They say “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” but “they” don’t work in the automotive industry.
The Aston Martin DB9 is a superb car, but it’s also long in the tooth. There’s nothing specifically wrong with it, but the DB9 has been on sale for a long time, which is a problem in its own right when it comes to cars.
Aston is working on a new platform to replace the current car’s VH architecture, and a new engine from Mercedes-Benz AMG is one the way. It may be the 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 from the upcoming AMG GT.
However, there’s one thing Aston Martin hasn’t figured out: What to call the new car.
It would logically be the DB10, but Autocar reports that Aston isn’t wedded to any specific numeral.
The car will definitely have “DB” in its name, a reference to British entrepreneur David Brown, who resuscitated the company after World War II and whose initials have graced Aston Martins since the 1950 DB2.
RELATED: 2015 Aston Martin V12 Vantage S first drive review
Other than that, there’s just as good a chance the next Aston will be the DB11, not the DB10.
The company skipped a number when transitioning from the DB7 to the current DB9 because the new car was such a great leap forward, and officials feel the same way about what’s cooking now.
“As the next one all be at least as big a step forward, there’s no reason why we couldn’t do so again,” Aston designer director Marek Reichman told Autocar.
Whatever it’s called, the DB9 replacement will be a significant car for Aston.
The DB9 is the current backbone of the lineup, sitting right between the more muscular Vanquish and smaller Vantage, and serving as the basis for the Rapide four-door. The new model will probably play a similar role.