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Introduced as an all-new model for the 2008 model year, Aston Martin's flagship DBS shares its main components with the company's four-seat DB9 and comes powered by an upgraded 6.0-liter 12-cylinder engine producing 510 hp. For 2009, the DBS ($269,000) is available with rear seats and a Bang & Olufsen BeoSound audio system that was specifically developed for the DBS. Also new for 2009 is a six-speed automatic transmission, which can be specified instead of the standard six-speed manual.
Exterior
Sharing its main components with the four-seat DB9, the Aston Martin DBS shares the donor car's elegant lines, but due to a more aggressive exterior styling exudes a more sporting demeanor.
The DBS is manufactured using the finest materials, with a combination of hand-finishing and pioneering high-technology processes. From the exceptional quality of the design and finish to the advanced production techniques employed to save weight and create strength, the DBS is both a technological masterpiece and a powerful visual and tactile experience, inside and out.
The Aston Martin DBS is the culmination of the DB bloodline, a synthesis of race-bred technology and road-going practicality that can be traced back to the iconic DB2, DB3S, and DB4 GT, and is continued today with the DBR9 and DBRS9 race cars. The DBS’s powerful, flowing form fuses the visual language of the DBR9 GT1 race car with the innate elegance of the DB9. Lower and tauter than other Aston Martin production models, the DBS has subtly flared wheel arches accommodating standard 20-in. diameter wheels and tires. These provide excellent stability and grip, while giving the car a muscular and athletic stance.
The external detailing reflects the power and dynamic abilities of the DBS, with revised inlets and enlarged grilles that deliver more air into the engine and increase its cooling capacity. Subtle design details include a new five-bar design for the polished alloy main grille, as well as two additional vents in the enlarged power bulge on the carbonfiber bonnet. These vents are entirely functional, improving engine performance and efficiency, yet also communicating the increased power output of the uprated V12 engine. A carbonfiber splitter and a new front bumper design help channel airflow around the car’s wider bodywork.
The widened front and rear track improve handling and give the car a more muscular character. The lowered ride height is accentuated by the enhanced side sills, carefully profiled to improve aerodynamic performance and reduce drag along the flanks. The iconic Aston Martin side strake, a design feature of every DB car since the DB4, has been redesigned for the DBS, incorporating a side repeater formed by a bank of LEDs.
Improved aerodynamics shape the rear of the DBS, where the more prominent boot spoiler is carefully incorporated into the carbonfiber boot lid. A horizontal chrome finisher is set into the lid to accentuate the wide track of the new car. The car's flat undertray helps to improve the aerodynamics of the underbody surface and culminates in a new carbonfiber rear diffuser, another feature carried over from the race cars. This device creates an area of low pressure beneath the rear of the car, reducing lift and improving high-speed stability without the need for large, unsightly external spoilers. The new one-piece diffuser also incorporates the DBS’s large and distinctive twin exhaust tailpipes.
Interior
The interior uses lightweight materials throughout to save weight; door pulls are made from carbonfiber and the carpet has been woven with lighter fibres to save valuable kilograms. Special semi-aniline leather is used throughout the cabin, saving weight as well as giving a soft feel and distinctive aroma.
The DBS features unique primary controls, including a new steering-wheel profile with a twin-stitched detail marker that indicates the ‘on-centre’ position. The gear knob is fashioned from polished alloy to echo the metallic finishes on the new centre console. The instrument cluster is designed with white numerals on a dark graphite background for excellent legibility. The twin-stitch pattern runs through the interior as a signature device; the alignment of both stitch lines is testament to Aston Martin’s ongoing tradition of exceptional craftsmanship.
The driver and passenger are seated in eight-way adjustable sports seats with lumbar support covered in Alcantara. In standard guise, the DBS is a pure two seat coupe, but for 2009 rear seats are available as an option.
To operate the car, the sapphire ECU (Emotion Control Unit) is inserted into a special docking station in Aston Martin’s signature dashboard-mounted sapphire starter button, and glows red to indicate when the car is ready to start. The engine is fired by pressing the ECU flush with the surface of the starter button. After pressing to stop the engine, the ECU automatically motors out of the dashboard for removal.
The start sequence of the DBS is augmented by an all-new centre console design with a cast metal surround, crisp typography and new graphics. The new console has a traditional dial-face clock at the centre, flanked by two rotary controls for the heating and air-conditioning system, fashioned from solid, turned aluminium.
These controls are also used to navigate the audio system, Bluetooth telephone preparation and satellite navigation functions.
For 2009, the Aston Martin DBS receives a new Bang & Olufsen BeoSound system as standard equipment. The BeoSound system was developed specifically for the DBS and produces a total power output of 1000 watts, delivering the sound image through a total of 13 channels across 10 speaker locations. The system comes with a six-disc CD-changer located at the top of the console, while within the centre armrest cubby box there is inbuilt connectivity for MP3 players. Bluetooth telephone preparation is standard on the DBS, enabling you to synchronise your mobile telephone directory through the car’s display screens. It can also display the last 10 calls received, made and missed.
Powertrain & Technology
At the heart of the DBS is a 6.0-litre V12 engine, the basics of which are shared with the DB9 and its race-versions, the DBR9 and DBRS9. In the latter two, derivatives of this engine produced in excess of 600 hp. As with all current Aston Martins, the engine is hand-assembled at Aston Martin’s dedicated engine facility in Cologne, Germany. The classic 6.0-litre V12 features a number of power-increasing enhancements. These include a ‘by-pass’ engine air intake port that opens above 5,500 rpm to allow more air into the engine, and re-profiled air inlet ports that further improve airflow into the combustion chamber. Combined with a compression ratio of 10.9:1, the result of these enhancements is prodigious power and torque: the DBS delivers 510 hp at 6,500 rpm and 420 lb-ft of torque at 5,750 rpm. This propels the DBS from a standstill to 60 mph in a quick 4.3 seconds and to a maximum speed of 191 mph. 0-100 mph is reached in a mere 9.2 seconds and the quarter-mile passed after 12.5 sec.
