Developed under the direction of Ulrich Bez, who joined Aston Martin in 2000, the DB9 replaced the DB7. Compared to the DB7, the DB9 had advanced chassis and construction characteristics; the performance of the V12 engine had improved, reaching 450 horsepower, against the 420 of the DB7 and the 435 of the DB7 GT. The DB9 truly ushered in a new era in Aston Martin. The car evolved in 2004 to continue its career until 2016.