Let’s say that you have US$200,000 to spend on a car and, for some reason, you don’t want to buy a Ferrari or a Porsche but something more practical to drive every day. Fret not because there are other options out there and they’re not bad at all.

The Aston Martin DB9 is the oldest model in the British company’s line-up, having been around since 2004. For the 2013MY it received a substantial revamp, though, with the 5.9-liter V12 being pumped up to 510HP and the chassis and suspension receiving parts from the new Vanquish and the (now defunct) DBS and Virage.

Though it has an eye-watering price tag, the DB9 is actually nearly 30 grand cheaper than the Mercedes-Benz coupe Motor Trend’s Johny Lieberman has brought along to compare it.

The three-pointed star may not boast the exclusivity of Aston Martin’s “wings” but it’s not your average Merc either; it’s the CL 65 AMG, a 621HP brute with an astounding 738 lb-ft (999.5 Nm) of torque, so despite weighing half a ton (1,000 pounds) more than the Aston, it’s quicker than the Brit.

You can watch the two coupes being subjected to the standard MT test and driven on mountain roads in the video that follows the break.

By Andrew Tsaousis

VIDEO