First Impression: Aston Martin DBS/DBS Volante

Aston Martin is known for a few things: style, performance, and James Bond. The Aston Martin DB5 from Goldfinger is one of the most iconic film cars. The most recent Bond films feature the Aston Martin DBS, a super grand tourer introduced in 2007 to replace the Vanquish. The DBS is one of the best all-around grand tourers on the market. The convertible version is called the DBS Volante.

I first saw the Aston Martin DBS at the 2011 Houston Auto Show. Star Motor Cars in Houston showed off several Aston Martin and Lotus cars. Star Motor showed of the DBS and the DBS Volante at the 2012 Houston Auto Show. It is a sight to behold. It is nice to see a James Bond car up close. The cars were roped off, so I could not touch or get into the DBS. The Volante is one of the most beautiful convertibles I have ever seen.

The DBS is powered by a 6.0L V12 connected to a six-speed manual. The engine produces 510 hp and 420 lb-ft of torque. It goes from 0 to 60 mph in 4.2 seconds and reaches a top speed of 191 mph. It is fast, but there are faster and quicker grand tourers out there. Prices start at $273,104. It is a little expensive.

It was reviewed by Top Gear on Series 10, Episode 7, where it set a power lap time of 1:23.9. The Volante version of the DBS was driven by Jeremy Clarkson in Romania on Series 14, Episode 1. It was also featured on www.jaylenosgarage.com. It was in both Casino Royale and Quatum of Solace. It is playable in Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit, Test Drive Unlimited 2, 2 Days to Vegas, Project Gotham Racing 4, Forza Motorsport 3, James Bond: Quantum of Solace and James Bond: Blood Stone.

Final Thoughts: It is a beautiful car. This is one of the most stylish cars on the market. It is fast, but there are faster cars out there. This is a car for cruising, not for racing. It combines style with performance. I love the styling on the modern Aston Martins. Aston Martin was once in financial trouble, but now it are flourishing in a tough economy.


CarJunkie
Photos were taken by a digital camera.

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