For 2009, the Aston Martin DBS is also available with a six-speed automatic transmission. Derived from the same ZF transaxle unit that was developed for the DB9, the ‘Touchtronic 2’ has been substantially re-engineered to accommodate the power and performance characteristics of the DBS. The DBS ‘Touchtronic’ transmission features a final drive ratio shortened from 3.15:1 to 3.46:1, aiding quicker acceleration times and an improved performance feel. Additionally, changes to the gearbox calibration aid more aggressive gear shifts and greater usability, while retaining the performance potential of the manual gear box – matching the 0-60 mph time of 4.3 seconds. System functionality is consistent with that on the DB9, with ‘Park’, ‘Reverse’, ‘Neutral’, and ‘Drive’ modes selected via facia mounted controls.
When in ‘Drive’ mode, pulling either of the leather-trimmed magnesium alloy paddles mounted on the steering column will activate the ‘Touchtronic’ mode, enabling the driver to control gear shifts via the paddles. ‘Touchtronic’ mode is also accessible directly on engine start-up. Alternatively, the ‘Drive’ mode can be selected at any time by pressing the ‘D’ control on the centre console, engaging a fully automatic mode which will select the most appropriate gear for the speed and driving conditions automatically.
The system also includes a ‘Sport’ mode – activated by a button on the centre console – which engages a more aggressive gear shift strategy as gear changes feel sharper and more forceful, engine speed matching on downshifts is more aggressive and in full automatic mode, upshifts occur at higher speeds. The Sport setting also incorporates a more responsive throttle map to match the high-performance.
A lightweight, rigid structure is the design engineer’s ultimate goal, and achieving the right balance between strength and mass is crucial. Like the DB9 and its sibling DBR9 and DBRS9 race cars, the DBS uses Aston Martin’s class-leading all-alloy VH (Vertical Horizontal) architecture, a lightweight bonded aluminium structure that provides outstanding strength and rigidity.
The DBS is the first production Aston Martin to make extensive use of ultra-light carbonfiber body panels, which are used for the boot enclosure, boot lid, door opening surrounds, front wings and bonnet, giving a saving of some 30kg over more conventional materials without any reduction in strength.
Each panel has been carefully sculpted to direct the airflow around the car, into the engine and to help cool the braking system. The carbonfiber elements are produced using advanced manufacturing techniques developed from the aerospace and motorsport industries. The new panel-making procedure also delivers an industry-best surface finish, thanks to a patented ‘Surface Veil’ process. The application of a 200 micron layer of epoxy and glass to the panel delivers a class-A surface that is in line with Aston Martin’s tradition of high-quality finishes. Inside the car, the weave patterns on the exposed carbonfiber elements have been carefully selected to present the most harmonious surfaces.
As with the DB9 and DBR race cars, the Aston Martin DBS benefits from the inherent characteristics of the VH architecture. The VH underframe consists of pressed, extruded and cast aluminium components, bonded together to create an immensely strong underlying structure.
This structure means that weight is kept to a minimum, with the front-mid mounted engine and rear-mid mounted transaxle ensuring a excellent weight distribution: 85% of the car’s weight is positioned within its wheelbase. The DBS’s polar moment of inertia is therefore very low, producing a car with natural agility, a strong, stable platform for the V12’s high power output and an exhilarating driving experience.
To take full advantage of its extremely precise and rigid platform, the DBS employs a new and sophisticated Adaptive Damping System (ADS) which uses two separate valves to set the dampers to five different positions, allowing instant adjustment of the car’s ride and handling characteristics. The ADS automatically alters the suspension settings to ensure the driver has high levels of control at all times, with the ability to respond instantly to different driving conditions. The dampers can be ‘softer’, with a corresponding improvement in ride quality, or ‘firm’, providing improved body control for more spirited driving.
The damper settings are determined by an electronic control unit which takes sensor readings from the car’s systems, including throttle position, brake position, steering-wheel rotation, and vehicle speed. This data establishes the prevailing driving conditions and the demands the driver is making on the car.
The DBS’s Adaptive Damping System perfectly captures the car’s sporting character, ensuring that stiffer dampers are available for better handling and control when the car is being driven enthusiastically, without compromising ride comfort during ‘normal’ driving conditions. A designated ‘Track’ mode automatically sets all dampers to their firmest positions, making it ideal for circuit driving. The DBS is fitted with Pirelli P-Zero tires that have been developed especially for the car, along with new 20" lightweight alloy wheels.
Available for 2009 is the option of a new ten-spoke 20-in. forged aluminium wheel with diamond-turned surface – available in either silver or graphite finishes. The optional wheel delivers a total unsprung mass reduction of 8kg versus the standard cast wheel, aiding handling and braking performance.
The DBS also has a revised Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) system, designed to help maintain maximum traction in challenging driving conditions. In default operation, the DSC is automatically on. Select and press the button for two seconds and DSC ‘Track’ mode is engaged, raising the threshold at which the system intervenes to allow the experienced driver to explore the car’s limits. Hold the button for four seconds and DSC is disengaged entirely.
The car’s braking system features another innovation, the first time Carbon Ceramic Matrix (CCM) brakes have been used on a road-going Aston Martin. The end result is shorter stopping distances with excellent resistance to fade in even the most demanding driving conditions. CCM brakes are also some 25 lb lighter than a conventional system, reducing the weight of the car overall and, in particular, the unsprung weight and rotational masses, further enhancing the performance of the suspension.