(From top) The Volante is the convertible version of the Aston Martin DB9

Aston Martin is without doubt, a marque that spells unbridled magnificence. Immortalised on the big screen (a certain secret agent does share a special bond with it) and driven around the world by some of the mightiest movers and shakers, the car company is part of the big league all right! Small wonder then that any new model wheeled out of its factory is met with a wave of excitement and interest by car-lovers the world over. And so it is with the DB9, the latest in the line-up of super-fast and super-stylish Aston Martins to grace the world of automobiles.

The Aston Martin DB9 is the company’s way of paying homage to David Brown (DB) and harks back to the heady days when he made Aston Martin a name to reckon with. The DB9, in particular, is a 2+2-seater sportscar, which Aston Martin hopes will become the standard in terms of agility, smoothness, design and quality ? all of which can come only after hours of hard yet loving labour. Of course, there is that V12 engine as well!

The DB9 has been brought to life at Aston Martin’s facility in Gaydon, Warwickshire. Gaydon is also home to the British Motoring Heritage museum. Forget steel and iron ? the DB9 is built around an aluminium body frame that is bonded together. Aston claims it to be one of, if not the most, efficient body frames in the world in terms of structural qualities. It is strong, lightweight but still has adequate torsional rigidity. Imagine holding the car by its ends and then, try to twist it around. That resistance is the torsional rigidity and makes for both improved handling on the limit as well as doors shutting properly every time.

Let’s take a closer look at how the DB9 comes into being. First, the frame is made. Then the body panels are fitted on to it not by bolts or riveting or welding, but by using special adhesives. Yes, adhesives like Quickfix, but far superior in terms of adhesion and durability. This adhesive is applied by a robot and is probably the only part of the manufacturing process not involving manual labour. The adhesive is cured in hot air controlled by a computer to ensure the highest standard. This bonding results in very high stiffness, and is said to offer more durability thanks to better stress distribution than welding. The process is similar to that used in the aircraft industry and in Formula One.

The interior of the DB9 cabin is hand-finished. It uses premium quality materials ? but naturally ? including aluminium to give the occupants a feeling of what the structure and the body is made. The instrument dials are also made from aluminium. Even the music system is state-of-the-art, having been developed specially by British audio specialists Linn, famed for the Linn Sondek home audio turntables. All this takes the weight of the DB9 to a total of 1710kg ? not too bad for a V12- powered sports car.

Yes, the 6.0-litre V12 engine producing 450bhp, is the heart and soul of the DB9. This is an all-alloy quad (four) overhead cam 5935cc V12 with 48 valves. The compression ratio is a high 10.3:1 and the engine is managed by electronics provided by Visteon ? this controls fuel injection, the ignition and the onboard diagnostics. It also has a misfire detection system. The exhaust system, made of stainless steel, is a long-life one. The manual version can achieve a top speed of 186mph or 298kph. Floor the accelerator and 0-100 kph comes up in a lightning 4.9 seconds.

So, what makes the car so very agile? The agility comes from a very balanced, almost perfect 50:50 weight distribution, thanks to the gearbox being located at the rear. The engine’s torque is delivered to the gearbox by a very strong and rigid carbon-fibre drive shaft, which is housed in a cast aluminium tube. Aluminium has been used in the suspension too, and also in the wishbones and the damper bodies. Aston Martin claims this to have an enhancing effect on the handling. The steering is by ZF and is a rack and pinion unit ? the very best a sportscar can have, as it is direct and responsive. The steering column is adjustable for both tilt and reach.

The paddle shift gearchange action is like Touchtronic ? that’s manual operation of an automatic gearbox ? and the gearchange action is a balance between quick operation and smooth shifting. The DB9 rides on very fat rubber, necessitated by the car’s performance and handling ? 235/40 ZR19 tyres at front and 275/35 ZR 19 tyres at the rear. No doubt, a performance car accelerates well, but when required, it also has to come to a halt and sometimes, very quickly.

The DB9’s brake specs are also quite reassuring ? 355mm diameter ventilated grooved steel discs at front, with alloy four piston Brembo monobloc (single unit) callipers. And at the rear, 330mm diameter ventilated steel discs again with four piston monobloc callipers as well as a separate handbrake calliper. That’s the mechanical side. The brakes are assisted in their task by a Conti Teves stability control system, which includes anti-lock braking activation system (ABS), electronic brake force distribution (EBD), traction control (TC), electronic brake assist (EBA) and dynamic stability control (DSC).

The Volante is the convertible version and has all the trappings of the hardtop version with fresh air (we Indians have to make do with smog) to breathe while driving. Could either be heading for India? Even if not officially, it’s quite a compelling car ? performance-wise as well as in terms of looks ? and would certainly be a refreshing change from the Mercs, both new and second-hand, that have become so popular in India.

Road rage

M.S. Sathyu
film-maker/ theatre personality

The state of Bangalore’s roads has been much talked and written about. And I must admit that it is true that it’s a terror to drive here at times. But sometimes I feel we are being slightly unfair on the city. After all, one must not forget that Bangalore was never meant to hold so many people or for that matter, so many vehicles either.

I have seen Bangalore transforming from a sleepy pensioners’ town to the teeming metro it is today. And naturally, things have changed quite a bit along the way. Of course, the infrastructure needs to be updated and the state government should make this their first responsibility and top priority.

What makes me especially angry on the road is the apathy and inefficiency I can sense sometimes that leads to a situation like this, where driving becomes a pain rather than a pleasure.

Photograph by Shashi Kiran