Aston Martin is preparing a replacement for the DB9, but it hasn’t decided what to call this new car.
It will definitely have “DB” in its name, in deference to company savior David Brown, whose initials have appeared on Aston Martin cars since the 1950 DB2.
As for the numeral that follows, Aston has given itself plenty to choose from.
Autocar reports that the British carmaker has trademarks for DB10 through DB14. There’s no indication which name the company will pick, and some officials reportedly want to keep the name DB9.
Aston has historically given its new models names with ascending numerals, which means the new car should be the DB10.
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However, it skipped a number when the DB7 was replaced by the current DB9 because the new car represented a major leap forward. There’s a possibility Aston will do that again, which means its next model could be the DB11.
The new model certainly appears to be a paradigm shift on the level of the original DB9. It will feature a new aluminum-intensive platform to replace the current VH architecture, which dates back to the 2001 Vanquish.
In addition to a V12 like the one offered in the current DB9, the new model may also get the 4.0-liter, twin-turbocharged V8 from the Mercedes-Benz AMG GT.
The launch of the DB-something and its new platform will mark the beginning of a total revamp of Aston’s lineup. Compared to that, the number behind David Brown’s initials may not be that important.
