2008 Aston Martin DBS - Driving Impression

[sakuraguy]

http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/4286/51033591fr9.jpg

Aston Martin gave the world a sneak peek at its range-topping DBS with a cameo role in last year's James Bond thriller, Casino Royale. Now it's our turn behind the wheel. The DBS, a spiritual successor to the Vanquish, uses a pumped-up version of the Aston Martin DB9's 450-bhp 6.0-liter V-12 rated at 510 bhp and 420 lb.-ft. of torque.

That engine is mated to a 6-speed manual. The drivetrain has a wide powerband that allows rapid acceleration in all gears, while blasting out a powerful exhaust note above 4,000 rpm.

http://img510.imageshack.us/img510/4840/28223991zg9.jpg

Weighing just 3735 lb., Aston says the DBS is capable of 0–100km/h (0–62 mph) acceleration of 4.3 seconds and that the car has a top speed of 191 mph. Priced at $265,000, the DBS is a true exotic and its interior matches those expectations, with stitched leather everywhere, high-quality metal accents and jewel-like instrumentation. Even the key, which Aston Martin calls the "emotion control unit," is made of crystal.

It's inserted into a slot and held in to ignite the engine. The DBS is quite tractable at low speeds, but really comes into its own on sweeping two-lane roads where the engine's flexibility is given a chance to shine. The DBS is simply a stunner, from design language to driving experience.

Source: http://www.roadandtrack.com

 

[crazykatak]

a true gentlemen car..love it..but 450bhp from 6L v12 is..

 

[jiunn]

wonder how much will it cost if it is otr in malaysia road??

 

[doppelganger]

..but 450bhp from 6L v12 is..

I think that's why they upgraded it to 510bhp..

 

[junbecks]

a true gentlemen car..love it..but 450bhp from 6L v12 is..

450-510 bhp is not a lot for a 6.0 coupe these days. but heck, if you're gonna feel like 007, who cares right? i still think its awesome how AM still make the cars front engine.

 

[si|verfish]

Around 500bhp out of 6 litres is actually quite ok. People nowadays get carried away by bhp per litre figures, which is quite frankly not very important at all. What is more important is the efficiency of the engine and its weight.

Sure, if you're like some people (like BMW) you'd insist on the perfect displacement per cylinder being 500cc and all that, but really, technology is such that you can take different approaches to building a high performance engine. As the saying goes, there is more than one way to skin a cat.