Aston Martin: Difference between Vanquish, DB9 & V8 Vantage

I think this is how it goes...The Vanquish is their big gt car, it competes with the CL benzs, 575, etc. The Db9 is smaller but has similar power and its more of a sports car. The vantage is their affordable model.

 

the DB9 is the best model; its semi automatic gearbox is great. I just drove one last weekend (thanks to Matthew at SVAG). It is the first car that actually made me consider trading in my 360.

 

Vanquish 'S'- flagship, GT type car, compares to a 575, F1 style trans. only, largest Aston, $265K

DB9 - same platform as Vanquish, same V12 w/ less hp, slightly softer/more GT-like, auto. trans. w/ paddle shift std., 6-spd manual optional, available as convertible, compares to Bentley Continental GT (although less powerful), $175k coupe, $195k conv.

V8 Vantage - smaller version of DB9 platform, V8 in place of V12, two seater (I believe), more nimble sports car, 6-spd manual (auto. optional?), compares to Porsche 996 Turbo/997 Carrera S, $120k (est.)

 

There are differences, the Vanquish is more brutal and powerful looking

The DB9 is simply gorgeous

but they do have a lot of similairities

on the + side you cant go wrong w either 1

 

The V8 Vantage is a full 500-600lbs lighter than the DB9.

 

Wait for the V8, it's the perfect package, size, weight, technology, engine, style, interior and performance. Great value if they can keep it under 120k.

 

A somewhat old thread, but I was though this would be the best place to ask:

Is the DB9 Volante the exact same as the regular DB9, expect it is a convertible? Is the roof a hardtop, and is it automatic in opening and closing?

I've heard both Vanquish and Vanquish S? Are two models out? Or is the new model called the Vanquish S?

Will the new Jaguar Coupe hurt Aston Martin, escp. the AMV8 (is performance, design and interior similar?) ? Will you tell the two apart? What is the V8 priced at?

Will Aston Martin be set with these lines, and will they stay at the 5,000 production volume, at the prices they set? Will all the models have the e-gear/F1 option?

 

I Volante is the convet version of the DB9. Automatic closing
There are 2 models, Vanquish and Vanquish S and from reviews, the S is THE one to get and worth the additional money.
When EVO an CAR reviewed the new XK8 concept, pretty much every letter to the editor said the AStons and Jag look too similar. Ian Callum had a hand in all. the DB7 his first Aston and clearly we can still see the influences in all the new cars.
The XK8 will still be more GT like and long. The AMV8 is the size of a 911.
Everyone is looking to increase producition. that is the purpose of the DB8.

 

The DB8? You mean the V8 Vantage?

 

From my understading, the reason the DB7 become the DB9 was to leave room for DB-8 for the V-8 car.

 

I thought the DB8 was a prototype, and the production car was the AMV8 Vantage.

 

The AM V8 is the entry level Aston, around $100K. A small sports car. That's all I know.

I drove the DB9 coupe four months ago. My Vanquish S is 6 days old and has 560 miles on it. It is the most beautiful car I have ever driven.

The DB9 is smaller than the Vanquish, but has more plush amenities in the cockpit: a CD changer in dash, pop up navigation LCD display, wood inlays, etc. It also has an automatic transmission with a paddle shift. It is plenty fast, but a little more subdued than the Vanquish. For an auto it shifts very quickly, much faster and crisper than what is on the AMG Mercedes. It is a very comfortable car and a pleasure to drive.

The Vanquish is a dream. Being Italian I grew up always wanting a Ferrari. When I got my (04) spider I thought I'd keep that car forever. Well, after driving 500 miles, I WILL attempt to have an Aston in my garage for the rest of my life. The Ferrari is expendable.

The Vanquish is bigger than the DB9 (those back seats are a joke as are those in an XK8) I didn't order back seats for my Vanquish. The tranny is an F1 type (not auto). I prefer it over the F1 in my Ferrari. The Ferrari is very abrupt when changing gears, some changes it slams quicker than others. Frankly it makes me worry about something breaking. The Vanquish almost seams to ease it into gear. There is an abundance of power, better delivered than the DB9, and the ride is like butter. I've only gone to 130-140, but the ride is very stable. The Vanquish feels a bit lighter in the hand at those speeds than my S 55 or SL 55 were, but not as "twitchy" as the spider.

