ASTON MARTIN DB9 Coupe 2010-2012 Photos, engines & full specs

After six years on the market, Aston Martin unveiled the 2011 model year with minor changes, but upgraded some not-so-visible parts under the GT's skin.

The British carmaker introduced the car at the 2003 Frankfurt Motor Show, with sales starting in 2004. It was a stylish Grand Tourer with a specific front fascia and long hood. At that time, Aston Martin belonged to Ford, which sold it in 2007 to a consortium led by Prodrive, a company that specialized in motorsports. The new manager, David Richards, revived the company and handed it over later on to Dr. Ulrich Bez, who green-lighted the 2010 makeover for the DB9.

There were subtle changes on the car's exterior, with a new front bumper and a bright finish for the radiator's grille. It featured a reshaped lower intake with a hexagonal-shaped mesh. A new pair of headlights with bezels adorned the front fascia, while on the sides, the carmaker introduced new side sills. To further enhance the car's look, Aston Martin installed 20" light-alloy wheels.

Inside, the center stack featured a new design, with re-assigned dials and buttons that resembled those from a Volvo, even though neither Aston Martin nor the Swedish carmaker was in the same blue-oval company anymore. Also, the key-fob was in the middle of the dashboard, where the "Start" button used to be on the 2004 model.

Under the skin, the 2010 DB9 featured the same VH platform developed by Ford but enhanced. It provided adaptive dampers in all corners, which dramatically improved the comfort or the handling at a touch of a button. Last but not least, Aston Martin improved the engine's power by 27 horses, leading to a better 0 to 100 kph (0-60 mph) time.