If it’s also cold and rainy outside your office today, take solace in the fact that it will change soon. It must do. March is next Saturday, the clocks go forward before April is here, and the sun will be shining before we know it. Let’s hope, anyway. By that time, everyone will be wanting a drop-top sports car to enjoy the warmer months; time to beat the crowds (and the winter blues) with a summer convertible ahead of time.
There’ll be new Aston Martin Volantes coming this year, including the already revealed DB12 - and, eventually, a heavily updated Vantage Roadster. There have been almost 60 years of Volantes now, all the way back to the first ‘Short Chassis’ models of 1965; almost all of them have been hugely desirable, combining monster powertrains with handsome good looks and the sort of caddish cool Aston does better than any other.
The DB9 Volante is now 20 years old, launching soon after the coupe in 2004. Just like the hardtop, it represented a huge step up from the DB7, with a fresh new look and massively updated interior. Like pretty much everything from the period, the interior certainly looks of its time - just look at that sat nav screen - but the exterior design is ageing absolutely beautifully. It’s delicate, simple and elegant like all the very best Aston DBs, perhaps even better as a drop-top than a coupe.
Tungsten Silver with Obsidian Black leather and Walnut veneers will be a spec familiar to a lot of ‘9s, though none the worse for it. But neither the colour combo nor the extras - including a £3k stereo upgrade - that make this one special - it’s the condition. This Volante has covered just 9,000 miles with one owner since 2006, supported by a comprehensive service history almost exclusively at the same main dealer - it went to Aston Martin Sevenoaks 16 times. Which is quite an investment. The only service not there was at specialist Chiltern Aston Martin. This DB9 has wanted for nothing.
Unsurprisingly given the mileage and the love lavished on it, this Aston is impeccable. There just isn’t a blemish to be seen anywhere, inside or out, and even a dashboard prone to scratches and wear has survived almost two decades incredibly well. Factory fresh is an overused term but, bar some inevitable leather wear, it really does look showroom quality. As summer suntraps go, it looks stunning.
As one of the lowest mileage DB9 Volantes out there, this one commands a premium over the rest; early, higher mileage ones are available for little more than £20k for the brave. This one is £49,995, with the later, more powerful, facelifted DB9s commanding anything up to £65k. Given its ability still to turn heads and put a huge smile on your face, it’s easy to see why the Aston might appeal. It could continue as a wind-in-the-air V12 for summer Sunday best or, given the meticulous service record, probably put into more regular use if its charms prove irresistible. Either way, there won’t be many more pleasant ways to embrace the sunshine. When it finally arrives.
SPECIFICATION | ASTON MARTIN DB9 VOLANTE
Engine: 5,935cc, V12
Transmission: 6-speed manual, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 456@6,800rpm
Torque (lb ft): 420@5,000rpm
MPG: N/A
CO2: 368g/km
First registered: 2006
Recorded mileage: 8,766
Price new: £126,233.30
Yours for: £49,995
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