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| Best of Show: Aston Martin DB9 Volante |
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By Charlie Romero
Publisher
(Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2004 1:15 PM) |
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From the talented pen of Henrik Fisker comes the newest member to the Aston Martin line-up, the DB9. Designed from the beginning to be a convertible, the DB9 Volante is sure to become an instant classic. How do we know this? Simple - it handily trounced the competition in our hotly contested Best of Show category, and it appears to have captured the hearts of nearly everyone at the 2004 NAIAS media event.
From its gorgeous, sexy and sleek lines to the awe-inspiring, thunderous 450-horsepower 6.0-liter V12 powerplant, the DB9 should have no problem filling the DB7's large, accomplished shoes. And fortunately, the DB9 Volante won't require a size 19-wallet, as the price point for this luxury sports car will begin at an unbelievable $168,000. It's not too often that a six-figured car is called a bargain, but when you consider the levels of performance, prestige and comfort delivered by the Aston Martin DB9 Volante, the price seems more than reasonable.
Aston Martin's Vice President and General Manager, John Walton tells us to expect the DB9 Coupe to hit showroom floors by July of 2004, while the drop-top Volante will arrive in late 2004. Approximately 800 combined units are slated for first year production, but don't get too excited..."We're probably sold out for at least 18-months worth of production," explained Walton, providing further proof that Fiskers designs are in high demand.
Beauty aside, the heart and soul of the DB9, without a doubt, rests under the hood. "The motor really was a team effort," says Walton. "Here in the States, Ford engineers worked with our [Aston Martin] engineers and Cosworth engineers who ended up building the engine for us. Now, this will all change next year, when we take over responsibility for building the motors at our facilities." The motor is mated to a brilliant six-speed automatic gearbox, complete with paddle shifters, ala Formula 1. "The days of manual shifting a luxury sports car are over," comments Walton. "This solution offers full automatic capabilities for normal, everyday driving, with the option of manually rowing through the gears when your driving turns spirited."
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