In these days of hardship and belt tightening, there must still be people sitting on a fortune (as well as some young ladies in Walking Street). The new Aston Martin DB S will set you back several million THB to put it amongst the Ferrari 812 Superfast, Porsche 911 Turbo S and Lamborghini Aventador.
Another of Aston Martin’s flights of fancy was the track only Vulcan and we are told that the DBS Superleggera borrows aerodynamic features from the track-only Vulcan.
The designer says the DBS deserves comparison with the Vulcan. “It isn’t quite as quick (3.4 seconds for 0-100 km/h compared to 2.9) but the approach to keeping this car glued to the road is exactly the same as we applied to the Vulcan.”
Technically the DBS Superleggera is a two-door four-seater – and realistically the rear seats are best for legless midgets.
The center stack is tastefully laid out, with the stop-start button centered among the gear selection buttons for the eight-speed automatic. Storage space is minimal and the air vents operate with a non-premium feel. (How much was this car again?)
According to one overseas motor noter, given it pumps 900 Nm to the rear wheels, the driver needs to be judicious with the right foot. Any appreciable steering lock will have the DBS Superleggera looking to rotate faster and more forcefully than you might expect.
The eight-speed auto can also send a decent kick back into the cabin on upshifts, accompanied by momentary wheelspin if the surface is slick. Sounds to me as if the tester was overwhelmed by this car!
It seems the electronics mirror Aston’s overall old-school approach. The driver is expected to be in control, with the stability software there to avoid an accident rather than rein in exuberance.
At a glance
Aston Martin DBS Superleggera in a nutshell
Price AUD 517,000 plus on-road costs
Warranty: three years/100,000 km
Servicing 12 months/15,000 km, AUD 4200 for three years (estimated)
Engine 5.2-liter V12 twin-turbo, 533 kW/900 Nm
Transmission Eight-speed automatic, rear-wheel drive
Safety Not tested, six airbags, torque vectoring
Consumption 12.4 L/100 km (estimated)
Spare None: repair kit
To try and say that the DBS is slow as it takes 3.4 seconds to 100 km/h isn’t really hanging about, is it. But is it really worth that rather large sack of gold? I don’t think so.
 |
 |
