News & Events
Aston Martin DB9 Volante - Flying in Style
2009-05-20
By Austin Spencer
Volante means Flying in Italian and French. But to those who appreciate the finest motorcars, it means the convertible version of the Aston Martin DB9. And to anyone who spies this alluring car, it’s the definition of one of the most thrilling flights of fancy on four wheels.
Aston Martin has been among the most admired brand names in the world since 1914. Ownership of one of these handcrafted automobiles bequeaths a certain enviable status. Although Aston was already famous for building tasteful cars like the DB5, the world was awed when the new DB9 was unveiled in 2004. Simply stunning from every angle, the DB9 easily earned the mantle of “most beautiful car in the world.”
“The innovative DB9 introduced an exciting new era for Aston Martin,” noted Kurt Fegraeus, managing partner of Aston Martin of Dallas. “The 2+2 sports GT set new standards in its class due to its astonishing combination of technology, agility and design. And the DB9 Volante is as beautiful with the top up or down.”
Over the past couple of years, several new premium, luxury sports GT’s have been introduced to try and lure away potential Aston owners. While each has its own appeal, a dalliance with the DB9 Volante is enough to make all others fade into memory. No other car matches the instant effect of the DB9 Volante on so many people from so many different backgrounds.
“The DB9 is a handcrafted car that is truly the genuine article,” noted Fegraeus. “Many so called supercars use cheap materials, look like they were designed by a high school student and isolate the driver with too many electronic aids. But the DB9 remains an engaging car that is still devastatingly beautiful and hand built by English craftsmen with only the finest ingredients. It’s by far the most seductive four seat GT in the world.”
As brilliant as the DB9 has been since it debuted, Aston Martin made the coupe and Volante even better for 2009.
For gearheads, Aston worked its magic under the bonnet to give the DB9 a superior power to weight ratio. They upgraded the powerful 6.0 Liter V12 engine to churn out a stunning 470 HP at 6,000 rpm. And 443 pounds of luscious peak torque rolls in at just 5,000 rpm, giving the DB9 more fantastic low speed “grunt”, right off the line. Add an exhaust note that rivals the greatest symphonic performance and the DB9 has the brawn to match its debonair looks.
With all that extra power, the DB9 can now reach a staggering top speed of 190 mph and the 0-60mph time drops to 4.6 seconds. The Touchtronic transmission has been upgraded to achieve quicker gear shifts. While puttering in traffic, the shifts are buttery smooth. When the Volante is driven with brio, the gears change with solid authority.
All of that power would be wasted if the car was a beast to drive in traffic. But smooth is the philosophy that drives Aston.
Flying along in the Volante is the experience of a lifetime. Drop the top, which happens in just 14 seconds, and you’ll enjoy one of the sweetest exhaust notes in the business. As soon as the car is underway, it’s apparent that the latest DB9 benefits from a series of chassis developments such as new Bilstein shocks with revised upper suspension arms and retuned suspension bushings that deliver improved ride quality. Aston also engineered changes that increased torsional rigidity, making the car feel granite solid yet not firm.
Push the car hard through a corner and you can feel the traction control gently help prevent understeer from the front-engined V12 convertible. This help never seems to intrude but quietly keeps the car poised and stable across even the roughest North Texas tarmac. This Aston loves to be pushed, but simply refuses to get out of shape.
Aston Martins are renowned for their opulent interiors, and the four seat DB9 Volante sets the bar for understated elegance. Just slide in and the world becomes a much sweeter place. The seats are supple enough for a sunset cruise along Turtle Creek and supportive enough for a blast along the back roads to Rough Creek. Any place that can be touched is swathed in the softest leather, richest wood or stunning carbon fiber. Yet the car has a modern edge that shows the designers have a mindset firmly planted today.
For 2009, Aston added a new center console made from die cast zinc with a painted iridium silver finish, standard satellite radios, new navigation system and a new Emotion Control Unit (ECU), first seen on the DBS are among the key changes. Made of glass, polished stainless steel and polycarbonate, the ECU replaces the key used previously for the DB9 and provides another way for the driver to connect with the car.
“While the Volante can deliver world class performance numbers, Aston owners are more interested in how they arrive rather than just how fast,” added Fegraeus. “The DB9 combines all facets of the panache, quality and usability of a traditional Aston Martin without being tied to the past. Since the DB9 was already so gorgeous, styling changes were subtle to reflect the car’s timeless design and understated elegance.”
That seductive styling can be reflected in the eyes of anyone who values timeless beauty. During a stint behind the wheel of the DB9 Volante, there wasn't a single time when at least one person wasn’t staring at it. Exterior styling changes for 2009 include new standard 19’’ alloy wheels, new door mirrors and a revised anodized aluminum five-bar grille.
But this is much more than just an attractive car, it is the best-looking four seat convertible in the world. The DB9 Volante is the rarest of things: a convertible that's as good looking as the coupe on which it's based.
The DB9 has been designed as a sports car but with GT levels of comfort and cruising ability, said Aston Martin CEO Ulrich Dr. Bez. It is aimed at people who love driving but also enjoy exclusivity and style. It is fun and very focused on the driving experience, but also offers all the comforts you would expect from an Aston Martin grand tourer.”
As striking as any car may be, it must ultimately be judged by how well it does the job for which it was designed. Does the DB9 Volante measure up?
Absolutely. The DB9 Volante is thrilling, rewarding and fun to drive. The convertible has the brawn to clip off the miles with ease, the grace to handle the twistiest roads and the latest technology to keep all four wheels planted on the road at all times. All the while, it wraps one in luxury and unmatched grandeur. The car has a certain flair that drives people crazy.
Hard-core drivers will opt for the sharper, edgier coupe. But the rare, exclusive DB9 Volante is the only choice to make the biggest splash in Highland Park, Southlake, or Preston Hollow this summer. And that's exactly what it was designed to do.
The 2009 DB9 Volante is available from Aston Martin of Dallas (www.amdallas.com).
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