Aston Martin's stunning DB9 Coupe and Volante (Aston speak for
convertible) | | Aston Martin's performance enhancements include more power, faster-changing gearboxes and, in the case of the Volante, extra chassis rigidity. (Photo: Aston Martin) | have just received an update, which make these
middle-range grand tourers faster, more advanced and generally more
appealing.
Aston's
answer to Bentley's Continental GT and Ferrari's 612 Scaglietti gains
20 extra horsepower for model year 2009, thanks to a reprogrammed
engine management chip and a revised exhaust system, boosting output to
an impressive 470 horsepower. This allows the six-speed manual-equipped
DB9 to hit 60 mph in 4.6 seconds. The automatic version of the DB9,
with its push-button gear selector, has been reprogrammed to shift
faster so that the combination of the engine and gearbox changes allows
it to tie the manual model in acceleration.
Because of Aston's
growing links with the motorsport world, it has steadily improved the
standings of its road cars in terms of ride and handling. The  | | Inside, the cabin gains a new console plus a B&O sound system. Nice! (Photo: Aston Martin) | new '09
DB9 will feature new bushings and new suspension arms as well as new
Bilstein dampers, plus red brake calipers much like those on the DB9
LM. Also, the Volante gains a much needed front strut tower brace,
which improves structural rigidity by 10-percent.
The rest of
the changes to the new DB9 are purely aesthetic. On the outside it
gains new side-view mirrors, alloy wheels and a new anodized aluminum
grille. On the inside it gains a new pushbutton starter (the Aston
Emotional Control Unit), plus a die-cast zinc center console. Later
this year the DB9 will be available with a Bang & Olufsen sound
system, a partnership recently formed between the two brands.
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