We were never huge fans of the original DB9. It was pretty but too soft, the engine sounded a bit lifeless, and its performance never seemed to match its price or promise.The DB9 was improved considerably for 2009, the DBS ups the muscle tone to enthusiast levels, and now the convertible aspect makes it even more enjoyable for those who like to tan while they drive. The engine makes a wonderful wooooof upon startup and warbles and pops its way through the rev range. There's little that matches the sound and smoothness of a 60-degree V-12, and the DBS Volante hangs with the best of them. Our tester was equipped with the Touchtronic automatic, which offers a choice of standard drive, Sport drive, and full manual control via paddles on the column. This trans is brilliant, as is Aston's calibration job: no upshifts at redline, rev-matched downshifts, and it always seems to be in the right gear. And if you want a stick-and-clutch six-speed, Aston Martin still offers it.
We always squint at cars that have lost their lids, as structural rigidity nearly always suffers. This shows up in many forms, none of them positive: cowl shake and body shudder, squeaks and rattles, wind noise, and/or massive weight gain. Not so the Volante, for several reasons. The first is that its body structure draws most of its strength from a carbon fiber tub underneath. This also means that it doesn't need an added network of structural steel reinforcements. Which is why the weight difference is minimal, the Volante tipping the scale only about 200 pounds more than its DBS coupe counterpart. We found every bump we could, but this chassis is just about unflappable. Only once could we detect a body wiggle, over a nasty, pothole type fissure in the road. And it's quiet too. There's minimal windnoise from the top and mirrors. You'll still know when a loaded semi is rumbling along next to you, but from a driving-enthusiast's standpoint, there's little downside to opting for the convertible over the coupe. Plus plenty of sun-drenched upside.
The DBS's handling and braking are more than up to its accelerative capability. We had a few chances to work those big ceramic rotors, and they deliver fade free performance yet with good feel and modulation. The suspension geometry minimizes dive and squat. Ride quality is on the sporty side, but that's as it should be for a DBS compared with a DB9. We didn't have the opportunity to run any numbers, but suspect that the DBS's coupe's performance levels will be matched, or nearly so. Want to pass? Just massage the right pedal and all that torque blasts you by without thinking twice.
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