After Ian Callum designed the beautifully styled Aston Martin DB7 back in 1993, few believed that it could ever be bettered. However with the release of the new Aston Martin DB9 in 2004 it seemed that Callum had achieved the impossible, and improved on perfection. This was to be the car that took Aston into the 21st Century bringing them head to head with rivals from Ferrari and Porsche.
The DB9 is powered by 6 litre 450bhp V12 engine that was original used in the DB9’s much bigger brother, the Aston Martin Vanquish S. If they had followed normal procedure this new Aston should have been called the DB8, however Aston wanted to show that this car was a significant step forward and not just and evolution from the ageing DB7. In addition, it was feared that the DB8 moniker would cause some potential buyers to believe the new model was powered by a just a humble V8, so instead the DB9 title was used.
The design and construction of the DB9 was much more advanced than previous Astons, with the chassis and bodywork produced from a combination of aluminium and lightweight composite materials. This gave the DB9 tremendous structural rigidity whilst still keeping the overall weight low, which allowed the DB9 to accelerate to 60 in just 4.7 seconds and then on to a maximum speed of 186 mph.
When compared to the flagship Vanquish S model, the DB9 had much crisper exterior lines with the overall shape looking considerably less bulky than its older brother. Neat touches like the single lever recessed door handles and the slim 501 LED bulbs in the rear lights all added to the stylish and modern design. Inside the DB9 continued the modern feel with brushed aluminium, light coloured woods and even a crystal glass starter button.
To further help the DB9 compete with the stiff opposition in the shape of the Porsche 997 turbo and Ferrari’s F430, a new sports pack was introduced in 2006. Whilst the ride height was lowered and spring and damper rates were improved, Aston also improved on the overall structural stiffness and attempted to reduce the unsprung weight with lighter 19 inch aluminium alloy wheels, and titanium wheel nuts.
Recently Aston has released a more powerful, stripped and lightweight version of the DB9 called the DBS. Despite being used as James Bond’s company car in Casino Royal and Quantum of Solace, this new flagship Aston body kit has been subject to criticism due to the addition of a striking body kit. Detractors say that it disrupts the pure lines of the original, which just goes to show how hard it is to improve on perfection.
The Aston Martin DB9: The Stylish Grand Tourer
The Bugatti Veyron: The World’s Ultimate Supercar
In 1998 Volkswagen decided to resurrect the famous Bugatti name, and announced that their first new car, called the Veyron, would be the fastest production road car ever with a top speed that would eclipse the mighty Mclaren F1. To achieve that aim took over seven years of testing and development, and resulted in a critically acclaimed car that would cost over one million dollars.
The Veyron is named after a French Bugatti racing driver from the 1930’s who went on to win the 1939 Le Mans in a 57C Bugatti. However, whilst the name of the car was set firmly in the past, Bugatti would have to push the limits and boundaries of automotive technology to achieve their aims.
In order to reach its 253mph top speed the Veyron is powered by a 8.3 litre W16 engine, the W configuration is achieved by joining two separate V8’s together at the crankshaft. The resulting engine has a quoted power output of 1001PS or 987bhp, although it is an open secret that the real output is more likely to be around 1035bhp.
To contain the 1250NM of torque that the engine produced, Bugatti turned to the specialised gearbox manufacturer Ricardo in Great Britain, who came up with a seven speed, twin clutch direct shift gearbox controlled by paddles behind the steering wheel. The seamless shift system allows the Veyron to reach sixty in just 2.4 seconds.
Having designed an engine and gearbox that could take them to their planned top speed Bugatti needed to make sure the Veyron had suitable brakes and tyres to cope with extraordinary forces it could produce. Michelin produced the run-flat road tyres capable of surviving the 253 mph top speed, whilst silicon carbide reinforced carbon brakes and a huge rear spoiler, which acts as an airbrake above 124 mph, ensured that the Veyron could reach a standstill from 249 mph in just 10 seconds.
Inside the Veyron it is easy to see why this supercar weighs over 1.8 tons. It contains all the refinement you would expect in a luxury saloon, including exquisite leather trim for the seats and surrounds and bespoke aluminium controls for the car lights and sound system. The owner also a receives a special top speed key, which retracts the rear spoiler, closes the front air vents and lowers the ride height to 6.5 cm in preparation for a high speed run.
Externally the Veyron looks very similar to the early concept car, however much of its shape and form has been driven by the need to achieve high speed stability and cooling. In fact the Veyron has an incredible 10 radiators, which provide cooling for everything from the engine and transmission through to the hydraulic fluid that is used to raise the rear spoiler.
In every way the Veyron sets new standards for the ultimate supercar, and in these tough economic times it may be quite a while until will see those performance figures bettered.
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2009 Aston Martin V12 Vantage
Gaydon, Warwickshire, Wednesday 4 February 2009. Aston Martin will present the most potent production sports car in the marque’s 95-year history at the Geneva motor show on 3rd March. Based on the hugely successful V8 Vantage, the V12 Vantage will feature a 6.0-litre V12 engine producing 510 bhp (380 kW / 517 PS), and 570 Nm (420 lb ft) of torque with a top speed of 190 mph (305 km/h) and 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) time of 4.2 seconds.
The latest incarnation of the Vantage family has been designed to provide a unique character, appealing to different driver tastes and complementing the other models in the Aston Martin line-up.
The original V12 Vantage concept was unveiled to guests at the opening of the Aston Martin Design Studio in December 2007. Continuing the marque’s impressive record of bringing concepts to market in their original form, Aston Martin engineers have brought the V12 Vantage to market in an incredible 12 months.
Aston Martin Chief Executive Officer, Dr Ulrich Bez said: “This is the ultimate performance interpretation of the Vantage range, combining our most agile model with our most powerful engine. It represents the definitive driving package; providing spectacular performance to ensure a dynamically thrilling and everyday useable driving experience.
“The V12 Vantage has a unique character, unlike our other cars. This will appeal to different people with different tastes, allowing more people to enjoy the Aston Martin experience.
“This also illustrates one of Aston Martin’s key strengths – the ability to act quickly and turn concepts and ideas into reality.”
Designed for the focused driver, every component of the V12 Vantage has been honed with pure driving enjoyment in mind. Benefitting from race-developed materials and components, and featuring lightweight carbon fibre; performance and agility have been tuned to perfection.
Visually enticing, the V12 Vantage expresses its performance potential through its purposeful stance created by enhanced aerodynamic and cooling aids optically widening the car. Equally inviting, the cosseting interior permits the driver to extract maximum performance ability from the car while also enjoying customary levels of Aston Martin comfort on longer journeys. High levels of power and torque are available at all engine speeds making the V12 Vantage responsive and tractable in any driving situation.
The V12 Vantage will be built at Aston Martin’s global headquarters in Gaydon, Warwickshire joining the DBS, DB9 and V8 Vantage model lines which are built in the state-of-the-art production facility combining hi-tech manufacturing processes with traditional hand-craftsmanship. Production will be limited to between just 300-500 examples per year, making the V12 Vantage a truly exclusive driver’s car.
Deliveries of the V12 Vantage are expected to commence during quarter three 2009 with prices to be confirmed at the Geneva motor show.