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It provides James Bond...
It provides James Bond with a company car and has a long history of stunning models, but Aston Martin looks to have surpassed itself with this: the forthcoming DBS.
After its starring role in the recent 007 movie, Casino Royale, the wraps have come off the showroom version – and it’s set to make its debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September.
Designers have added more aggression to the donor DB9’s elegant shape by introducing a new grille, ducts in the bonnet and low skirts all-round. The interior has also been given a makeover, and now gets features such as graphite-backed instrument dials and carbon fibre door pulls.
The highlight is the engine starting sequence, though. Owners now insert a special polished-sapphire key-card into a docking station – once in, the starter button glows red, showing that the engine is ready to run.
And what a powerplant. Engineers have revised the air intake system of the 6.0-litre V12, bringing in a new by-pass port that opens above 5,500rpm.
The result is an extra 70bhp over the standard DB9, taking power to 510bhp, with 0-62mph achieved in 4.3 seconds and a top speed of 191mph.
A wider track front and rear, and lower suspension with retuned adaptive dampers, ensure all that power is transmitted to the road. The DBS is likely to cost around ?160,000, but Aston has yet to confirm prices.