Sporting a 510-horsepower V-12, massive wheels and a low-slung hood, the DBS competes with supercars like the Ferrari 599 GTB and Lamborghini Gallardo. The rear-wheel-drive DBS crowns Aston Martin’s lineup and is available as a coupe or convertible. It shares its platform with the similarly styled DB9 and less expensive V8 Vantage.
New for 2012 For 2012, a Garmin-based navigation system replaces a hard-drive-based one, and the brake calipers can be optionally finished in red, gray or yellow.
Exterior Those who have seen a mid-’90s DB7 should recognize the DBS as an Aston. Its trapezoidal grille and low-slung hood mimic the V8 Vantage and DB9; the front air dam is larger, the bumper has a few more flourishes and the rear sports an aggressive underbody diffuser. Exterior features include:
Constructed from lightweight aluminum, magnesium and carbon fiber
Aluminum chassis
Xenon high-intensity-discharge headlights
LED taillamps
Standard 20-inch wheels
Power retractable fabric roof (convertible)
Interior The interior looks much like that of the DB9. The center stack starts with the air-conditioning vents up top and flows down to the center armrest. A small cargo area behind the seats can hold a custom luggage set. This space can be fitted with two additional seats to increase seating capacity to four. This configuration comes standard on the convertible. Interior features include:
Leather-upholstered dashboard, armrest, steering wheel and seats
Garmin-based navigation system
Cruise control
Automatic air conditioning
Bang & Olufsen stereo
Under the Hood The engine sits in front of the driver and front passenger but is pushed back toward the center of the car. The automatic transmission is similar to the unit used in the DB9, but with beefed-up internal parts to handle the extra power. Mechanical features include:
510 hp and 420 pounds-feet of torque
Mid-mounted 6.0-liter V-12
Zero to 62 mph in 4.3 seconds
Standard six-speed manual transmission
Available six-speed automatic with paddle shifters
Adaptive suspension adjusts dampers to changing road conditions
