Spy shots: Aston Martin DB9 replacement spotted

Fresh from the Autoweek in-box, we bring you these new spy photos of Aston Martin's DB9 successor, lightly camouflaged and frolicking in the snow.

To paraphrase digital editor Andy Stoy, the bad news is it that looks like every other Aston. But the good news is that it looks like every other Aston. In other words, the new car isn't much of a departure from the established Aston Martin design ethos, but no one is recommending such a departure.

Here's how spy photographer Brenda Priddy's e-mail lays it out:

“Aston Martin will reportedly launch six new models over the coming six years, with most being evolutionary successors to existing models in the Aston lineup. Some, though, are all-new, and the most important of these new models, the successor to the current DB9, will reportedly arrive in 2013.

“As our exclusive spy pictures show, styling will be traditional Aston, with elements of the Rapide to appear also--the new headlights and the bumper-mounted number plate, for example.

“All else about the DB9 replacement is unknown. It is believed to be in development under the code name Project VH500, but it remains to be seen whether it will continue with the DB9 name or jump up to DB10 or DB11.”

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By Rory Carroll