Category: Exotic Sports 
Price Range: £110,850 to £119,850
Fabulous looks, landmark cabin design and quality, great sound, potent performance, precise and interactive handling, inspired paddleshift transmission.
Awkward ignition switch, on the thirsty side.
A true rival to a Ferrari or a Porsche.
The DB9, available as a coupe and Volante convertible version, is Aston Martin's realisation of its dream to be the credible British riposte to Ferrari and Porsche. The DB9 is, in essence, delightfully simple: a gorgeous body, an aluminium chassis and a 450bhp version of Aston's familiar V12 engine (a more powerful version of which is used in the harder-edged, more expensive Vanquish). A rear-mounted gearbox helps towards an ideal weight distribution; it can be a six-speed Graziano manual or a six-speed ZF automatic with paddleshifts and some very clever programming.
The whole package bears striking similarities to Ferrari's 612 Scaglietti, except that the DB9 is smaller, less expensive, a little less powerful and has some composite outer body panels. Its cabin has much tinier rear seats, too, and is designed with a clarity, quality and freshness that's unlike anything else in the class. Objects hardly come more desirable than this.
