The 12-cylinder engine starts up with a rough growl then settles into a low-rev rumble.

DB9 Volante had a 6-speed automatic transmission controlled, not by the usual gear-selection lever, but by push buttons in the dashboard for Park, Reverse, Neutral and Drive.

The point of a V-12 engine isn't just power. At 5.9-liters and a maximum output of 459 horsepower, you can get more power with a V-8 and it costs less.

In the case of the DB9, the car itself performs brilliantly, accelerating smartly from any speed. It feels balanced and assured in turns. But, overall, it can leave you feeling a bit like a cook banished from the kitchen.

The steering offers only polite resistance as you round bend after bend with your right foot down close to the fine carpeting. In the automatic version you can shift gears using leather-trimmed metal paddles at the sides of the steering wheel.

The DB9 does have back seats.They've been cleverly engineered to resist all forms of human occupation.