aston martin db9

The Aston Martin DB9 is a GT sports car launched by Aston Martin in 2004.
The DB9 is the first model to be built at Aston Martin's Gaydon facility in Warwickshire, England. The moniker "DB" stems from the initials of David Brown, the owner of Aston Martin for a significant part of its history. The DB9, which was designed by Ian Callum and finished by his successor, Henrik Fisker, superseded the now-discontinued Aston Martin DB7 (also by Callum) which started production in 1994.

OVERVIEW
                                    The Aston Martin DB9 comes in two variants; the coupé and 'Volante' convertible, each producing 470 bhp (350 kW; 477 PS) from a 6.0L V12 engine, originally taken from its sister car the V12 Vanquish. In fact, this V12 engine is why Aston Martin did not call the car the DB8, which could suggest that it has only a V8 engine. One report states that Aston Martin believed that this car was such a huge leap from the Jaguar XJ-S based DB7 that it named it DB9 instead of DB8, which they thought would indicate a gradual evolution. The Gaydon facility's production capacity for the DB9 could allow for approximately five thousand units per year, which is roughly the same production volume as other esteemed sports cars, in particular the Ferrari F430 and Porsche 911 Turbo. The DB9, however, is more often compared against other competitors in its segment: the Ian Callum designed Jaguar XKR, the Volkswagen-produced Bentley Continental GT, the ten-cylinder powered BMW M6, and the AMG variants of the Mercedes-Benz SL. Traditionally being a maker of more exclusive automobiles, CEO Dr. Ulrich Bez assures Aston Martin loyalists that production numbers of the DB9 will be slightly higher than previous models; however, Aston Martin will still retain only a small statistical percentage of the high-end sports car market.

The DB9 is the first Aston Martin model to be designed and developed upon Ford's aluminium VH (vertical/horizontal) platform. The body structure is composed of aluminium and composites melded together by mechanically fixed self-piercing rivets and robotic assisted adhesive bonding techniques. The innovative bonded aluminium structure possesses more than double the torsional rigidity of its predecessor's, despite being 25 percent lighter.[4] Aston Martin's engineers designed the quad-cam, 48-valve engine for the V12 Vanquish in collaboration with Ford's Research and Vehicle Technology team (RVT) and were able to reduce its weight by 11.8 kg (26 lb) for use in the DB9.

SPECIFICATION

 Base Price: £111,000 Coupe; £124,000 Volante convertible
Power: 350 kW (476 PS; 469 bhp) (469 hp) @ 6000 rpm
Torque: 600 N·m (443 lbf·ft) @ 5000 rpm
Weight: 1,760 kg (3,880 lb)
0–60 mph (0–97 km/h): 4.6 seconds
0–100 km/h (0–62 mph): 4.8 seconds
Top Speed: 306 km/h (190 mph)

FEATURES
                     The DB9 features a 6.0-liter V12 engine producing 470 horsepower at 6,000 rpm, and a torque output of 443 lb-ft at 5,000 rpm. At the same time, the car's six-speed automated manual with a computer controlled clutch has been reprogrammed to allow it to shift faster. These changes combine to make the car three tenths of a second quicker in the 0 to 60 mph sprint, while the six-speed manual cars are only a tenth quicker thanks to a power hike.

In addition to the straight-line performance, handling of the newest DB9 is improved thanks to Bilstein shocks, new suspension arms and bushings, and 19-inch wheels. These suspension upgrades resulted in a sportier ride, while the Volante's (convertible model) ride is made cushier.

The DB9's bumpers are invisible. The front number plate is part of the crash structure and computer modeling has enabled Aston Martin to use invisible 'hard pressure zones' to cope with bumps.

The side strakes - an Aston Martin DB signature - are made from metal. The door handles are flush with the body opening the unique 'swan wing' doors, which rise at a 12-degree angle for improved access.

There are no visible gutters on the roof panel, and no visible drain channels at the front or rear windscreens. Nor are there any plastic 'dressing' plates.

The interior features an elegant center console, finished almost entirely in
die-cast zinc with an iridium finish. What isn't finished in iridium is finished in a mix of high quality leather or one of five different hand-finished wood trims, ranging from Walnut to Piano Black.

The Aston Martin DB9 is also available in a convertible model, designated by the unique Volante name.

pontiac Bonneville

The Pontiac Bonneville is an automobile built by the Pontiac division of General Motors from 1957 to 2005. It was introduced as a limited production performance convertible during the 1957 model year. The Bonneville (known as the Parisienne in Canada until 1981), and its platform partner, the Grand Ville, are some of the largest Pontiacs ever built; in station wagon body styles they reached just over 19 feet (5.8 m) long, and were also some of the heaviest produced cars at the time (2.5 short tons, 5,000 lb or 2,300 kg).

The Bonneville name first appeared in 1954 on a pair of bubble-topped GM Motorama concept cars called the Bonneville Special. It entered the production lineup as a high-performance, fuel-injected luxury convertible in the 1957 model year and was loaded with every conceivable option as standard equipment with the exception of optional air conditioning. This put the Bonneville in a Cadillac-like price range of $5,000 - more than double the base price of a Chieftain four-door sedan. A fully equipped Bonneville could cost more than a Cadillac. Only 630 units were produced that first year, making it one of the most collectible Pontiacs of all time. The Bonneville endured until 2005 as the division's top-of-the-line model. The name was taken from the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, the site of much early auto racing and most of the world's land speed record runs, which was named in turn after U.S. Army officer Benjamin Bonneville.

The Bonneville added a coupe in 1958, and it paced the Indianapolis 500 that year. This year's Bonneville had a significantly lower price tag of around $3,000 thanks to the demotion of most of the luxury items found on the '57 model from standard equipment to the option list. Also a 300 horsepower (220 kW) 370 cubic inches (6,100 cc) V8 with four-barrel carburetor and dual exhausts was now standard equipment. The fuel-injection system offered with the standard engine on the '57 model was now listed as an extra cost option but very few '58 Bonnevilles were so equipped due to a towering price tag of over $500 USD, which was not considered a very good value considering that for less than $100 USD, a Tri-Power option was available with three two-barrel carburetors and even more power.

The 2000 Bonneville was redesigned from the ground up with significant advancements in design, engineering and technology which Pontiac dubbed "luxury with attitude."[citation needed] It remained on the H-platform and true to its Wide Track heritage with the widest overall track in its competitive class at 62.6 inches up front and 62.1 inches in the rear. GM's StabiliTrak stability control system was introduced on the top-of-the-line supercharged SSEi model.

The Bonneville regained a V8 option on the GXP trim for 2004, its first since 1986, as a result of the discontinuation of the Oldsmobile Aurora. This opened up a "hole" in the GM lineup between Pontiac and Buick, allowing Pontiac to expand upmarket somewhat. The engine is Cadillac's 4.6 L (280 cu in) Northstar V8, producing 275 hp (205 kW), 300 lbf·ft (410 N·m) and giving 0–60 mph (0–97 km/h) in 6.5 seconds.

For the last year of production, Pontiac gave the mid-level SLE the new GXP styling. The 2005 SLE featured all GXP styling cues, except the wheels, badging, and muffler tips all remained unique to the GXP.
GM announced on February 8, 2005, that the Bonneville would be dropped from Pontiac's lineup for 2006. The last Bonneville left the assembly line on May 27, 2005. Only about 12,000 Bonnevilles were sold in 2005. With more than half of Pontiac dealers also selling Buick models, the Buick Lucerne (along with the Chevrolet Impala and Pontiac Grand Prix) continued as GM's only mainstream full-size cars until the introduction of the 2008 G8.