Aston Martin DB9 coupe (2004-2012)

The Aston Martin DB9 coupe is one of the best luxury sports cars available. It's hand-built at Aston Martin's factory in Gaydon, Warwickshire, and buyers can tailor their cars as they see fit. Power comes from a big 6.0-litre V12 that is also hand-built, and delivers huge performance. The DB9 has been updated with adaptive dampers that constantly adjust to absorb the worst lumps and bumps in the road, so occupants will arrive at their destination relaxed. As you would expect from a car costing in excess of £100,000, running costs will be steep, and you will be lucky to see fuel consumption much beyond 15mpg.

This version of the DB9 Coupe has been replaced by a new model. Please read our reviewhere.

Unsurprisingly, the DB9 is costly to run. Official economy is 17.2mpg, although if you choose the Touchtronic automatic gearbox, that rises to 18.2 mpg. Either way, you'll be doing well to break the 15mpg barrier in regular driving. Service intervals are every 12 months or 10,000 miles.

The Aston Martin DB9 is a typical luxury sports car. It can cruise at speed in absolute comfort, but is hugely entertaining on twisty roads. The addition of adaptive dampers have improved the DB9's handling even further, while the optional Touchtronic gearbox is another star performer. It offers slick shifts in full automatic mode and snappy changes when you use the wheel-mounted paddles to change gear.

With a hand-built cabin surrounding you, the DB9 is one of the most luxurious cars around. Soft leather, wood veneers and high-quality metal switchgear give the car a real sense of occasion. New adaptive dampers constantly adjust to provide the best balance between comfort and body control. This creates a compliant ride that allows the car to float over bumps.

Space in the back of the Aston Martin DB9 is limited, with not much legroom and the steep sloping roof cutting into head space. It's a similar story with the boot, which doesn't have space for much more than a few bags of shopping.

Since it was first launched in 2003, Aston Martin has constantly developed the DB9, so most teething troubles should have been ironed out by now. The firm has also concentrated on improving the build quality of its cars as well.

The Aston Martin DB9 isn't cheap, but you get a hand-built car that's virtually tailor-made to your own specification. Prospective buyers can even visit Aston Martin's factory in Gaydon to put together an order for their own car.