2009 Aston Martin DBS
There are only a handful of words that can be used to best describe the Aston Martin DBS. Breathtaking, exhilarating, heart pounding, exciting, sexy, fast, speed, elegant, classy, sophisticated, unique, special, unparalleled, luxury, performance and horsepower. Just a few right? How about just perfect!
So, I guess, there are more than a few words that describe this supercar, but words can’t really describe the overall experience of driving the DBS. The NADAguides.com team was honored to be behind the wheel piloting such a magnificent piece of machinery and we hope that our review gives the DBS the justice it deserves.
A little history on Aston Martin - The original movie debut of an Aston Martin was made by James Bond in the 1964 flick Goldfinger and called the DB5. Fast forward to the most recent Bond movie, Quantum Solace, where the DBS should have won an award for Best Supporting Actor. A total of seven DBS’ were used for the movie - four of them totaled during filming, one was auctioned off at a charity event, the production company kept one, and Aston Martin retained the last one. As an automotive purist, destroying such a beautiful vehicle is, in my mind, sacrilegious. Anyway, the DBS definitely got my vote!
Before I even got behind the wheel of the DBS, I spent probably 30 minutes looking at the car and watching interested passerby’s stop to take a closer look. I probably fielded 10 different questions in the first 5 minutes. Without a doubt, the exterior of the DBS is stunning and truly defines the modern day Aston Martin. Its sexy lines flow from the front grille to the rear exhaust tips. Big powerful brake calipers are tucked inside of the massive 20-inch wheels. Under the front grille and rear bumper are carbon fiber valences, which give the DBS an even more aggressive look. The carbon fiber valences are not there just for looks; they actually serve a purpose in helping cut down on weight and forcing the airflow down keeping the car firmly planted on the pavement.
Under the Hood!
Raw, brute, massive power. Starting with a 6.0-liter V12, pumping out 510 hp at 6500 rpm’s to the wheels, pavement-grabbing 420 foot pounds of torque at 5750 rpm’s, and 0-60 in about 4.3 seconds. Top speed in the DBS is 191 miles per hour.
Now that you have the vitals, what’s it like to drive the DBS because the horsepower is relative depending on where and when you decide let the afterburners rip. Getting behind the wheel feels more like getting in the cockpit of a fighter jet. I felt like I needed a helmet and flight suit just to sit in the car. The race inspired seats are designed to contour your body keeping you from being jostled around at high speed or during hard cornering. One feature I found surprisingly engaging while sitting behind the wheel was the key fob used to start the DBS. While most luxury and performance cars allow for the driver to keep their key fob in their pocket for simple touch button starting, the DBS requires you to put the starter key in the absolute middle of the dash. When you insert the key, don’t wait, you have to immediately push the key fully in and wait for the engine to engage and start. Aston has done this for the automotive purist as it gives you a sense of motoring empowerment!
The resonating echo out of the exhaust pipes is pronounced with an initial wail of power. No matter where you are parked people stop, pause and look to see where the sound is coming from because this particular sound is associated with only one thing - supercar performance.
Slipping the DBS into gear requires a certain amount of finesse. As a supercar, you need to apply the right amount of gas because you can literally let the clutch all the way out…and then pop, the car will lunge forward and stall. So, you need to apply the right amount of gas with the right amount of clutch release. Up through first gear you are quickly in to second, third, fourth and fifth. Having to test the power band slightly, the car’s balance is quickly tested, as the horsepower will literally spin the wheels in just about any gear. It became quickly obvious to me that if you didn’t show the DBS a certain amount of respect you could easily put yourself in to a precarious situation. Having only a few days to drive the DBS, I started to wonder what it would be like if I had it in my garage, so I hunted down a DBS owner to get his thoughts.
As I spoke with the current DBS owner he literally didn’t have words to describe the experience. He simply said there were few things in life that gave him this much pleasure. But then, and without warning, he came up with a slough of words to describe the experience of the DBS.
“The style, the lines, the fit and finish and the stance of this car blow my mind every single time I look at her. Every detail has been attended to and makes this car very special. When you start her she shouts a tone that grabs attention. Then when you run her through the gears she just keeps pulling and pulling and the tone just gets better and better. The DBS shouts check me out and watch me fly...”
What particularly stood out to me, despite the performance, was the comfort of the ride knowing there is 510 horsepower under the hood. The suspension was perfectly matched to the horsepower and the torsional rigidity of the frame was felt with every blip of the throttle.
The Interior!
Elegant and supple red suede leather seats with reverse stitching are designed to support the driver and passenger. This comfort gives you an instant feeling of control, but the firmness tells you the car is serious. The dash and center console are outfitted with carbon fiber with chrome accents. The steering wheel also takes its cues from F1 with an oblong shaped wheel and little buttons. The dash is also covered in suede giving the DBS its own personality and supple look.
The Bottom Line!
There really is no bottom line for the DBS, it’s simply an unbelievable supercar. It might be just me, but the DBS is the first Aston Martin that really sets the automaker apart and puts the brand in a whole new category for exotics. The Aston Martin brand has always been associated with performance, but Ferrari has always seemed to be in an untouchable category. Not any more!
The Aston Martin DBS starting price is $269,000. It gets 11 mpg in the city and 18 mpg on highways.
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