The DB9 and the Vantage are both GT cars, with the DB9 being a pure GT whereas the Vantage is a Sports GT. That 'South of France' trip can be done in comfort with either car, though the Vantage will also be at home on a track and winding B roads. What you didn't mention that may surprise viewers is that -- coupe vs coupe -- the Vantage has more luggage capacity than the DB9, thanks to the rear hatch setup versus the traditional rear boot of the DB9. Of course, the DB9 has rear seats which could be used for luggage, though there is no fold-down or pass-through... and if your passengers have no legs and tiny heads to accommodate the roofline then you might even fit them back there. The interior space comparison here would have been better served if both cars were of the same model year because given the same model year, they are identical from the front seats forward. The interior of the DB9 is the pre-facelift that was shared with the Vantage until 2009 when the crystal key (ECU) was introduced. When I say identical, I mean to the point that you can source parts for your Vantage interior from a DB9 and vice-versa.
I had this very same dillema a couple of years ago..which one do I buy. I went with a manual Vantage and absolutely love it. The two cars are built on the same VH platform, so from the driving seat are almost identical. For me, the unusable rear seats of a DB9 made no sense. If you need rear seats then you have to go for a Rapide. The real world costs of a V12 in more road tax and fuel also don't make much sense. The Vantage has aged better too with its LED lights. Add to this the stunning noise of a quad can V8 on full throttle..a noise you never get bored of. A good video comparing the two...two stunning cars, with a decision the same as I made. The Vantage just makes more real world sense for a driving enthusiast.
Thanks Paul for the informative response and nice to hear your real life world experience. It is an excellent assessment of both and definitely would agree on the subject of the unusable rear seats of the DB9. Personally I would prefer to try the Vantage in Manual too. Lastly I appreciate the compliment about the video. If you are near us, would love to have you visit and try your manual Vantage, perhaps we could do a comparison between the auto and manual. Wishing you a good weekend 😊👍
@@InvictusMotors I have both a Vantage coupe with 6 spd manual and a convertible with the paddle shifters. I personally prefer the paddle shifters because it makes it much easier to drive hard and just focus on braking and steering. The pedal positions on the manual coupe are such where I can't really heel and toe well. I come out smiling in both, but definitely prefer the paddle shift for harder driving, but could be because I'm starting to age as well! Thanks for the video, been wanting to get a DB9 as more of a "gentleman's" cruiser, but higher maintenance costs are keeping me at bay - the V8 Vantage cars are SO reliable that I've been spoiled by them!
A big thank you to Basheer & Andy, two wonderful gentlemen. My son and I really enjoyed our visit to Invictus Motors, and what a great day when you get a chance to drive an Aston Martin :)
I’ve owned my db9 for 18 years bought new in 2004 , I love it now as much as I did the day I purchased it , been to Spain 🇪🇸 in it many times , and France, Scotland also . Fantastic car to own
Owned 18 years from new…now that to me is rare to read and well done to you. Most people only keep them for a few years so you must be so attached to yours and cherish having it. When I was looking for my DB9 I was looking for a long term owned one and I eventually found it. If your ever selling yours please let me know.
@@rudeboyranking642 yes I must be the longest db9 owner when I think about it , I drive it every weekend and also to and from my office in the summer months, I’ve put 65k on it now and I’ve honestly loved every one of them , the secret is definitely use the car and it likes it , less goes wrong . Rudeboy I can’t see me ever selling it if I’m honest , but if I do I will let you know 👍
@@laurencefahey2085 to be honest I don’t blame you for having no interest in selling it Laurence it’s a gorgeous car to have access to. I’m also in agreement with you with regard to driving it because the engine enjoys being nicely opened up. 65k on the clock sounds perfect too. I sincerely wish you more great drives pal 👍
there is no excessive exhaust note from the vantage unless one is constantly driving with the revs above 4-5000. in fact, it's so quiet that i've often had to turn off the sound system to hear the engine revs when in reverse. the only driving complaint would be the abnormal amount of physical effort involved in simply driving the car around town. the steering is heavy, as is the clutch pedal, brake pedal, and shifting mechanism. it's what might have once been called a "mans's car". i think a lot of people might find it too physically difficult to drive around town on a regular basis. i like it, but others may not. in 2021 i might very well choose the db11 over the vantage. i'm not fond of four seats in a car, but the styling of the DB11 vs the Vantage would have me leaning towards the DB11 these days.
