Sport Auto Supertest: AM DB9

[st-anger]

http://img211.exs.cx/img211/263/file06367wd.th.jpg (http://img211.exs.cx/my.php?loc=img211&image=file06367wd.jpg)http://img211.exs.cx/img211/2607/file06371nv.th.jpg (http://img211.exs.cx/my.php?loc=img211&image=file06371nv.jpg)http://img211.exs.cx/img211/4011/file06385oy.th.jpg (http://img211.exs.cx/my.php?loc=img211&image=file06385oy.jpg)http://img211.exs.cx/img211/1695/file06399gx.th.jpg (http://img211.exs.cx/my.php?loc=img211&image=file06399gx.jpg)
http://img211.exs.cx/img211/7509/file06401mp.th.jpg (http://img211.exs.cx/my.php?loc=img211&image=file06401mp.jpg)http://img211.exs.cx/img211/4460/file06413ks.th.jpg (http://img211.exs.cx/my.php?loc=img211&image=file06413ks.jpg)http://img204.exs.cx/img204/3199/file06427qt.th.jpg (http://img204.exs.cx/my.php?loc=img204&image=file06427qt.jpg)http://img211.exs.cx/img211/9329/file06432mt.th.jpg (http://img211.exs.cx/my.php?loc=img211&image=file06432mt.jpg)

NS:

...seems like Ulrich Bez, former chief technician at Porsche, took some of his (outstanding) knowledge and put it into good use at his new company Aston Martin :wink:
the lap time at NS is definitely a very good one for a nearly 1.9 ton car...
very neutral handling with no surprises, no demanding load cycle changes at the limit - but on the other hand very comfortable suspension and therefore too much chassis roll for a super car like lap time...

HHR:

kinda stiff but also very comfortable suspension isn´t the very best solution for a good lap time at HHR, due to the weight the tyres are operating at their limit quite early...
the fact that the fastest lap time has been driven at the first lap is a good sign for it´s very good manners and handling behaviour...

acceleration/braking:

very very good traction and smooth power transfer resulting in a good time from 0-200kmh: 16,5 sec.
brakinging performance is quite equally under cold and warm conditions, brake pedal forces are increasing quite a bit when the brakes are getting hotter...
ABS is working very good, even at the track, brake pedal feeling needs a bit getting used to...

aerodynamics:

...average cw-value with 0.327 - nevertheless the Aston can easily reach 300kmh, ascending forces at the rear are fractional, at the front it´s quite much with 414N but nothing to worry about though...

max. lateral acceleration:

Bridgestone Potenza RE 050 tyres are doing a good job - in combination with the ideal 50:50 weight distribution the AM is good for Porsche 996 and F575M level...

36m slalom and 110m evasion test:

after a few pylons the car shows a minor tendency for load cycle changes - nevertheless everthing is very controlable and nothing is unexpected...
same at the evasion test, the car has a slight oversteering tendency but with a kinda skilled driver nothing to worry – again the time is top – only 1kmh slower than a Porsche 996TT (of course this one has been equipped with older tyres :wink: )

[noosee]

NIce car, but why HHR time is slower than RS6 :?

[Just_me]

...seems like Ulrich Bez, former chief technician at Porsche, took some of his (outstanding) knowledge and put it into good use at his new company Aston Martin :wink:
the lap time at NS is definitely a very good one for a nearly 1.9 ton car...
very neutral handling with no surprises, no demanding load cycle changes at the limit - but on the other hand very comfortable suspension and therefore too much chassis roll for a super car like lap time...

HHR:

kinda stiff but also very comfortable suspension isn´t the very best solution for a good lap time at HHR, due to the weight the tyres are operating at their limit quite early...
the fact that the fastest lap time has been driven at the first lap is a good sign for it´s very good manners and handling behaviour...

acceleration/braking:

very very good traction and smooth power transfer resulting in a good time from 0-200kmh: 16,5 sec.
brakinging performance is quite equally under cold and warm conditions, brake pedal forces are increasing quite a bit when the brakes are getting hotter...
ABS is working very good, even at the track, brake pedal feeling needs a bit getting used to...

aerodynamics:

...average cw-value with 0.327 - nevertheless the Aston can easily reach 300kmh, ascending forces at the rear are fractional, at the front it´s quite much with 414N but nothing to worry about though...

max. lateral acceleration:

Bridgestone Potenza RE 050 tyres are doing a good job - in combination with the ideal 50:50 weight distribution the AM is good for Porsche 996 and F575M level...

36m slalom and 110m evasion test:

after a few pylons the car shows a minor tendency for load cycle changes - nevertheless everthing is very controlable and nothing is unexpected...
same at the evasion test, the car has a slight oversteering tendency but with a kinda skilled driver nothing to worry – again the time is top – only 1kmh slower than a Porsche 996TT (of course this one has been equipped with older tyres :wink: )

Thanks St-anger.
Just so you know, Im saving all your notes on my computer and use it when I discuss the cars with others.
Thanks mate :D

If you have time someday I would like to see the same details about BMW M5. I dont expect scans from it but notes like you did with SL65 and DB9 would be nice. :P

[st-anger]

^^^ haven´t i posted it with this sheme???

