DB9 Control
Great sports cars must handle superbly. They should respond quickly and predictably to driver commands; they should be nimble and agile. To achieve the low weight that is the starting point for such agility, all the DB9’s major body and mechanical components are made from either aluminium, magnesium alloy or advanced, lightweight, composite materials.
The front-to-rear weight distribution of the DB9 is a perfect 50:50, with 85% of the car’s mass sited between the front and rear axles. The aluminium V12 engine is mounted as far back as possible in a ‘front mid-engined’ layout. The compact aluminium transaxle housing the gearbox and final drive is positioned at the rear, forward of the rear axle.
A lightweight and rigid carbon-fibre propeller shaft, housed within a cast aluminium torque tube, transfers torque from the front mid-mounted engine to the rear mid-mounted transmission, helping to give the DB9 its superb poise, balance and stability.
The result is a car that can be driven with great ease and precision, thanks to the flow of communication through the steering. The DB9 excels not because it has myriad electronic controls added in an attempt to overcome compromise, but because it has an inherently light and rigid structure, perfect weight distribution and finely tuned suspension.
More than any other quality, the DB9 seeks to serve up the richest driving experience in the sports GT class. It serenades the driver with its balance of engine and exhaust notes, provides scintillating performance and agility and has a seductive blend of fluent steering and linear controls. This combination of performance and luxury makes the DB9 both an exceptional out-and-out sports car and an ultra-refined GT.
The DB9 cabin is focused on the driver, who sits as low and as close as possible to the car’s centre of gravity. Combined with the rigid body structure and all-aluminium, double-wishbone suspension, the result is unfiltered feedback of the car’s dynamic behaviour. This unparalleled two-way communication – car to driver, driver to car – is at the very core of the DB9’s design philosophy.
The steering, power-assisted for lightness, is superbly responsive, helped by the car’s low weight and excellent balance. The large disc brakes – 355 mm diameter discs at the front and 330 mm at the rear – are ventilated and grooved, to aid cooling and boost braking performance. Radially mounted, four-piston, monobloc calipers provide great stopping power with a firm yet progressive pedal feel.
The DB9’s active safety – the ability to help avoid an accident occurring in the first place – begins with its inherent agility and responsiveness. The lightweight, rigid body structure and superbly tuned suspension and steering are further aided by a host of advanced electronics. These include Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) and the latest-generation ABS brakes which, should the system detect loss of grip, combine to help keep the car stable and balanced.
Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD) and Emergency Brake Assist (EBA) are also employed. EBD balances the front-to-rear braking bias, to give optimal braking performance. In an emergency, EBA sensors detect when maximum braking is required and automatically apply the appropriate force.
The DB9 offers class-leading safety with a rigid aluminium structure designed to provide a supremely robust passenger cell. Occupants are further protected by extruded aluminium crumple zones at the front and rear of the car. Crash and safety testing was conducted at the world-renowned Volvo Safety Centre in Sweden.
Dual-stage driver and passenger airbags, seat-mounted side airbags and seat-belt pretensioners offer additional protection. In the Volante, roll-over hoops are automatically and instantly deployed from the headrests in the event of an accident.
The DB9 is equipped with an integrated Passive Anti Theft System (PATS), which uses a rolling code electronic ignition key to prevent unauthorised engine start-up. It also includes the very latest in vehicle alarm systems, featuring parametric sensors and double locking for doors.