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Tag: DB9

IN THE NEWS: Aston Martin to Unveil 540-hp DB9 GT at Goodwood

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24 June, 2015, Gaydon: Aston Martin is today revealing the DB9 GT – the luxury British sports car maker’s most compelling production ‘DB’ to date. Designed to offer the best of what DB9 can be, the new car delivers world-class grand touring and hand-built excellence.

Claiming the title of the most potent DB9 yet devised, by virtue of its uprated 6.0-litre V12 engine which now boasts 547 PS – the DB9 GT makes its public debut as part of Aston Martin’s impressive presence at this week’s Goodwood Festival of Speed.

The new sports car appears as Aston Martin also unveils a raft of colour, trim and equipment enhancements across its sporty Vantage and luxurious Rapide S model lines.

Aston Martin CEO Dr Andy Palmer said: “The arrival of 16 Model Year (16MY) cars, as well as the addition of the sophisticated DB9 GT, gives us our most compelling sports car line-up to date as we continue to build our strongest ever global offering.”

DB9 GT – timeless style redefined

Since their debut in the early 1950s, the ‘DB’ models offered by Aston Martin have been synonymous with sophisticated grand touring and thrilling sports car performance.

In the tyre tracks of DB4, DB5, DB6 and DB7, today’s DB9 GT continues that distinguished tradition of luxury, excitement and style with a raft of engineering, equipment and styling developments calculated to make this the very best of what DB9 can be.

Fundamental to the new model’s unique appeal is its uprated 6.0-litre V12 petrol engine, which is capable of generating 547 PS at 6750 rpm, and 620 Nm of torque at 5500 rpm.

The all-alloy, quad overhead cam, 48-valve 5,935 cc front mid-mounted V12 is mated to the proven rear mid-mounted Touchtronic II six-speed transmission with electronic shift-by-wire control system. It carries the British luxury sports car maker’s core GT offering from rest to 62 mph in 4.5 seconds, and on to a top speed of 183 mph.

The independent double wishbone suspension all round continues to deliver secure handling while the three-stage Adaptive Damping System (ADS) offers distinct  Normal, Sport and Track modes for the broadest possible breadth of dynamic characteristics.

However power is only part of the story, as the new Aston Martin also includes important and far-reaching equipment changes which underline its position as the best DB9 to date.

Most notable among the interior equipment updates is the arrival of the AMi II touch-sensitive Aston Martin infotainment system. While AMi debuted on the range-topping Vanquish at its launch, AMi II offers a revised menu structure which makes using the system even more user-friendly.

Building on the system launched in the Vanquish, the DB9 GT’s AMi II infotainment package sees key improvements made in a number of areas including text message integration, vehicle status information and extended background themes for greater personalisation.

Offering AM, FM, DAB and SDAR reception (US only), USB ports, Bluetooth audio streaming the system delivers superb connectivity and entertainment simply and easily.

Ian Minards, Product Development Director at Aston Martin, explained: “Refining the DB9’s already impressive attributes into what we have today in the DB9 GT has been a careful and delicate process.

“Maintaining the effortlessly refined nature of our core GT sports car, while boosting power and introducing state-of-the-art infotainment systems, has required fine judgements and painstaking engineering.

“I’m confident the result, in the shape of the DB9 GT, represents the very best of what DB9 can be, and sets the standard for luxury grand tourers in this class.”

Bespoke luxury as standard

Instantly recognised the world over as a timelessly stylish Aston Martin, the core visual characteristics of the DB9 are of course retained in the DB9 GT. Refined styling enhancements inside and out, however, signal that this new car once again leads its class.

Aside from the subtle GT badges, this new DB9 is identified by black painted splitter and diffuser, revised headlight and tail light treatments and new ten-spoke 20-inch alloy wheels. Black anodised brake calipers and a GT engraving on the aluminium fuel filler cap further distinguish the new model.

Options, for those who wish to further personalise their car, include carbon fibre tail lamp inserts, side strakes, front splitter and rear diffuser; graphite, diamond-turned ten-spoke alloy wheels and alternative brake caliper colours.

Inside, the 2+2 seating configuration remains, however the seats now boast ‘GT’ embroidery on the unique fluted leather. An iridium trim pack and Alcantara-wrapped steering wheel (Coupe only) further distinguish the new car.

