DB9 — 2004
The DB9 marked Aston Martin’s entry into a new industrial era. The first car produced in the new Gaydon factory and built on the VH — Vertical Horizontal — platform that the marque would go on to use for twelve years, it combined technical ambition with a preserved artisanal soul. Its naturally aspirated 6.0-litre V12 is unanimously regarded as one of the most melodious engines ever fitted to a road car: its deep, complex sound remains one of the marque’s most recognisable signatures. Designed by Henrik Fisker, its fastback silhouette remains timelessly beautiful.
With 16,722 examples produced over twelve years — an absolute record for Aston Martin — the DB9 is the model that contributed most to the marque’s international recognition. On Aston Passion, it is one of the best-represented models in the community, with a very active technical section on the usual points to watch: cylinder-head gaskets on the early model years, air-conditioning maintenance, and suspension bush wear. The final DB9 GT versions, produced in 2015–2016 with 540 bhp, represent the ultimate culmination of a remarkably long career.
The DBS (2007): the performance version (2007–2012)
Presented in 2007 — and made famous that same year in Casino Royale — the DBS took the DB9’s VH platform and raised it to its most accomplished level of expression. The 6.0-litre V12 gained 30 bhp to reach 510 bhp, the body was lightened through greater use of carbon fibre, and carbon-ceramic brakes became available as an option. If the DB9 is the consummate grand tourer, the DBS is its sporting and emotional variant — two cars born from the same mould but with distinct temperaments.