Aston Martin DB9 tested by www.autocar.co.uk

The new Aston Martin DB9 gets styling cues from the Virage, and retains the 6.0-litre V12 but now in 510bhp tune. So has it moved on enough to justify its £132k price and rationalise the Aston range? Steve Sutcliffe finds out.
For high-res images and a full review of the Aston Martin DB9, go to www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/a...

[@ASLUHLUHCE]

The face-lifted DB9 is one of the best looking cars ever

[@Josh_0579]

Look at the DBS Superleggera thats even better

[@aronlionel1030]

I know Im asking randomly but does someone know of a way to get back into an Instagram account..? I was dumb lost my login password. I love any help you can give me

[@koabraylen1142]

@Aron Lionel Instablaster ;)

[@aronlionel1030]

@Koa Braylen Thanks for your reply. I got to the site through google and I'm trying it out atm. Looks like it's gonna take a while so I will reply here later when my account password hopefully is recovered.

[@aronlionel1030]

@Koa Braylen It did the trick and I now got access to my account again. I'm so happy:D Thanks so much, you saved my account !

[@AS64MX]

I had to put on a suit just to watch this video. The elegance of this car is just unreal. Dream car material right here.

[@snowcountry322]

Saw one in person today for the first time. IT IS BREATHTAKINGLY BEAUTIFUL.

[@AllenJoeLa]

It looks beautiful, sounds great, drives smoothly, it's just the best car in the world right now.

[@GrotrianSeiler]

Beautiful car, Steve, on so many levels. Thanks for covering it. I think some just don't get this one. So special.

[@dcs0113]

Absolutely love my 2014 db9.2....and this review...cheers mate from across the pond🥃🥃

[@TheCruizer]

Sutcliffe is back!!! Thank you!!!

[@peanuts2105]

Just caught myself dribbling while watching this. This is gobsmackingly stunning. In a Ferrari you look like a flash berk, in an Aston you look like a gentleman with a sawn off shotgun underneath your Savill Row suite

[@regdorsey1986]

when something looks that damn good, there is no reason to change it. these are looks that define time. just spectacular.

[@sammaes]

Haha, lacking power. 510 hp, lacking power? Briliant.

[@logwind]

Great review of a beautiful car. Thanks Autocar!

[@SplendidTruth]

It looks good is an understatement. I'm just surprised now in 2023, you hear no mention of this car. It's just too pretty to be forgotten like this.

[@uhugvjkbkjh]

For me this is in the top 3 most beautiful cars made this century (so far), its pretty much perfection!

[@Vylkeer]

My fav models from AstonMartin are this new DB9 and the 2013 Vanquish. Would be awesome to own 'em both but if I had to choose I would pick the 2013 Vanquish. This DB9 looks and sounds amazing though :)

[@danielmillard8134]

designed in the rule of thirds

[@skopes212]

I bought mine yesterday :)

[@jake261195]

Love how everyone is criticising Aston for being lazy with the styling but how can you improve on perfection?? This car is just drop dead gorgeous!! Every single thing about this car is perfect and i want one NOW!!

[@Marks_Piano]

I still veel aston's are beautiful but way too slow.. 510 bhp from a V12, and just 4,6 seconds to 100 kph.... That is too slow right now.. It should be like 4 seconds flat..

[@DUBB799]

This looks like it was filmed on the same road as the begining of Golden Eye?

[@ThomasWilliams89]

I'm glad they haven't changed the design much. They are perfect.

[@Calaghi]

Spot on in exterior looks. Just perfect.

[@raddestdoctor]

no doubt about the desirability part. i do hope that in the near future aston martin will get funding it needs to make some big engineering leaps and match their competitors

[@jagjaxter]

To my knowledge Mr.Steve Sutcliffe, is not a designer nor a professional design critic, and he is certainly not an idiot. What he is my friend is a former racing driver, a great motoring journalist, and amazing driver, and a wonderful man! and yes it does look like a Virage with a DB9 logo, you have a great sense of the obvious!

[@Eugenemichaelchoi]

Fantastic review.

[@ianrkav]

Well that cleans the range up a bit. Does the Vanquish have a touchtronic auto or a robotised manual? Thanks for that:-)

[@calibermoon]

What a beautiful automobile. Power, Elegance and Grace, the DB9 is just simply Brilliant!

[@aurionatx]

@trilingualkid they have, it's called the One-77

[@PlenaGracia]

That just looks to me like the perfect car.

[@RNJudas_]

That's what I thought, but the spoiler is bigger, there's more power under the bonnet and there's been a few configuration changes.

[@Vazztudio]

Love the fact of reviewing a British icon car by a Brit Magazine on a left drive model on what seems States roads. I guess showing this gorgeous machine foggy wet weather could spoof the review.

[@kezboy1]

honestly, i'm glad they dropped the virage and just made it the DB9. I think everyone was expecting that to be the case in the first place, and it adds value to the DB9. Beautiful designs as usual. Aston Martin

[@ghostridertom]

Got the Virage :-) This a bit newer and better but almost the same. Both great GT cars. I am thinking about the carbon package inside... Costly though.

