![]() The longer, lower, and more lithe DB9, sans lid, retains its winning style. That predecessor was among the all-time automotive beauties but lost its perfect proportions when the roof came off. It reckons that's as fast as convertible customers will want to go, top up or down.Īnd what of its looks? The DB9 is the work of Aston's erstwhile designer Henrik Fisker, but it's clearly influenced by Ian Callum's DB7. Aston says the roof stays firmly in place at its maximum speed, which is limited to 165 mph, 21 mph less than the coupe. With the roof up, the hard-to-reach rear seats are somewhat claustrophobic, and the small, shallow rear window limits the driver's rear vision. Choosing do-it-yourself gearshifting with a short central lever and a clutch pedal saves $4000.Īlthough it is not as focused a high-performance car as the DB9 coupe, there are few disadvantages to offset the joys of open-air driving. Our Volante had this transmission, which operates nicely in either automatic or manual mode, but there is now the option of a six-speed manual made by Graziano in Italy and shared with the V-8 Vantage. Otherwise, mechanically, open and closed cars are identical.Īt the start of production last year, DB9s were available only with six-speed ZF automatic transmissions, where gears were selected via dash-mounted buttons and paddles that turn with the steering wheel. Aston judged this setup more suited to the cruising for which the convertible will likely be used. It has a more gentle suspension-softer springs and a thinner front anti-roll bar, with the rear bar deleted. ![]() The Volante isn't meant for such athletics. Track-day specialists will prefer the DB9 coupe in any case. There are no catches to be released or secured, and the whole process of putting the roof up or down takes just 17 seconds. The top is superlative for its type, fitting snugly so that wind noise is negligible, even at 100 mph, and powering down and under a flush body panel simply by pulling back a switch on the center console. It eschews the retractable hardtops that have recently become so fashionable in favor of a conventional folding fabric roof. The Volante weighs 130 more pounds than the coupe. And with the top down, there is more opportunity to savor the aural delights of that mighty V-12 engine. On bad road surfaces there is some murmuring through the steering, but it's not enough to spoil the driving experience. So it doesn't have the cowl shake or creaks and groans that afflict many convertibles. The VH structure of bonded aluminum sheet and extrusions needed few changes for the DB9 Volante that, although it doesn't have the same torsional stiffness as the coupe, suffers much less from losing its head than most of its competitors. The beautiful DB9 coupe-featured in our supercar comparison last month-has been around for a year now, and it's time for it to be joined by the DB9 Volante. Aston knows that, so when it developed its VH platform-the architecture that will eventually be used for its three model lines-the plan was for closed and open versions with a minimum of modifications. We can argue that the fixed-roof coupe, with an inevitably stiffer body shell, is lighter, faster, and more rewarding to drive-and $13,500 cheaper-but buyers of automotive exotica, especially in the United States, always veer toward a convertible. The answer is an Aston Martin DB9 Volante, the convertible version of one of the world's loveliest cars. What could be better-more beautiful, more attention-grabbing, more perfect for a jet-set lifestyle-than an Aston Martin DB9?
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