The very best way to identify this rare variant is the shape of the vents either side of the air dam turn downwards instead of upwards on the earlier models.

The Adaptive Damping System, as first used on the DBS became available as standard equipment and thus the Premium Sports Pack was no longer offered as an option.

By the time the 2012MY DB9 entered production (from mid 2011), manual transmission was no longer available of the car even as an cost option. Also, in line with the new Virage, the car adopted the Garmin sat-nav and ‘beam blade’ wiper design, incorporating Bosch Aerotwin wiper blades.

The 2011/2012 MY cars are considered and are the rarest of the DB9’s built in relatively small numbers. Buyers of the period bought either the new DBS, Rapide or the latest Virage models instead. Manual transmission 2011MY DB9’s are extremely scarce indeed.

The car was announced in November 2018 with the intention that all cars would be completed and sold before the following June. The dramatic handover ceremony on the start line of the Le Mans circuit before the 2019 running of the classic endurance race was an outstanding success.

If I’ve done my maths right, there have been three previous Le Mans models from Aston Martin. The 1932 1.5 litre Le Mans, the 1999 V8 V8 Vantage Le Mans and the 2008 DB9 LM.

DB11 Experimental Prototype X1

This may look like a tatty DB9 but look more closely and it’s possible to see a significant 60mm gap in the bodywork between the front wings and the leading edge of the doors. Perhaps hard to believe but this is actually the very first iteration of the DB11, built in the prototype workshop. It was photographed at AM Gaydon in 2017 during a rare public event. Under the bonnet is an early version of the 5.2 litre twin-turbo V12. In 2019, this car became part of the AMHT Collection

DB11 Mechanical Prototype M1

Under the heavily camouflaged body is something very close to a finished DB11. Also built in the prototype workshop, the body-in-white structure, subframes, suspension, engine and gearbox are as production spec. The body panels and interior trim however are rather lashed together and all the feature lines masked and wrapped in black vinyl. In 2019, this car became part of the AMHT Collection

DB11 Verification Prototype VP for Crash Testing

More or less, this is a finished DB11 built especially to be tested to destruction. It took 60 full vehicle crash tests to make the DB11 compliant across global markets and the safest Aston Martin to date. The DB11 features a high strength body structure with improved space for occupants, new crash energy absorbing structures, new advances seatbelts, knee airbags, adaptive frontal airbags, seats with isofix child seat anchorage points and fully compliant with the latest pedestrian impact requirements.

DB11 Verification Prototype VP, road car

This is a VP car – one of the first visually production representative vehicles, built on a the new, shielded, DB11 line but usually heavily camouflaged with a swirl vinyl wrap. It is then subjected to tens of thousands of miles of real road testing all over the world and in all climates.

DB11 Interior Styling Model

This full sized model is of a DB11 dashboard and cabin was spotted during a special visit to Gaydon in 2017.

The specific features of the DB9 Sports are below

• Touchtronic 2 gearbox as standard, no manual option
• Sports exhaust with revised flap valve map
• 19 inch 10 spoke forged gloss black diamond turned wheels
• Black brake callipers
• Clear tail lamps
• Black mesh bonnet and side strake grilles, black lower front and rear grilles
• Graphitic tail pipes
• Semi-aniline black leather interior with course silver stitch and perforated seat inners (coupe)
• Obsidian Black leather interior with course silver stitch and perforated seat inners (Volante)
• Full width Piano Black facia, door handles and door cappings
• Black semi-aniline leather headlining with silver stitch (coupe)
• Black hood with Tailors Grey headlining (Volante)
• DBS Instrument surround and graphics
• DBS Leather steering wheel with black airbag ring, green wings badge with silver stitch
• Black tread plates with ‘Carbon Black’ or ‘Quantum Silver’ model name inserts

It would appear that a majority of the Special Edition Sports models were sold in the UK.

The Aston Martin DBS Superleggera TAG Heuer Edition has coachwork in Monaco Black paint with a satin black tinted carbon fibre roof, mirrors, vents, louvres, splitter and spoiler. The bespoke specification includes satin black 21” twin spoke wheels fitted with Pirelli P Zero Colour Edition tyres with a red accent to complement the red brake calipers. If the unique livery with red highlighting doesn’t give away the model type, the wing badge with TAG Heuer logo will do so.
 
