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Aston Martin DB9 Replacement: Design Chief Discloses It Will Drop the DB9 Moniker

After the AM DB7 draw its last breath, its next in line should've adopted the DB8 moniker, but we all know that Aston Martin skipped that in favor of the DB9 nameplate. With us for 10 years now, the British GT is slated to receive a replacement in 2016.
2009 Aston Martin DB9 1 photo
Photo: Aston Martin
Some insider reports and Daimler's technical partnership with Aston Martin hint that the car will drop the naturally aspirated Ford Duratec 6-liter V12 used in the present model lineup. In its place, a twin-turbocharged 4-liter V8 engineered and built by Mercedes-AMG will do the heavy work, in addition to various electric and electronic components also developed by the German car manufacturer.

Speaking to the Brits from AutoCar, Aston Martin design director Marek Reichman disclosed that the DB9's successor will "definitely be a DB… but what number will follow that is yet to be decided." The official also told the motoring publication that "there'll be a little more revolution in it" and "the next one [after the DB9] will be at least as big a step forward." So what else is there to expect besides the twin-turbo V8?

Only recently, Aston Martin has updated the Vanquish and Rapide S for the 2015 model year with a new transmission. The old-gen six-speed slush box has been dropped in favor of an all-new Touchtronic III eight-speed auto developed by German company ZF. So it's only natural to expect the same unit in the upcoming grand tourer replacing the old DB9.

Although the power figure is expected to stop around the 550 horsepower mark, the future model should be faster, more economical and a tad more eco-friendly than its daddy. It's still a mystery if the VH platform will be reworked for the upcoming Aston or if an all-new design will be adopted, but one thing's certain: a lot of lightweight bonded aluminum will be used in its construction.
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About the author: Mircea Panait
Mircea Panait profile photo

After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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