2004 ASTON MARTIN DB9 Volante 6.0 V12 6AT (450 HP)

Vehicle Overview

The DB9 Volante was launched at the North American International Auto Show in late 2004.

It was the 13th convertible built by the British car-maker.

The car came on the market after the DB7. Following the naming tradition, it should have been named DB8 but the car-maker was afraid that the customers will think that it had a V8 under the hood. Actually, it was a V12 taken from the Aston Martin Vanquish. It was hand-built at Aston Martin Gaydon, alongside the coupe.

The car was a step above the DB7 with a more aerodynamic look, but it still featured the classic Aston Martin “shell” grille. The roof was operated by the push of a button and it took just 17 seconds to disappear. When down, it folded behind a hardcover flush with the DB9’s bodywork.

Inside, the DB9 featured a luxurious interior covered in leather, aluminum, and wood. The latter was used in two places only: on top of the center of the dashboard and, as an option, for the door caps. The brushed aluminum pedals were part of the sporty image. Despite having a folding roof, the DB9 Volante featured a 2+2 seating configuration.

Like the Aston Martin Vanquish, the DB9 featured a 5.9-liter V12 engine. While the engine was in the front, the gearbox was in the back for better weight distribution. It was fitted with a standard 6-speed manual, but there was an option for a 6-speed automatic.