It's amazing what $200,000 can buy you. Certainly, this is a beautiful car, wonderfully styled and exquisitely detailed. The leather and wood work inside the cabin is second to none. Just getting into the car, your olfactory senses are inundated with the heavy scent of the leather. The two rear seats, however, are a major joke. There's less room back there than in a 911, and a parcel shelf for hauling stuff would be far more useful.
Ergonomically speaking, this car is a few years behind the times. The navigation screen flipping up from the wood panel in the center of the dash is so James Bond-ish, like Goldfinger from the 1960s. The interface with the navigation via a joystick-like knob on the center stack is a bit archaic, considering the solutions for this task other automakers have come up with. AM radio reception, to put it mildly, is terrible, but the FM tuner and satellite receiver worked fine and sounded fine.
The V12 is certainly strong, but the six-speed automatic is a bit of a disappointment. It's smooth and refined, but the shift paddles are a waste. There's no redline on the tachometer, so you don't really know where to shift but then again, you don't need to. The computer shifts for you once you hit a magic number, whatever that is. The dash-mounted buttons controlling the tranny are also a throwback feature.
The convertible top operates easy enough with one-touch operation, although the motor that brings the roof down makes a bit more noise than expected. The top is well insulated and when in place, the cabin is a relatively quiet place.
The ride is far harsher than I would have expected, with the suspension crashing over bumps and holes rather than gliding smoothly over them. There's a bit of chassis wobble, too, something not expected in a car costing more than the average home in America.
There are little touches through that make the interior a delight to be, including the glass ashtray in the center console and the way the big doors are hinged to swing up and out, rather than just out.
The car got a ton of looks with several people noting they'd never seen an Aston before. One woman said she didn't know what it was, but thought it was a Chrysler Sebring (Ouch! Don't tell Ian Callum).
This is a great car to drop the top and enjoy a summer evening cruise. With a comfortable interior, nearly 500 horses underhood and decent sound system, what more could one ask for in his or her $200,000 investment? Other than a deed.
EDITOR WES RAYNAL: For $209,000, I can think of a lot of cars I'd get before one of these. It's true that last night we took a very nice drive in it with the top down as the sun was setting and the temps were cooling off. But I could have pleasantly done that in a Miata.
This car just doesn't feel $200,000 special. Yes, it is gorgeous to look at and I love this paint. The car literally stops people in their tracks.
Parts of the interior are outstanding (love the instruments), but then you've got the cheese-ball navigation screen that looks like an add -on and the P N R D buttons on the dash look and feel cheesy, too.
It's fast, but not blow-me-away fast. Somehow it doesn't feel like 470 hp and doesn't sound like it either. I guess I expected more violent sounds coming from under the hood. This was a little too subdued. I did like the transmission with its quick and crisp shifts.
The chassis was stiff and the ride refined and the steering is precise as hell. Frankly, I thought it would ride harder than it did.
But overall, as I said, the car just doesn't feel that special. For the price of one of these, I can get a Carrera 4 for the winter and a 911 convertible for the summer and pocket $51,000.
2009 Aston Martin DB9 Volante
In Fleet: June 19-29
Base Price: $199,200
As-Tested Price: $208,970
Drivetrain: 5.9-liter V12; RWD, six-speed automatic
Output: 470 hp @ 6,000 rpm, 443 lb-ft @ 5,000 rpm
Curb Weight: 3,968 lb
Fuel Economy (EPA/AW): 14/14.4 mpg
Options: 19-inch, 15-spoke wheels ($1,510); leather color contemporary ($750); hood color contemporary ($750); exterior paint contemporary ($750); walnut veneer door cappings ($750); carpet color ($450); optional front grille ($450); perforated leather seat insert ($295); color keyed steering wheel ($295); high-spec alarm ($295); smokers kit ($220); contrast stitching ($220); contrast-color carpet binding ($220)
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