| Aston Martin is on a bit of a roll at the moment. Recent news of its first profitable year in four decades last year is happy news for the Astonophile, and is proof positive of the range's inherent rightness. Helmed by the talismanic Anglophile Doctor, Herr Ulrich Bez, the company has found itself with a cohesive, premium, and wide-reaching range of motorcars, all of them marvelous aesthetic jewels within their respective sections of the market.
As a massive cherry on top, it turns out all these beautiful machines have incredible depth of substance underneath it all. Starting with the ball-rolling, new-from-scratch Vanquish of 2001, the range now includes a nimble V8 sports car, a pair of stunning transcontinental V12 gran turismos, and hopefully, a forthcoming ultra-luxe saloon. It is safe to say there are few companies with a lineup that is as totally desirable as this one.
But what of the seminal DB9, the true harbinger of ascendancy for Aston Martin? What is it about this prettiest of coupes that makes it arguably the star of the company?
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| Low-slung, subtly imposing, and almost perfectly proportioned, a DB9 in the flesh really does live up to the universal praise heaped upon it from the day it was first launched in 2004. Less overtly aggressive than the flagship Vanquish supercar with whom the stupendous V12 motor is shared, the DB9's style is classic British GT.
The long, low prow, the wide, squat rear haunches, and the taut-looking center section all recall a predator waiting to pounce. It is this dynamic form that promises so much of the car from the moment you first clap eyes on it. With its powerful and graceful nature, there is very little to criticize about the car’s styling. Indeed, extended viewing alongside the burly Vanquish shows the DB9 up to be more subtle and definitely much more elegant, without giving away much at all in terms of power and outright speed - sort of like a lithe Dan O'Brien to the Vanq's steroidal Ben Johnson.
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