And the sound of that V12...........un****ingbelievable.....

The interior is nice, the ride is plush and the strereo (1200 Watts) is unbelievable. Unlike the Ferrari with that POS Becker, which sounds about as good as an AM radio in a 74 toyota corrolla.

Ason Martins are wonderful cars, I highly recommend getting one if you can.
The DB9 is a great car. After the test drive I was ready to trade in my SL 55 for one...until I drove the Vanquish. And the beauty is that there aren't too many of them on the road. My Vanquish is one of 46 or 48 to be imported to the US.

Oh and by the way the dealers are nice people unlike the A-holes at Ferrari dealers. They will pick up your car for service.......try getting a loaner from Ferrari.

 

Thanks. At a $110,000 price tag (did some surfin), sounds like the V8 Vantage is a great bargain. Though, they are only planning on building 3,000 a year, and it's still pricey at that price range (target at more of the GT 911's, ect.). Does the Vanquish come with the semi-automatic transmission with the paddles? Do the cars turn heads when you take them out?

 

Yes the Vanquish is a paddle shift F1 type. As in the Ferrari it is a 6 speed manual with an electromagnetic clutch. Both clutch units are supplied by Magnetti Marelli (?sp). The only difference being the software (Ferrari vs Aston Martin) which controls the engine management and clutch.

The Ferrari is red/tan so everyone immediately recognizes it....even in this small (pop. 13,000) country hic town I live in. The Vanquish also turns heads, but not too many people know what it is. It is jet black with a black/iron ore (burgundy) interior. FWIW Aston has had a reputation in the auto world for it's paint. The black is unbelievably deep and rich.

 

People call it the "James Bond" car?

 

astons,whilst undeniable head turners;have always been gentlemen's sporting
vehicles.in comparison ferraris are brash,lamborghinis vulgar and maserati just low-rent.

since the original david brown-era db2/4,astons have always had an air of
grace,dignity and refinement not found in any other automobile.
the fantastic db4/db4gt/db4gtz of the 50s upheld the aston traditions of being fantastically designed yet understated,fast,and above all classy.what a successor to the db mk3!

the db5 was a superb work of art.fast,truly beautiful with class unrepeated til
this day.james bond's original car was the most aspired-to automobile of it's
era.the db6 was a rather larger yet stylistically similar version of the db5

the dbs/dbs v8 of the early 70s brought a new kind of image to the company.
gone were the svelte,lithe shapes of the db3,4,5 &6.muscular,taut lines with a hint of menace replaced aston's traditional shapes and graphics.a posh musclecar to some,the dbs culminated to the awesome v8 series with the v8 vantage its muscular yet elegant flagship.

the 90s ushered in the brutish virage series,another evolution of the aston theme.pin-sharp styling with up to 500bhp available from it's wonderful 6.3l
v8 made sure it made mince-meat of the opposition.yet this was second fiddle
to the unbelievable v8 vantage v600 of 1999.this beast possesed 600bhp
and could dispatch mere diablos and f50s in it's wake;despite possessing
a body with external dimensions of a mercedes cl.

ford's first real aston must surely be the db7.a triumph of styling,it's dynamic abilities and shortcomings were addressed with the deletion of its 350bhp supercharged 3.5l i-6 and insertion of the creamy 430bhp,6.0l v12;a completely new engine to power the future big astons...

as the gorgeous vanquish testified to in 2000.a muscular and sharper db7 in looks,this would set the template of design for 2 further astons...

the sweet db9,a replacement for the much beloved db7.v12 powered from the start,the db9 made headlines as a great looker and handler.reliability and customer confidence were sky-high;but alas,IMHO aston has sat on their laurels.

the amv8(confusingly named),while very pretty indeed;looks like a shrunken
db9;itself a slightly warmed over vanquish design.

the amv8 is a wonderful oppurtunity for aston to break the 911 carrera/maserati 4200 mould;but it looks too similar to the other astons.

a good example of diversity was the late 80s,with the shockingly futuristic
lagonda saloon,awesome v8 vantage zagato and fast-approaching virage
proved that u could have 3 model lines that looked nothing alike yet were
unmistakably ASTON MARTIN.