Aston Martin DBS

What‘s it? Aston’s replacement to the Vanquish. It’s billed like a stand-alone model, however it doesn’t have a trained eye to spot the DB9 that lurks underneath. List price is £160k, nearly £50k more when compared to a DB9 Sportpack. A lot of the panels happen to be reshaped, a few of them in carbonfibre. Ceramic brakes are standard, as is really a 510bhp version from the DB9’s V12 motor. What’s it like? Not what you may expect. Disregard all talk in an Aston supercar : this is definitely an honest old-school GT that’s at its happiest covering long distances. The DBS uses electronic two-stage Bilstein dampers (sport and comfort ) and also a bespoke Pirelli tyre to supply the foremost comfortable and capable chassis we’ve experienced from Aston. Weight is taken coming from the steering (a very good thing ), the limited-slip diff is really a bit tighter upon the over-run and, at 1695kg, the car is about 100kg lighter compared to the Vanquish. It’s not really a car that likes to become hustled : under duress the steering column moves slightly and there’s a slackness towards the chassis, even using the dampers in sport mode, that dissuades you against such antics. In isolation, that’s no bad thing, but inside the context of everything carbon and people splittery diffuser things, it’s simply not what you anticipate. It’s also a confusing package since the car’s exterior styling is so aggressive. As ever, looks really certainly can be a subjective issue, but no-one can deny that the ) it‘s as a DB9 with a couple of body modifications and b ) it’s a fussier shape than any one of another new-age Astons. Neither facet squares well with the value tag. Still, we like the undeniable fact that Aston has developed this car to become at its best where the majority of folks will apply it : on an open road. So exactly what if this isn’t the road-scalpel we’d been expecting? It’s much more comfortable when compared to a Ferrari 599 GTB : road, tyre and suspension noise are very well isolated coming from the cabin and also the drivetrain may do without some snazzy semi-automatic gearbox, however it shows that the good stick-shift stirring a lazy V12 will continually be something to savour. Claimed performance is 0-62mph in 4. 3sec and 192mph all done. On price and poke, there isn‘t any comparison to become made between this car and also the 599. The levels to which Aston clearly felt it had to differentiate this car coming from the DB9 have made the interior’s life perhaps even more complicated compared to the exterior. There’s such a lot gimmickry, numerous tiny buttons and different textures and surfaces the effect is overwhelming. And also the new key product is idiotic : Aston calls it an ECU (that’s Emotional Control Unit, groan ) and it also requires the driver to push a key into your socket and hold it there for a few seconds. It just reminds you the way good an effective key is. Both standard and optional bucket seats are superb, the hi-fi is yet another excellent effort from Aston and also the gearknob appear to happen to be borrowed from your Astra VXR. Oh dear. I’m being harsh, because I’m sitting here wondering what this car ought to be, or rather what Aston wanted it to become. The carbon front splitter and rear diffuser appear to state uncompromised performance, and also the vast 398mm ceramic brakes (that have the very best pedal feel of any such items ) would support such claims. But what Aston Martin has given us is really a faster DB9, with some questionable body modifications and also a drivetrain / chassis combination that is ideal for the weekend London to Nice dash. The DBS is really a car whose abilities and image are disconnected, and in being the only real Aston without stand-alone styling, it doesn’t quite fit with the remainder of the range. Should I buy one? Sounds like you most likely have, if Aston’s claims of the two-year wait inside the UK are correct. It’s a lovely old-school GT, though it‘s not the super-Aston its bodywork would have us believe. That dichotomy will widen further when a car box follows in 2008. Chris Harris Aston Martin DBS