[@Mossboy16]

It looks like a lovely car, and with parts from DBS, old DB9 and Virage. But it also has totally new parts too!!! Nice...

[@RichardJPalmer]

Bought a 2013 used example recently. It's quick (if not super quick) and there are a few rattles inside (hand built!!), but it's so damn beautiful I just don't care. Add to that the sound of that V12.....Still haven't used the radio! I can't imagine a better looking car. Is this up there with the e-type? I think it might be.

[@fun8574]

LOVE the Fiesta switchgear! And the cheap Nav! Not to mention the 10-year-old structure underneath. Really classy and premium!

[@TuxedoAndMartini]

Male Karen found...after 11 years...

[@moeramz]

Lol ​@@TuxedoAndMartini

[@OverlandTT]

Gorgeous car!

[@ARM33395]

Didn't talk about the old gearbox and nav... Also those AC vents were cool 10 years ago, they look like the AC was retro fitted onto the car!

[@rare6499]

Love the new DB9, what a beauty. Nice and subtle.

[@adam1othman]

my fav brand will always be ferrari my fav brit brand will always be aston

[@kieranford5235]

Haha same

[@adam1othman]

Kieran Ford i like a guy with taste... saluto amico

[@joaovalor5757]

1st-Ferrari 2nd-AM 3rd-Alfa Romeo. That's my top 3

[@GlenChundemigod]

Apologies for being tired, should of said they're, not there in my metaphor at the end.

[@647killa]

Is this still available with a manual gearbox? Glad they stuck with the V12 but they could squeeze out a few more horses like lambo's V12. There's too much out there for someone to really justify buying this car. It looks better than all of them though cuz its an Aston.

[@patthonsirilim5739]

its hard to make a big engine rev it would increase the price quite substantially

[@ThomasFerrugia]

I think they've dropped the manual altogether. Less than 5% of customers who ordered Aston Martins from the factory during the past 5 years specified a manual. Even locating one in the pre--owned market is challenging. A company with such limited resources (on paper, AM netted just $1 .2 million Pounds last year) cannot afford to invest R&D in a transmission that few customers want. They're better off developing a fabulous new dual-clutch that can be tuned for individual applications. Their current 7 speed dual-clutch is abysmal anywhere but on the track and their conventional (torque converter) 6-speed auto is now a decade old.

[@PcRoX123hackedACC]

I get what you're saying, but an Aston Martin isn't really a performance car like a Lambo. It's not directly rivalling one. People who buy Aston Martins want them because they are just that.

[@patthonsirilim5739]

PcRoX123hackedACC yea but for a 200k and having all sort of mid level sports cars raping that doesent really go well for value i mean im not expecting it to be fast but if look if you spending 200 grand you want to at least faster then 100 k cars like the m6 and e63 amg and the rs6 which it isant im not sure if its faster then m4 for that matter

[@rudiratte1]

It's always ironic when jeremy clarkson on top geat mocks porsche for not changing the design of the 911, but never mentions that other car companies like aston, lamborghini, ford mustang... do exactly the same

[@Groagun]

How collectable will the Virage be in the future?

[@CSzezerense]

You're absolutly right, Cliff, the Aston range now makes a lot more sence without the Virage. Thank goodness they ditched the Virage but kept the good parts of its design on the new DB9. Having a Virage model independent from the DB9 on the range really didn't make any sence at all. You were also absolutly right on your review of the Virage last year.

[@RAPFlavour87]

What about the new sat nav ? Is it as daft as the one on previous models ?

[@CobraAce04]

the status quo seems to have changed at Aston. I'm guessing the Vanquish is gonna be top end (replacing the DBS) and this will be middle ground. Dont know if the V8 vantage will still be the 'entry level' or if something will replace it

[@12345compaq6789]

Would any of you get this over a vantage v8 just for the looks? I don't need the extra 4 cylinders but the head lights of the vantage look worse than the db9 because it's shorter.

[@Calaghi]

Does anyone have an idea which color this is? Is it morning frost white?

[@HugoElders]

Maybe you're right, i don't know. Haven't had the chance so far too get behind the wheel of a 2013 Vanquish

[@BlackenedNL]

What a gorgeous car!

[@swazimilk]

My favourite model from Aston Martin.

[@RMAGEDN740]

yea just had another look at the vanquish, and it does look better than this. however, i can see changes all over the car, especially in the front and rear.

[@gaelenski_]

Ultimate Gran Tourer, that's what the GT part stands for, It often refers to high performance cars, but not necessarily track ones.

[@radar3699]

Y no db11?

[@alburns7278]

left hand drive sir?

[@Buttnut105]

Anybody know Aston Martin would do a manual conversion like they did with the Vanquish?

[@simon_nickle]

The point I am trying to get across here is that the Vanquish is supposed to be as track-oriented as Aston Martin gets, besides their GT4 racing cars. The Vanquish might not be built for the track, but the DB9 is only for the road.

