (vertical/horizontal) platform. The body structure is composed of aluminium and composites melded together by mechanically fixed self-piercing rivets and robotic assisted adhesive bonding techniques. The innovative bonded aluminium structure possesses more than double the torsional rigidity of its predecessor's, despite being 25 percent lighter. Aston Martin's engineers designed the quad-cam, 48-valve engine for the V12 Vanquish in collaboration with Ford's Research and Vehicle Technology team (RVT) and were able to reduce its weight by 11.8 kg (26 lb) for use in the DB9.
The Aston Martin DB9 Volante is the convertible version of the DB9 coupe. It is built by hand in limited numbers and has enhanced styling. It is powered by the same 6.0 litre, DOHC 48 valve V12 as the DB9 and is completed with 470 bhp (331 kW) and a top speed of 186 mph (300 km/h).[citation needed] Because it is a convertible it will do 0–60 mph in 4.9 seconds, three-tenths of a second slower than the hard top coupe. The Volante is taller than the hardtop, standing at 51.2 inches (1,300 mm) compared to 50.1 inches (1,270 mm). The transmission options are either the Graziano-sourced six speed manual or the ZF-sourced six speed 'Touchtronic 2' automatic. The DB9 Volante is featured in the television shows Desperate Housewives and Entourage.
In order to commemorate Aston Martin's victory at the 2007 24 Hours of Le Mans, a special edition of the DB9 was released. Known as the DB9 LM, the car is limited to only 124 examples. All are coupes, and will only be available in a unique color known as Sarthe Silver, named in honour of the Circuit de la Sarthe, where Le Mans is run. The Sports Pack is included, while the brake calipers are painted red and a chromed mesh grill are added.
No comments:
Post a Comment