23 May 05
This affects everything. To try to retain some stiffness in its structure, Aston Martin (like all other convertible manufacturers) has had to strengthen the rest of the shoe-box, so the result is the DB9 convertible is actually 30kg heavier than the coupe. This will hurt performance, economy and emissions though Aston makes no separate claims for the Volante over the coupe. More significant, however, is the fact that no convertible, however much added bracing it receives, will ever be as rigid as its metal-roofed sister and this means vaguer handling and an inferior ride.
You notice this more in the DB9 than other convertible supercars I've driven of late, including the Porsche 911 Cabriolet, Ferrari F430 Spider and Mercedes-Benz SL65. On pitted urban roads, or rutted country lanes, the ride is just plain harsh and interferes notably with the suave, sophisticated image you're trying to project. The Volante still handles very well for such a big and heavy (it weighs 1830kg) car, but there's no doubt that its responses have been blunted.
Even cruising with the roof up, you can feel the structure jiggling beneath you while wind-noise levels are higher than you'd hope from a car with such lofty Grand Touring aspirations. So it's best to drop the roof - which happens in 20 seconds and at the touch of a button - and listen to one of the best exhaust notes in the business.