Missing all the important points -like the fact that for V8 the auto option is Magneti Marelli sequential (best avoided) and for DB9 it’s a ZF 6-speed conventional automatic -but with a fun factor built-in. Meaning you should have the V8 with manual, pretty easy to find since 40-50% were built manual. DB9 was only 5% manual, very hard to find and with price premium, but not as necessary as with the V8. Comfort level not very different but the V8 is more agile, feeling more mid-engined, whereas the DB9 feels more home on motorways. Not a big difference, a bit like 911 compared to Boxster/Cayman. And I’ve owned several of all the above
Both gorgeous cars and anyone would be proud to own their choice of Aston Martin of this era…I just love and prefer the styling and presence of the DB9
Ian Callum and his team did a great Job on both culminating with the DB9 ( I just noticed when the hood was up - you can see the evolution from one to the other, let alone the center console )
Thank you for this great video. As being only a casual fan of cars I've always been confused on the difference between these two. This video has given me a clear idea now.
I could tell from the smile on your face when driving the DB9 that you were thoroughly enjoying yourself!! Did I hear you say that the DB9 was actually cheaper than the Vantage? I've started looking in the states for cars of the same ages as in your video, and it seems the DB9 is more expensive.
The V8 Vantage is stunningly beautiful from any angle. The DB9, although stunning, looses something in being stretched. I have been lucky enough to have owned both, and loved the Vantage. The DB9 I had wasn't as nice to drive, but being the Volante had it's uses in the summer.
I feel the opposite. Having owned my DB9 for the last 5 years I've gotten so used to the size that every time I see a Vantage it just looks too small and a tad squat. I feel the DB9 is the more elegant car with the longer lines. If anything, the Rapide looks too stretched and the Vantage looks too compressed.
I’m not too interested in performance comparisons - both cars exceed my driving skills in terms of what they can potentially do and I suspect 99.9% of other drivers too. The DB9 is just stunning to look at - iconic even. Its design balance, elegance and flow put it up there with other apex designs, like Concorde or the Harrier. For me, it is the most beautiful looking car ever.
Just my two cents, the DB9s 4.9 second 0-60 is extremely conservative. If you get the power down it it’s 4.5. My dad has a DB9 and managed a 4.6 0-60 time using a draggy. We took the DB9 to bamford rose Aston Martin tuning company and got a primary decat, secondary high flow performance cats, a sports air intake and a remap. This took the power up to around 500bhp, and has hit a 0-60 in 4.3 seconds on a dry day. The 4.9 is no where near what it is capable of. Good video though, I enjoyed the enthusiasm.
I hope I never buy a secondhand car off you , the transmission will be totally shot if you are trying to do 0-60s all the time ! These are gentleman’s cars do t abuse them like that , it’s very unbecoming.
@@Carrera-gp9od don’t worry cos we wouldn’t sell it to you anyway! A car like this is made to be enjoyed, and enjoy it we will. It’s a very well built car, with a strong engine and gearbox. It’s been driven all the way to Monaco twice. If you want to pussy foot around with your own then you’re more than welcome to. It’s been looked after and in the family for 15 years with no issues, and driven very sensibly, we have launched the car a handful of times in the entire ownership, if you think it can’t handle that then you really have no idea what the car is capable of. The main reason for the primary decat if you fancy doing some research yourself is not for the performance, but for the fact that DB9’s used low quality ceramic catalyst that breaks down and can be ingested back into the engine if it misfires, which isn’t uncommon, leading to engine failure. Secondary high flow cats are installed as part of the package along with a new engine map to allow for the change in air flow, the exhaust note sounds superior, along with the peace of mind that we won’t have an engine failure.
Try buying a DB 9 convertible six speed manual gear box, cabriolet, for under $ 100, 000,00.(dollars) Let me know if you find one. I'll be the first in line. Thx.
