Description
Early Volante with comprehensive service history
Titanium Silver with Phantom Grey interior
Sport Pack alloy wheels and HID headlights
450bhp, 6-litre V12
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION
The Aston Martin DB9 was renowned as being one of the finest GT cars of its era, and followed the traditional recipe of a 2+2 layout with a powerful front-mounted V12 engine. In the marque’s own words, it represented a ‘synthesis of traditional craftsmanship, high-tech manufacturing, modern components and use of the finest materials.’
This particular DB9 Volante is finished in Titanium Silver with Phantom Grey leather interior, and features the six-speed ZF automatic transmission. It was originally delivered on 12 May 2006, shortly after having had its pre-delivery inspection carried out at Broughtons Aston Martin in Cheltenham.
The comprehensive service history records that the DB9 then went to Aston Martin Works Service in August 2006 for its three-month service, and returned to Newport Pagnell in May the following year for its 12-month service.
It was then fastidiously maintained at main dealers until 2013, including Stratstone Birmingham (in 2008 at 4542 miles), Lancaster Reading (in 2009 at 8069 miles) and Grange Aston Martin, which cared for the DB9 between 2010 and 2013, by which time it had covered just under 21, 000 miles.
It was subsequently cared for by independent specialist McGurk Performance Cars from 2013 to 2016, before returning to Aston Martin Works Service in 2018 and 2020.
Now being offered for sale at the Classic Motor Hub, this Aston Martin DB9 Volante is well specified, with Sport Pack alloy wheels, heated front screen and HID headlamps. Lovingly maintained throughout its life, it offers a rare blend of style, performance and luxury, and represents a genuine high point in the modern history of this iconic marque.
MODEL HISTORY
After being put through a gruelling million-mile test programme in locations ranging from Death Valley to the Arctic Circle, plus the high-speed Nardo test track in Italy, the Aston Martin DB9 was launched at 2003 Frankfurt Motor Show. It replaced the outgoing DB7, and the marque’s official reason for not naming it the DB8 was that the all-new model offered such a major step forward that they didn’t want people thinking it was a simple evolution of its predecessor.
Unofficially, there were also rumours that Aston Martin didn’t want people thinking it had a V8 engine. In reality, it used a development of the 6-litre V12 powerplant that had been used in the DB7 Vantage, and which developed 450bhp. It initially drove through a six-speed automatic gearbox – a manual transaxle was offered from 2005 – and gave the DB9 a top speed of 186mph, plus a 0-60mph time of 4. 7 seconds.
It was the first car to be built at Aston Martin’s new Gaydon factory, and beneath the shapely Ian Callum-designed exterior was Aston Martin’s new VH (Vertical/ Horizontal) aluminium platform, which was both lighter and considerably stiffer than the DB7’s structure. Suspension was via wishbones all round, and while the brakes were originally steel, carbon ceramic discs were offered on later DB9s.
Autocar magazine said that ‘this stunning car is the best Aston Martin, ever’, while road-tester Andrew English has more recently reflected on it being a ‘fabulous-looking grand tourer and an exhilarating drive’.
During its long production run, which lasted until 2016, there were numerous updates. In 2008, a mild facelift was accompanied by a boost of 20bhp for the big V12. A more extensive upgrade followed in 2013, with further visual changes and another power increase to 510bhp. The run-out DB9 GT, introduced in 2015, boasted 540bhp and electronically adjustable dampers, before the model was replaced by the DB11.
A Prodrive-developed competition version – the DBR9 – kick-started Aston Martin’s enduring success in top-level international sports car racing, winning first time out at the 2005 Sebring 12 Hours. Against stiff opposition from the Corvettes, the DBR9 then twice won its class at the Le Mans 24 Hours, in 2007 and 2008.
