2006 Aston Martin DB9 Model Update

To Die For

Virtually unchanged for 2006, Aston Martin's powerful all-aluminum DB9 is the ultimate British sports car.

Stunning styling, sumptuous appointments and a brawny V12 engine make the Aston Martin DB9 one of the most desirable cars in the world.

It continues virtually unchanged for 2006, as is typical of such high-priced, low-volume cars. Sleek and low-slung, the DB9 is available as a two-seat Volante convertible or a 2+2 coupe with a token back seat. The DB9 replaced the preceding DB7 in 2004. Production is limited to 2,000 units per year worldwide.

2006 Aston Martin DB9 Volante + enlarge image  |  view gallery >

The car’s aluminum body is handsome — arguably one of the most attractive around — with a broad, deep front grille, typical of Aston Martin, between large oval headlamps. Graceful compound curves run rearward over a long hood to culminate in a short deck. The windshield is steeply raked and the roofline low. "Swan wing" doors open slightly upward (by 12 degrees) to ease entry and exit and prevent the doors from swinging too far open and getting dinged.

The DB9 comes powered by a 450-horsepower version of the 6.0-liter V12 engine that is also found in Aston Martin’s V12 Vanquish S (where it makes 70 hp more). It can be mated to a six-speed manual or an automatic transmission that employs shift-by-wire gear changing and can be taken through the gears manually via paddles behind the steering wheel. Top speed is claimed to be in excess of 186 mph.

A thoroughly modern ride, the DB9 is constructed from an aluminum-bonded unibody frame, whose lightness and rigidity enable exceptional agility and ride comfort. A rear-mounted transaxle contributes to the ideal front-to-rear weight distribution which, along with a double-wishbone suspension and 19-inch wheels and tires, creates tenacious handling without too harsh of a ride. Dynamic Stability Control, Electronic Brakeforce Distribution and Brake Assist are standard and assure secure cornering and stopping, no matter the weather or road conditions.

2006 Aston Martin DB9 + enlarge image  |  view gallery >

Electroluminescent displays and conventional instruments mingle in the elegant and impeccable interior. Unlike most vehicles, the DB9’s tachometer runs counterclockwise (supposedly to save space in the instrument panel) and does not feature a conventional red line to indicate the engine’s rpm limit. Here, the limit varies according to such factors as outside temperature and how recently the engine was started; a red warning light comes on to indicate when the current red line has been reached.

The DB9 Volante features a multilayer, fully automatic soft top with a glass rear window that includes a heating element.

Options for both models include a color-keyed, leather-wrapped steering wheel and a 950-watt audiophile system from noted high-end home stereo component maker Linn.