The DB9 is testament to how far Aston Martin has come in recent years, and its striking looks give it a beauty and elegance to contrast with the chunky and aggressive cars of the late 1980s.
Developed while Aston was still under Ford ownership, the DB9 benefits from significant engineering advances over the DB7, including strong yet light aluminium body panels. These have been hewn into a shape that has an animal-like suppleness to it, but retains Aston's trademark grille and beefy rear wheel arches.
Inside, the theme of modern design continues, but there's traditional wood and leather finishes to create the luxury feel befitting an Aston Martin. The flexible driving position has been designed to accommodate most drivers comfortably, and headroom is plentiful despite the DB9's swooping silhouette. The back seats are not a realistic option for adult use, but provide extra storage space to complement the impressively capacious boot.
There's a mighty 470bhp under the bonnet from a 5.9-litre V12, which is enough to hurl the DB9's not inconsiderable mass from 0 to 62mph in under five seconds. Top speed is no less impressive at 190mph. Manual transmission is available, but the excellent six-speed auto 'box delivers smooth progress through the gears and a responsive manual over-ride mode.
On the go, the DB9 feels sharp and planted through high-speed corners, and although there is plenty of confidence-inspiring grip, it falls short of the Ferrari F430 for pure dynamic ability. It's solid and smooth at high speed, but rough surfaces bring intrusive noise from the tyres, and the ride also suffers over bumps and pockmarks.
For those who enjoy the wind in their hair, the Volante version has a superb electric hood, and the DB9's graceful shape suits the drop-top configuration beautifully.
The DB9 is expensive, but is arguably more useable than its rivals, thanks to the way it bridges the gap between supercar and grand tourer.