Ever wondered what could possibly lie underneath an Aston Martin DB9's voluptuous bodywork capable of justifying the $186,450 price? Here's a gallery showing you the answer to your burning question.

[via NotCot]

This DB9 was cut in half and displayed outside a recent NYC event launching the Aston Martin DBS Volante.

Well, not quite in half, looks like they erred enough to the right to preserve the Aston badge.

That's quite a crumple zone. Combined with a super-strong aluminum box frame, excellent handling and strong brakes, supercars like this are among the safest passenger cars around.

Like a beautiful woman, the Aston looks better with its clothes off.

Unlike the Jaguar XJS-based DB7, the DB9 uses an all-new bespoke platform. Aston skipped using the DB8 designation because they wanted to emphasize the dramatic change rather than indicate a gradual evolution.

Look at this attention to detail, even on an engineering cutaway. No raw edges here, they even painted the cuts and smoothed the glass.

The hand-built 5.9-liter V12 makes 450 HP, 420 Lb-Ft of torque and sits way back in the chassis for perfect 50:50 weight distribution.

Note the added lightness.

Carbon fiber drive shaft reduces rotational mass.

If you have to ask, you can't afford one. The shaft sits in a rigid torque tube that boosts chassis stiffness.

The drastically sloped frame enables the DB9's low hood line.

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