[@pufflelover1]

Yet noone complains when lambo has been using the same v12 from the miura to the murceilago. THATS 50 YEARS!

[@aventdrr]

Its design is just so simple and beautiful. It looks better than the Vanquish in my opinion

[@DIVADNOMIS1313]

Wow Aston, that virago of yours... BIG SUCCESS!

[@HugoElders]

No idea, but i really hope they're going to

[@Navy1348]

And your called brilliant. Well put sir

[@karl-rickbizoza2029]

DBS is the best Aston ever

[@ianrkav]

Have they dropped the DBS too?

[@TT793]

Can you get it with a manual transmission? You could on the DBS. Would be a shame if not.

[@allyc85]

DB9 + the Route Napoleon = driving perfection!

[@ak81]

totally true, Virage is supposed to be a bit more sportier than DB9 yet the DB9 gets more power !. I admire Aston design which is similar to porsche strategy but I just cant seem to understand how to distinguish a Virage from DB9 ?!

[@leebougz]

I do prefer this as well.

[@Musicblender]

To clear things out... The Virage was just renamed to become DB9 thus the new DB9 uses the Virage's engine. The DBS however was stopped and replaced with the new Vanquish. See the Virage is supposed to be in the middle of the DBS and the DB9 now that the DBS is gone they have to move one level up and renamed the Virage to DB9 since DB9 has been more iconic than the Virage

[@Buttnut105]

All of you that feel that "aston needs to change their design" need to realize that Aston designs their cars following a certain rule, like a rule of thirds or something like that. That means, for example, that each panel is relative to one over (whatever the fraction is) the size of another dimension.

[@Smart1529]

Its hard to change the styling on an Aston they are all about beauty and they always have been

[@simon_nickle]

The vanquish is the track version of the db9. Look it up and you'll see the difference.

[@jbernard1234]

it's that rare form of gorgeous that is so breathtakingly beautiful that it aches the heart.

[@PuffinDragun69]

Amazing didn't it will come out so quickly

[@jonny5777]

So have Aston dropped the virage and the DBS? Hope they're not in trouble. Nice car but its not really moving the game ahead much

[@TheHerdman95]

Hasn't the Virage just came out? why are they dropping it?

[@Elitetank87]

My dream car

[@VincentSandfordofSEOsynovation]

I do not know where the road is. But I would guess it´s in the French Alps perhaps along the route Napoleone!!!!

[@ianrkav]

Anyone know where that road is at the start?

[@michaelmottlau2072]

Route Napoleone in the southern part of France.

[@Stratblooz]

In my opinion all the latest Astons have some of the greatest designs ever.

[@EventisInnovations]

So the DBS and Virage are axed?

[@12345compaq6789]

The moment they put the Vanquish center console in this car, this car will be perfect. And move the seat adjusting switch.

[@jmec100]

I dont get astons stance on top speed though. Considering that supposedly the db9 and the vanquishes top speeds are quoted as less than 190mph, that is quite poor.

[@YourGodsIcon]

Yes. The Vanquish takes over for the DBS as the flagship and the DBS's engine moves to the DB9.

[@Csimiami171]

I have no problem with it evolving slowly, but this new DB9 looks identical to the Virage!! If you were to put both side-by-side you would not be able to tell the difference.

[@calvin3524]

Nice drift, very nice

[@GlenChundemigod]

You know he said it takes on all the design cues of the dropped Virage? You just didn't listen did you? And it's not a Virage with a DB9 logo on it as technically there are differences between the two. It's softer sprung for one thing.

[@HugoElders]

That would definitly be the DBS. For me, that's the most beautiful machine mankind created.

[@Chris.Davies]

Mate, you didn't show us the back seats, and I need to know if I can squeeze a couple of sheep in there. Cheers.

[@MsSkip60]

This car seems so cool and rich

[@Eduardo-bt1dz]

Don't forget, you are not alone at the road

[@AllenJoeLa]

You can say that it's like an Aston Virage with 510 bhp

[@SebTref]

Thumbs Up for Steve Suttcliffe !!!

[@goat6inboots]

The only cars that fill this GT(!) category for me are this DB9, the Maserati Granturismo or maybe the Jaguar XK. I wonder now whether I chose correctly.

[@SportsMaster72]

I can see where your going with this, but Porsche's are very much discernible from one another, you don't have to be a car guy/gal to know the difference between a 911 and a cayenne. However in the case of Aston Martin even car lovers would struggle distinguishing the vantage from the DB9, DBS, Vanquish, & etc. You actually have to be familiar with the Aston Martin brand to see which car is which from the outside or look at the back.

[@uhugvjkbkjh]

agree 100%

[@sergeantluz]

i agree with u, but it's still very very good locking :)

[@johntheman2006]

Steve, the Australian intonation is getting out of hand. Everything is NOT a question.

[@SpazzyWombat27]

Dont they still make the virage?

[@minibus1351]

one word. Antiquated.