A broad array of options inside the DB9 GT include various centre console finishes such as Ice Mocha and Copper Cuprum, while other interior options include Duotone leather seats, door inserts and head linings; and a One-77-inspired steering wheel design.

Aston Martin Chief Creative Officer, Marek Reichman, said: “The purity of form and proportion, together with a lithe powerful, stance, remain at the core of what the DB9 is to look at. With these changes, we have made the DB9 GT yet more stylish, while retaining its unmistakable and globally renowned identity.”

The DB9 GT is now available to order in markets around the world, priced from £140,000 RRP (UK), €187,000 RRP (Germany), $199,950 RRP (USA).

Vantage and Rapide S revised

Not content simply with launching the DB9 GT, Aston Martin is also taking the arrival of 16MY cars to update, upgrade and enhance more of its core sports cars.

The sporting Vantage line-up and luxurious Rapide S four-door four-seat sports cars all benefit from a raft of colour, trim and equipment enhancements for 16MY, with the Vantage Coupe and Roadster models gaining a new touch-sensitive centre console fascia.

The AMi II infotainment system also makes its debut in Vantage and Rapide S, with the debut of corresponding new features such as visual vehicle status power and torque meters, offering real-time read-outs of engine bhp and torque.

New interior trim packs deliver the option of even greater personalisation for customers, with the addition of Vivid Red, Royal Mint, Black Damson and Bronze Metallic to 16MY leather palettes across the Vantage car lines.

Meanwhile, the striking Californian Poppy interior accent is now available for Vantage N430 and US-only Vantage GT buyers. Royal Mint, Spicy Red, Copper and Deep Purple stitching colours are new, too, along with revised alloy wheel designs.

New exterior colours Cinnabar Orange and Ultramarine Black debut on Vantage, too.

Aston Martin CEO, Dr Andy Palmer, said: “Our process of constant improvement, development and refinement of our core sports cars never stops and the arrival of the remarkable DB9 GT, along with these important 16 Model Year updates and enhancements for the Vantage and Rapide S, all clearly demonstrate that.

“Expanding the global appeal of Aston Martin is, in part, about offering our customers the widest possible choice and with the changes we’re announcing today – alongside the ongoing development of our luxury bespoke personalisation service, Q by Aston Martin – I know we are better placed than ever to respond to our buyers’ needs.”

The global market introduction of 16MY sports cars begins in quarter three of 2015, with more details on market-specific pricing and options available in due course.

MORE FORBIDDEN FRUIT: Aston Martin Unveils Two New Special Editions at Geneva

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Aston Martin is unveiling two exclusive new special editions at the 84th Geneva International Motor Show.

The great British sports car marque, now in its 101st year, is debuting a bold addition to its iconic V8 Vantage range as well as dramatic new special editions of the timeless DB9.

Building on the appeal of the sports-focused Vantage range, and enhancing the enduring allure of Aston Martin’s seminal GT, the DB9, the new models deliver eye-catching looks and classic elegance.

V8 Vantage N430: race breeding, sports styling

Pure, unadulterated fun is what lies at the heart of the new V8 Vantage N430. Honed on the track to excel on the road, N430 – available in Coupe or Roadster form – boasts a power hike to 436 PS at 7,300 rpm that brings its output up to that of the spirited V8 Vantage S.

Ian Minards, Director of Product Development at Aston Martin, said of the new car: “N430 is all about bringing track-honed excitement to the road in an accessible, emotionally engaging, and authentically ‘analogue’ way.

“The dynamic exhilaration of Vantage is the perfect complement to the eye-catching looks of the N430.”

Ally that inherent dynamic capability to lightweight and sporting-biased features as standard such as carbon fibre and Kevlar® seats and ten-spoke forged alloy wheels in a new graphite painted finish – together yielding a weight saving of 20 kg – and it’s clear that the GT4-inspired N430 has been created to deliver exceptional performance with a club sport ethos.

No surprise, then, that the new V8 Vantage N430 is capable of 190 mph, with a 0-60 mph time that drops to 4.6 seconds.

That power feeds the rear wheels through a sporty six-speed manual gearbox; with the option of a close-ratio seven-speed Sportshift™ II automated manual transmission with short final-drive ratio for those demanding the most driver-focused yet involving set-up.

N430’s front mid-mounted, 4.7-litre, all-alloy, quad overhead cam, dry-sumped V8 engine is complemented by a rousing sports exhaust, aerodynamics honed through numerous wins in GT racing and a competition-derived braking system.

