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Silver early Aston Martin DB9 coupe parked outdoors, viewed from the front three-quarter angle. Transmission is not established by this exterior photograph. Photo: Tokumeigakarinoaoshima / Wikimedia Commons; CC0 1.0. Original photograph used unchanged.
An early Aston Martin DB9 coupe rewards a buyer who looks beyond the V12 under its long hood. The gearbox sits toward the other end of the car. Understanding that arrangement helps explain the factory's engineering priorities and gives an inspecting shop a more specific brief.
This guide uses the original DB9 coupe and Aston Martin's June 2006 brochure for the 2007 model year as its reference. Confirm a candidate's model year, market specification and transmission from its records before applying those details to a US purchase.
Put the drivetrain on a map
The period factory brochure places the V12 in a front-mid position and the transaxle ahead of the rear axle. A transaxle combines the gearbox and final drive in one assembly. A carbon-fiber propeller shaft runs inside an aluminum torque tube between the engine and rear transmission.
Aston Martin quoted 50:50 front-to-rear weight distribution, with 85 percent of the car's mass between the axles. Those figures describe the original engineering layout. The useful buying question is how the individual car's driveline, suspension and tires now work together.
Ask the inspecting shop to include the torque-tube and transaxle areas in its written scope. Request observations on mountings, leaks and evidence of previous work. Where vibration or unusual noise is present, have the technician identify the likely source and any further testing needed. An engine-bay inspection alone leaves much of this layout unexplored.
Identify what the driver's controls operate
The same June 2006 brochure describes two six-speed choices: a conventional manual and the Touchtronic 2 automatic. The automatic uses dashboard buttons for Park, Reverse, Neutral and Drive, plus paddles behind the steering wheel for manual gear selection.
Allow time to learn the controls while stationary. On an automatic candidate, ask for a drive that includes ordinary parking maneuvers, gentle acceleration and fully warmed operation. Observe how the car engages forward and reverse and how consistently it shifts. Record whether a symptom appears cold, warm or under a particular load.
For a manual, evaluate clutch operation and gear selection with a knowledgeable technician. Obtain an itemized account of any clutch or transmission work, including mileage and the parts replaced. Choose the operating experience you enjoy, then assess the actual car supporting it.
Inspect the structure behind the shape
Aston Martin's DB9 heritage account identifies the car as the first production use of its VH platform and the first model built at its new Gaydon factory. The manufacturer reported a bodyshell weighing 25 percent less than the DB7's while delivering twice its torsional rigidity.
The factory brochure describes a bonded aluminum structure. For a buyer, that makes repair history a worthwhile specialist discussion. Ask who performed any structural or accident-related work, what procedures were used and whether photographs and invoices are available. Have an appropriately experienced inspector assess the evidence and explain any limits to the examination.
Inspecting paint and panel fit is useful, but a complete report should also address the areas underneath that the shop can safely access. Agree on the scope before the appointment so that a cosmetic appraisal does not accidentally become the whole inspection.
Make the road test useful at normal speeds
Choose a route with ordinary bumps, low-speed turns and a legal highway section. Compare steering response, ride control and driveline behavior without approaching the car's performance limits. Note tire specifications and condition so your impressions have context.
Before committing, combine the inspection, service history and repair estimates in USD with the asking price and delivery cost. A documented early DB9 coupe lets you evaluate the rear-transaxle design as a complete touring car.
Considering its successor too? Read our early DB11 V8 and V12 comparison, or give Big Boy Exotics your DB9 search brief.