New Aston sports car is unveiled
03 September 2003 The rear-wheel drive coupe and convertible will be built at Aston's Warwickshire factory and should cost around £100,000. With 450bhp available from its 5.9-litre engine, the DB9 sprints to 60mph in just 4.7sec and can reach 186mph. Buyers can choose between a standard six-speed gearbox or an F1-style automatic with paddle-shift controls behind the steering wheel for manual gear selection. Overall, the DB9 is only a little bigger than the car it replaces, although the wheelbase is a significant 149mm longer and the front track is 52mm wider. This helps to improve the car's handling and has also freed up a considerable amount of space for rear-seat passengers. Aston says the new car will be sensational to drive thanks to its super-stiff chassis. The DB9 will face competition from the new four-seater Ferrari, to be unveiled next January at the Detroit Motor Show, and Maserati's Quattroporte which makes its debut at the Frankfurt show this month. Elements from the DB9's chassis will also be used in the £70,000 V8 Vantage, Aston's rival for the Porsche 911, and the new Vanquish supercar. Both will be on sale by 2005. |
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