The compact proportions and inherent balance of the Vantage design are supported by a carefully calibrated sports suspension tune and quick-ratio steering rack that rewards the true enthusiast driver on road, and on track.

Countless hours testing at circuits around the globe, including the Nürburgring’s Nordschleife which is home to a dedicated Aston Martin Test Centre, have delivered a machine truly worthy to join Aston Martin’s family of ‘N’ cars.

Styled to evoke thoughts of the track, N430 celebrates Aston Martin’s sporting heritage and motorsport success.

A purposeful package of dark-themed exterior details – graphite painted forged alloy wheels alongside black front grille, headlamp bezels, exterior meshes, side window surrounds and textured tailpipe finishers and clear rear lamps with black surrounds convey the appropriate air of menace and excitement.

This neatly offsets the eye-catching liveries with optional club sports graphics packs – inspired in part by the exceptional CC100 Speedster concept and nodding to Aston Martin’s most famous motorsport triumph, the DBR1 – that leave no doubt to the car’s identity or character.

Inside, as out, N430’s sporting associations are unmistakable with new interior features and materials such as machined carbon sill plaques, N430 seat logos, black magnesium paddle-shifts or carbon fibre gearshift surround; contemporary driver instrument panel; black anodised rotaries; leather steering wheel with contrasting on-centre stitch feature (or Alcantara with matching stitch); seat and door inserts in technical Plissè Alcantara – indented leather on Roadster models – and unique seat trim patterns.

Additional complementary features from the Vantage range as standard include a carbon fibre facia trim, Piano Black interior trim, black anodised tread plates and black pedals.

Finally, new and special features underpin the fun and sporting personality of N430 and demonstrate Aston Martin’s ability to create products which sit apart from the mainstream. Optional feature available to N430 customers include a state-of-the-art 1000W Bang & Olufsen BeoSound audio system with ICEpower® technology. It features distinctive speaker grille and lens detailing to enhance its visual as well as audio appeal.

Priced from £89,995 RRP, first deliveries of the new N430 are expected to begin in September this year.

DB9 Carbon Black & Carbon White

The Aston Martin DB9 family grows at Geneva with the arrival of the DB9 Carbon Black and Carbon White special editions.

Style and visual drama are the special editions hallmarks as they perfectly emphasise the timeless GT’s sporting nature.

The new Carbon Black accentuates the 183 mph DB9’s 6.0-litre V12 potential through a strong dark theme underpinned by a unique combination of lightweight carbon fibre features. Meanwhile, the contemporary Carbon White special edition creates a dramatic visual effect with the carbon fibre and dark elements contrasting strongly against the Stratus White paint and accented caliper colour.

Striking exterior additions for both Carbon Black and Carbon White editions include carbon fibre side strakes and black window surrounds reinforcing the powerful visual themes.

Inside, a strong black styling theme with a choice of accent colours in line with the caliper shade showcases carbon fibre details and new black hardware. Bespoke sill plaques with the Carbon Black or Carbon White logo, communicate the cars’ rarity, too.

Of course the styling changes don’t alter the DB9’s inherent grand touring capabilities, qualities that make it the world’s most admired and desired GT.

Today’s DB9 features the modern AM11 V12 engine which uses ‘Gen4’ VH architecture and hardware, tuned to suit the character of a classic GT. The result is an engine with effortless torque of up to 620 Nm and peak power of 517 PS.

Prices for the special edition DB9 Carbon Black and Carbon White models are available on application at any of Aston Martin’s 147 dealers.

Aston Martin Design Director Marek Reichman explained: “The classic DB9 Carbon Black and daring DB9 Carbon White special editions give this timeless GT a fresh and highly desirable new appearance.

“Meanwhile, the exciting details that define N430 should leave no one in any doubt about the car’s motorsport roots. Bold graphic treatments and the option of vivid colour combinations conjure up clear visual echoes of the race circuit.”

Aston Martin can be found at stand number 5253 in Hall 5 at this year’s Geneva International Motor Show, once again taking place at the Palexpo complex. The marque will be showcasing eight cars at this year’s show, with examples of the new V8 Vantage N430 and DB9 Carbon Black sitting alongside other current models including the Rapide S four-door sports car and new Vanquish Volante.

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