...to be honest i don´t know, but should be no problem to do it some time this weekend, no problem... :P

[st-anger]

:arrow: http://www.motorworld.net/forum/showthread.php?p=304197#304197


lol, there´s a nice feature here on JW ---> the "search" feature... :wink: :lol:

again, i just saw that i´d been in a hurry back then so it´s not that good, so when there´s something left u want to know from that test just ask... :)

[Just_me]

:arrow: http://www.motorworld.net/forum/showthread.php?p=304197#304197


lol, there´s a nice feature here on JW ---> the "search" feature... :wink: :lol:

again, i just saw that i´d been in a hurry back then so it´s not that good, so when there´s something left u want to know from that test just ask... :)

Thanks.

I know SA did a change when M5 was tested, a new handlingtrack. Is there anything you can tell me about, what did SA said about it and about M5 of course?

(so far they tested M5 and SL65 on the new track)


I miss info about 36m slalom and 110m evasion test and Acceleration/braking?

[st-anger]

:arrow: http://www.motorworld.net/forum/showthread.php?p=304197#304197


lol, there´s a nice feature here on JW ---> the "search" feature... :wink: :lol:

again, i just saw that i´d been in a hurry back then so it´s not that good, so when there´s something left u want to know from that test just ask... :)

Thanks.

I know SA did a change when M5 was tested, a new handlingtrack. Is there anything you can tell me about, what did SA said about it and about M5 of course?

(so far they tested M5 and SL65 on the new track)


I miss info about 36m slalom and 110m evasion test and Acceleration/braking?

...yep - u´re right and of course HvS posted his comment on this in his monthly write up on page 5, in short this is what he said...

right at the beginning of the "wet" season SA introduces a new feature to the now already world famous (!!!) Supertest, the wet handling test.
the reason for this one is quite simple - every test and mag just concentrates on dry handling and after the M3 CSL came out with it´s semi slicks it´s been dry handling and especially tyres ONLY...
SA recognised that rend and reacted to force ppl AND industry to think e.g. about safety aspects of such developements - the new wet handling part should act as a counterweight to the NS and HHR tests, which are only driven on dry or semi dry conditions, so a car with semi slicks will do extremely well in the dry categories but won´t do that good in the wet category - so manufacturers should think of this when they send a car to the supertest and especially customers should know that, because they just read how good their Pilot Sport Cup tyres perform here and there, aer good for nearly 1.4 g´s and and and ... ever heared of someone speaking about wet handling that can either occur on track but mainly in everyday life...
so HvS pointed out that with all this SA is again acting as a precursor - not only pointing out the tyre issue but as a side effect the category that is getting more and more important these days, electronically driving safety systems...


...another reason why i always used to say that SA is definitely the sports car testing mag... :)

to add the missing parts on the M5 - although the M5 is a RWD 507hp sedan it´s definitely not over-powered in the wet and has a very good wheel balance. the 100% diff lock is definitely helping a lot to smoothen the wet handling, Conti tyres have outstanding wet grip level and shows a slight understeering tendency - on the other hand with DSC on the interventions from the system are a bit too abrupt, nevertheless, ABS is working very sensitive...

36m and 110m evasion:

in Comfort mode the M5 has a very enjoyable, neutral handling behaviour with a slight oversteering tendency, nevertheless there´s a bit more roll than in Sport mode - so subjective the driver is feeling that he´s faster in Sport mode - but he isn´t !!! the car looses grip at the rear faster and the handling is definitely more difficult even for the pros...
the 110m evasion test has also been done with Comfort mode the servotronic steering is working quite good, even when extremely thrown into the corner the M5 remains very stable and controllable...

acceleration/braking:
looking at the power to weight ratio of only 3.6kg/hp it´s already clearly visible that this V10 engine has enormous potential, this is F575M level...
the 100% diff lock is helping a lot to provide enourmous grip even on slippery pavement...
the 7speed SMG tranny is just perfect for the M5 and contributes to the enourmous fascination potential of that car...

[23790554]

very nice translation

[Just_me]

Thank you very much St-anger, I really appreciate it :D

Looking forward to see scans and comments about M6, CLK-DTM and the new 911 Carrera S when SA release them. :drool:

[JoeHahn]

Thanks a heap for the scans. DB9 definately is a stunner when it comes to looks, but barely being able to compete with a 996 let alone a 997 thats dissapointing. Slower 0-100-0 than a DB7 GT and slower than a family wagon around Hockenheim :(. Still, you cant take away from its looks, which it has 8)

[ikon2003]

thanks for the scan. this is another publication i'm not too familiar with, so i'm eager to find out how well the review stacks up to evo and my other favs.

[schnell318]

Wow, thank you very much St-Anger! :D
I´ll get to reading right now :D

[1zippo1]

I'm saving the translating together with the articles!! I understand some German, but enlish requires far less brainactivity :D

Thx for all the effort st-anger & just to say I'm very glad you're better again 8) !!!