2011 Aston martin DB9 Volante review Aston Martin DB9 Volante there is infinitely variable Bilstein dampers plus some new cosmetics to beau...
2011 Aston martin DB9 Volante review
Aston Martin DB9 Volante there is infinitely variable Bilstein dampers plus some new cosmetics to beautify this car 2011. Body control is strong but the chassis is supple. The steering feedback is precise.
Completing the DBS line-up, the new Volante affords customers the combination of the DBS’s already-established benchmark sports car characteristics with all the thrills of open-air motoring.
‘Volante’, meaning: ‘moving with light rapidity’, perfectly defines the performance potential and the dynamic characteristics of the DBS Volante.
Aston Martin’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Ulrich Bez said: “The DBS Volante delivers the utmost relaxed driving experience with the hood up or down. The DBS Volante offers a subtle mix of power and performance. In standard specification, the DBS has a rear-mounted six-speed manual gearbox; while an automatic six-speed ‘Touchtronic’ option is also available. The DBS Volante also comes with Bang
Olufsen renowned ‘BeoSound DBS’ in-car entertainment system, featuring 13 speakers as standard equipment. Aston Martin’s 16th convertible, learning taken from the engineering of previous soft-top cars has resulted in the DBS Volante possessing Aston Martin’s quietest and most refined roof system to date. As with the DBS Coupe, the bonnet, front wings and boot lid are formed from carbon fiber. The Volante features 2+2 seating as standard. The beautifully leather trimmed rear seats are ideal for younger persons or extra luggage making the DBS Volante a practical everyday sports car.
Delivered as standard with Bang, Olufsen BeoSound DBS audio system and seamlessly integrated into the DBS Volante’s bespoke interior, the system provides the driver and passengers with an unrivalled audio experience. The Bang & Olufsen BeoSound DBS system has been developed exclusively for Aston Martin. The system is acoustically and physically matched to the DBS Volante, with a design that follows the inherent quality and material honesty of the Aston Martin interior. The DBS Volante is powered by the same 6.0-litre V12 engine at the heart of the DBS which was launched in 2007. The 3.71:1 (manual) and 3.46:1 (Touchtronic) final drive ratio assures that all the DBS Volante’s power is useable, while also enhancing in-gear acceleration.
The DBS Volante is available as standard with a rear-mounted 6-speed manual gearbox with gear ratios optimized to extract the very best from the 6.0-litre engine. The Sport setting also incorporates a more responsive throttle map to match the high-performance characteristics of the DBS Volante.
Augmenting the DBS Volante’s supreme handling characteristics is the near perfect weight distribution – achieved by mounting the 6-speed gearbox at the rear placing 85% of the weight between the front and rear axle.
To take full advantage of its extremely precise and rigid platform, the DBS employs a sophisticated Adaptive Damping System (ADS) which is specifically tuned for the DBS Volante maximizing ride comfort. The DBS Volante’s Adaptive Damping System perfectly captures the car’s sporting character, ensuring that stiffer dampers are available for better handling and control when the car is being driven enthusiastically, without compromising ride comfort during ‘normal’ driving conditions. The DBS Volante also has a revised Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) system specifically tuned to the Volante to help maintain maximum traction in challenging driving conditions. This results in reducing the overall weight of the car and, in particular, the unstrung weight and rotational masses, further enhancing the DBS Volante’s dynamics.
With a 510bhp V12 engine, the Aston Martin DBS Volante makes you feel like a film star. Uli Bez, Aston Martin's chief executive, has some pretty firm ideas on style and isn't afraid to express them. There's a lot of bare metal in the cabin, so our first winter driving impressions of the DBS Volante (that's drop head to you and me) mainly involve cold hands touching freezing switches and dials and a bone-chilling bare aluminum gear knob. Gloves, anyone? That said, there are some tactile and visual highlights in the Aston's cabin, albeit not those concerning the Ford Fiesta steering column stalks.
The rest of the cabin, though, is a delight of soft claret leather, immaculate stitching, comfortable seats and tiny amounts of luggage room, including those laughably small rear seats, which would struggle to accommodate Barbie and Ken. There's nowhere to hide. Delivering 510bhp at 6,500rpm, such is the colossal torque that the engine barely needs working to that extent.
