Aston Martin DB9 V12 Coupe Touchtronic 2dr Car Review - February 2012

Inside the luxury cabin you’ll find a mix of craftsmanship and technology, with watch-like instruments, leather and carpet and the feel of luxury as you’d expect. Seats are completely adjustable and fantastically supportive. Driver visibility is good for a car in this category.
The DB9 is a sports car or tourer but definitely not a 2 plus 2. While there’s no problem getting comfortable for those upfront, there’s little knee space behind for any passengers; the snug fit would be more suitable for a picnic basket.

The 6.0L, 48valve, V12 develops 470bhp, but it’s the 442lb-ft of torque and it’s impressive pull from low revs that impacts most. The 4.8 seconds it takes to go from 0-62mph is effortless, and the 190mph top speed, while not world-beating for this category of car, should be more than enough for most people.

The DB9 is now available with either a manual gearbox or a six-speed auto, the Touchtronic, which has steering wheel mounted paddles for changing gear.

The steering feels heavy at low speeds and manoeuvring or parking in city traffic needs some effort. The DB9 is most at home on smooth, flat A-roads, where it is poised and has glue-like grip. It becomes unruly on bumpier surface and isn’t so sure of itself. The ride is maybe a little firm for some tastes, even for motorway cruising.

The Aston’s 12-cylinder engine sounds unlike any other, and the V12 and automatic gearbox are smooth and flawless. However, a lot of wind and road noise at speed detracts from the overall experience.

The DB9 has looks by the bucketful-which is no surprise; considered by some to be the epitome of good taste, and a design icon by others, it has the unwavering ability to turn heads wherever it goes.

Paying over £100,000 for a luxury car, you’d maybe expect better equipment levels, as there are other cars that offer more, for less investment. The DB9 has power steering, central locking, stability control, alloy wheels, climate control, electric windows, electric door-mirrors, metallic paint, cruise control, rear parking sensors, leather seats, all round airbags, alarm and immobiliser, satellite navigation system and a CD system including MP3 and Bluetooth connectivity as standard.

Additional personalization for your DB9 from Aston Martin is, however, available at a cost.

As a two-seater sports car, it delivers everything you’d expect. However, if you’d like to take along a couple of friends, they won’t thank you for asking them to sit in the back. If you’re in the habit of cruising on longer journeys, you may well find the 85-litre capacity fuel tank means you’re filling her up every couple of hundred miles or so, with an average of 18.2mpg.

The Aston DB9 was developed with help from Volvo; famous for their car safety innovations. It carries full electronic traction control and braking aids as well as airbags. Also incorporated is a special multi-stage collapsible front crash cage to reduce repair bills from minor shunts and protect driver and passenger in major ones.

A custom tracker system is included to allow the Police to find your DB9 if any thief does manage to get past its defences.

The Aston’s CO2 emissions (368g/km), Road Tax band M, are nothing impressive and certainly won’t help the environment as much as the aluminium chassis on which the Aston rides.

One third of DB9s made each year will end up in the UK; that and its £128,150 price tag should ensure a degree of exclusivity - helping to maintain resale values. Running costs are pricey, as you’d expect for a car in this category, but not as much as for a Porsche 911 Turbo or Ferrari F430, and Aston Martin has worked hard on its reputation for build quality and now have a decent track record for reliability.