The legendary Aston Martin DB9 is 13 years old, or in car years, ready for the retirement home. The automaker has already shown off its successor, the DB11 and its full list of impressive features aimed at reestablishing the brand and helping it finally make a profit. As a promise that it will soon commence construction of the new grand tourer, Aston Martin has tweeted a picture of the last nine DB9s to roll off of the factory floor.

Of course the last nine DB9s were given special treatment by Aston Martin's in-house "Q" customs division to ensure that the model goes out with a bang. Attached to the photo was a caption reading, "Farewell to an icon. The last nine Aston Martin DB9s are now ready for final inspection." Before construction of the DB11 begins, the Gaydon, England, factory will require a one-month intermission to retool for the new aluminum-structured grand tourer. While the DB11 looks like a promising encore to the car that arguably kept Aston Martin from collapse, we'll miss the styling of the DB9, which was penned by Henry Fisker, the same man behind the beautiful but fire-prone Fisker Karma.

Luckily, the DB11 retains much of the iconic styling that is present in Aston Martin's lineup. Even better, or worse depending on how you see it, its V12 has been upgraded with two turbochargers in order to keep regulators from being too concerned about what comes out the tailpipe. To put customers at ease about the reliability of the new car and its fresh technology, Aston Martin CEO Andy Palmer has pledged to inspect the first 1,000 DB11s that roll off the line and give the final inspection plaque his literal signature of approval. The replacement for James Bond's favorite car is expected to find its way to the garages of customers a bit before Christmas, giving those lucky first few a holiday season they will surely never forget.