Inside, the DBS boasts pure black leather and alcantra seats with red stitching and bespoke TAG Heuer quilting, each displaying the TAG Heuer logo, and carbon fibre and dark chrome has been used throughout to accentuate the clean lines of the cockpit.

Each of the 50 cars was inspected personally by Aston Martin Lagonda President and Group CEO, Andy Palmer, before leaving the factory.

Specification of the DB9 Sport edition is as follows:

• Available with both coupe or Volante coachwork
• Touchtronic 2 automatic transmission only
• Choice of exterior colours from the ‘Fast Track’, ‘Contemporary’ and ‘DBS Special’ ranges
• 10-spoke forged wheel with a gloss black and diamond turned finish. This is then individually machined on a 5-axis milling machine to produce a ‘pin-stripe’ along each spoke which is then painted gloss black
• Black brake calipers with other colours available as an option
• Black finish on the bonnet, side strakes, lower front and rear mesh grilles (optional magnum silver)
• Graphitic tailpipe finish and sports exhaust
• Interior available with all colours from the Fast Track and Contemporary range
• Seat centres, door inserts and instrument binnacle in perforated leather with a contrast stitch
• Quilted leather headlining and co-ordination Alcantara cant rails on the coupe
• Black hood on the Volante with Black, Tailors Grey or Ivory headlining
• ‘DB9’ headrest embroidery
• Piano Black facia
• Glass switches
• Unique sill plaques, numbered 1 to 60

The DB9 Sport Edition was never publicly marketed, only directly and personally to existing customers of North American, Australian and New Zealand dealerships.

The Vanquish Zagato Concept was designed in close collaboration between the Aston Martin Design team led by Marek Reichman and Andrea Zagato and his dedicated design team in Milan. Developed and engineered at Aston Martin’s headquarters at Gaydon, the concept features proportions that remain quintessentially Aston Martin and emphasises a dynamic, forward-looking stance. The new bodywork is entirely shaped from carbon fibre, with the split lines on the body reduced by the use of large one-piece panels. New lights include round tail light reflectors that evoke the classic rear view of a Zagato design, incorporating the same ‘bladed’ LED technology as first seen on the the Aston Martin Vulcan track-only supercar.

Referencing elements of the brand’s contemporary design language, Vanquish Zagato Concept features One-77 inspired wing mirrors and a sculptural rear end similar to DB11‘s aerodynamic profile, complete with retractable spoiler and rear hatch for access to the luggage compartment.  A quad-exhaust nestles in the rippling carbon fibre sills that run around the lower body, creating a pronounced line from front to rear.

The Vanquish Zagato Concept’s glasshouse wraps around the bodywork like a visor, enhancing its aggressive stance. A new evolution of the classic side strake runs from wheel arch to door just like the new DB11 and a detail originally showcased on the celebratory CC-100. A sharp crease on the rear wheel arch transforms into the rear flanks, where it meets the cascading roofline. 

The roof features the iconic ‘double-bubble’, its shallow radius dipping into the rear window glass to give the car an unmistakeable rear silhouette. A Zagato trademark since the early 1950s, originally arose from the need to accommodate racing helmets with a minimum impact on the aerodynamic profile. To match the bold new exterior, the concepts normally aspirated V12 engine has been uprated to 592 bhp along with enhanced driving dynamics.

A month following the Villa d’Este concours, AML announced that the Zagato Vanquish will go into limited production with a run of 99 cars. Production started in Autumn of 2016 and continued until the Summer of 2017. No official announcement on pricing but it is estimated the car could be around a half a million pounds. An interesting fact that AML have not made anything of, is that the Vanquish Zagato is the first Aston Martin Zagato with rear seats with the exception of the one off Centenary cars of 2013.

Many of the photos below were taken at the 2016 AMOC Autumn Concours where the concept was parked next to the unique V12 Vanquish Zagato.