Aston Martin DBS coupe (2008-) first UK drive

Nov. 9, 2010 - PRLog -- But the DBS is far more than a DB9 in a sharp new suit. We took to Bedfordshire’s Millbrook test track to put it to the test.

The Aston Martin DBS shares its basic architecture with the much cheaper DB9, but the way both cars feel from the driver’s seat couldn’t be more different.

While the DB9 is a sumptuous, albeit viciously fast, grand tourer, the DBS is more visceral: gut-wrenchingly fast with glorious handling. It’s every inch the Ferrari or Lamborghini rival.

At the heart of the DBS sits a 6-litre V12 engine; a motor also found in the DB9 and DBRS9 race cars, which is tuned to deliver a colossal 510bhp with 420lb/ft of pulling power.

That adds up to a 4.3 second 0-62mph time and a top speed of 191mph.

Unsurprisingly, the DBS is capable of eating up straights at an other-worldly pace, but it’s in the bends when the car really comes into its own.

Super-stiff chassis

It has an exceptionally strong chassis, which is shared with the road-going DB9 and its race car derivatives, so chassis flex is minimal. This means softer suspension can be fitted, so while handling is first rate, so is the ride comfort.

Naturally the DBS features an adaptive damping system, which allows the driver to firm the suspension at the touch of a button. However on our short test drive, we found the softer of its settings was a perfect compromise between ride comfort and handling.

The steering is racecar direct, allowing the most hamfisted of drivers to make the most Aston’s ability to build a car with perfect balance.

The DBS is offered with a six-speed manual gearbox as standard, although our test car was fitted with the optional Touchtronic 2 automatic gearbox. A series of buttons replace a conventional gearstick, and the car can be driven in a fully-automatic mode.

Paddles behind the steering wheel allow the driver to manually select gears, and a Sport mode offers some of the most aggressive automatic shifts of any car. In its normal setting, shifts are smooth.

The Aston Martin DBS(http://www.autotrader.co.uk/carmakes/aston-martin) can deliver incredible performance, but many will buy this car purely for the way it makes its driver feel, even at low speeds.

Swan-wing doors

Open the ‘swan-wing’ doors and they rise slightly to avoid expensive kerb damage. Drop into the supportive driver’s seat and insert the polished glass and steel ‘Emotion Control Unit’ key into the slot in the centre of the dash and the engine howls into life. Starting a DBS discreetly is virtually impossible as an automatic burst throttle announces it is about to move.

The cabin is snug but beautifully assembled and offers possibly the most elegant instrumentation in any car. Only the graphically-poor Volvo-derived sat-nav is a letdown.

There are no such quibbles about the exterior though. Extensive use of carbon fibre for the boot lid, wings and bonnet save around 30kgs and the bodywork has been styled for direct air around the car to aid engine and brake cooling.

The fact it looks sensational is a bonus.

As you’d expect, the DBS comes with a wide range of standard equipment, including a Bang & Olufsen 1,000-watt audio system, with speakers that dramatically rise out of the dashboard, developed specifically for the DBS.

Bang & Olufsen as standard

Other standard kit includes leather and alcantara upholstery, electric seats with memory function, climate control, cruise control, sat-nav, Bluetooth, USB and iPod connectivity; folding door mirrors and a conditioner to keep the battery healthy if the car is stored for long periods.

Of course, none of this comes cheap. The DBS is £170,000 – more than £50,000 more than a DB9, and there are plenty of costly options to choose from too. Insurance, road tax – it emits 388g/km of CO2 – and an average of 16.4mpg add to the expense.

But this doesn’t matter for those sufficiently well-heeled to park this Aston on their driveway.

The DBS is a worthy model to crown Aston Martin’s incredible range of sports and supercars. It’s an elegant, bona fide supercar and so much more than a flash DB9.

Key facts:

Model tested: Aston Martin DBS Touchtronic
On the road price: £170,500
Price range: £170,500
Date tested: September 2010
Road tester: Stuart Milne

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