2014 Aston Martin DB9

The DB9 Volante rides on Aston Martin’s signature 20-inch forged alloy wheels, a design that perfectly balances elegance and aggression. Each wheel features a 10-spoke diamond-turned face with graphite-painted insets, framed by Aston’s distinctive winged-emblem center caps. The lightweight forged construction reduces rotational mass, sharpening steering response and preserving the car’s refined ride quality.

Factory-spec Pirelli P Zero performance tires measure 245/35ZR20 in the front and 295/30ZR20 in the rear, chosen specifically to complement the chassis’ blend of touring comfort and precise cornering. The staggered setup delivers ample front-end grip with planted rear traction, allowing the car’s 510-horsepower V12 to translate into smooth, controllable thrust.

Each wheel is fitted with TPMS sensors and tire-pressure monitoring through the onboard display, while Aston Martin’s Adaptive Damping System (ADS) works in concert with the tire compound to provide composure whether cruising Highway 16 or carving the Willow City Loop.

Fresh Pirelli P Zeros were recently installed, ensuring optimal performance, low road noise, and the supple, confident feel expected from a modern grand-touring Aston.

In short: The 20-inch alloys and performance tires complete the DB9’s dual personality—equally at home gliding through Hill Country vineyards or gripping tight switchbacks on a spirited drive.

The DB9 Volante rides on Aston Martin’s signature 20-inch forged alloy wheels, a design that perfectly balances elegance and aggression. Each wheel features a 10-spoke diamond-turned face with graphite-painted insets, framed by Aston’s distinctive winged-emblem center caps. The lightweight forged construction reduces rotational mass, sharpening steering response and preserving the car’s refined ride quality.

Factory-spec Pirelli P Zero performance tires measure 245/35ZR20 in the front and 295/30ZR20 in the rear, chosen specifically to complement the chassis’ blend of touring comfort and precise cornering. The staggered setup delivers ample front-end grip with planted rear traction, allowing the car’s 510-horsepower V12 to translate into smooth, controllable thrust.

Each wheel is fitted with TPMS sensors and tire-pressure monitoring through the onboard display, while Aston Martin’s Adaptive Damping System (ADS) works in concert with the tire compound to provide composure whether cruising Highway 16 or carving the Willow City Loop.

Fresh Pirelli P Zeros were recently installed, ensuring optimal performance, low road noise, and the supple, confident feel expected from a modern grand-touring Aston.

In short: The 20-inch alloys and performance tires complete the DB9’s dual personality—equally at home gliding through Hill Country vineyards or gripping tight switchbacks on a spirited drive.

The DB9 Volante employs carbon-ceramic matrix (CCM) disc brakes developed in partnership with Brembo, providing exceptional stopping performance and fade resistance—hallmarks of Aston Martin’s flagship grand tourers.

Each rotor is massive and lightweight, measuring approximately 398 mm (15.7 in) up front and 360 mm (14.2 in) in the rear, clamped by six-piston monobloc calipers in the front and four-piston units at the rear. The carbon-ceramic rotors are both ventilated and cross-drilled, maintaining stable braking under repeated high-speed use while reducing unsprung weight by nearly 30 lbs compared to traditional steel rotors.

An ABS system with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD) and Emergency Brake Assist (EBA) ensures balanced braking under all conditions, while the Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) integrates seamlessly to preserve composure on spirited drives. Pedal feel is firm and progressive—precise enough for track-level modulation, yet refined enough for grand-touring comfort.

In short: The DB9’s brake system delivers race-derived performance cloaked in refinement—quiet, confident, and consistent whether descending the Hill Country’s Devil’s Backbone or easing to a stop at Becker Vineyards.

Power from the DB9’s 5.9-liter V12 is delivered through Aston Martin’s six-speed Touchtronic II automatic transmission, developed in partnership with ZF and mounted as part of a rear transaxle layout to achieve near-perfect 50/50 weight distribution.

This electronically controlled, hydraulically actuated gearbox blends refinement and responsiveness. In Drive, it shifts with imperceptible smoothness befitting a luxury grand tourer; yet with a flick of the magnesium alloy paddles behind the steering wheel, it transforms into a true manual-style experience, holding gears to redline and responding instantly to driver inputs.

The Touchtronic II unit is paired with a limited-slip differential and Adaptive Damping System (ADS), ensuring seamless power delivery and superb traction in both touring and sport modes. The rear-mounted configuration also minimizes drivetrain inertia and enhances handling balance, giving the DB9 its signature fluid, composed feel through sweeping Hill Country roads.

Aston Martin engineers tuned the shift logic for progressive engagement and engine-braking precision, allowing effortless cruising at low speeds and crisp downshifts accompanied by the V12’s unmistakable blip of rev-matched sound.

In essence: the Touchtronic II transmission perfectly bridges analog and modern — elegant in traffic, visceral on demand, and engineered to complement the DB9’s grand-touring ethos.