Aston Martin Questions for someone interested

I can't really help you but I did see a brand spanking new V8 on the Lot earlier this week and I must say I liked it better than the two Vanquishes that I've seen here. I'd certainly be my choice of the lot.

 

Strongly suggest you visit Tim Cottingham's excellent website www.astonmartins.com.

It is the definitive website for information on the cars and the marque.

I could probably answer your questions here, but only to a point - you'll get much more by visiting the site.

Cheers,

Neil

 

OK - Body differences and interior are pretty serious, they bear resemblances, but I don't believe they share any actual panels - best bet is to just do some searches on Dupont or something to get visual design clue differences - aside from the cosmetic, to answer your other questions...
*Vantage is the 12 cyl designation begun here in 2000 (replaced the regular DB7 6 cyl supercharged. 400HP if memory serves. Available trans - 6 spd, auto, or touchtronic (auto with buttons)
*Volante is the convertible, that's 97-present, hasn't changed
*DB series is the Aston GT - not sure what else to say about it, it's just what they call the cars.
*Vanquish/S - wholly different car from any of the others - same general architecture mechanically, and i'm sure some cosmetic similarities, but biggest difference between DB9 and Vanquish for practical purposes is the presence of a true F-1 sequential manual paddle trans in the Vanquish (a Magnetti Marelli system just like Ferrari/Maser uses but with a different gearbox - T56 iirc for the Vanquish?) whereas the DB9 is an automatic with paddle shifted gear selection - you still have a torque converter and autobox under all the paddles and gear indicators, unlike the Vanquish. Vanquish S get a bump in HP primarily, and maybe a couple minor changes, but nothing that I remember as significant other than the HP bump.
*DB AR1/Zagato is the limited (99 cars iirc) edition Barchetta-esque no-top based on the DB7 chassis. Exact differences in performance I couldn't tell you, I think it was primarily design differences such as the rear deck/double bubble look.

If I remember any of the other mechanical differences, I'll add them on, but that's what springs immediately to mind.

 

FYI, both the Vanquish and DB9 have V-12 engines. The new V8 Vantage has a V-8 though.http://www.astonmartin.com/home

 

FYI, the DB9 has a 6 speed manual/stick-shift option too.http://www.astonmartin.com/home

 

That's good to know! I thought they had done away with it when I read some of the press material, glad to be wrong