Aston Martin unveils its US$300,000 DBS Superleggera – a high-speed ‘bruit in a suit’
The 715-horsepower British supercar with turbocharged V12 engine competes with Ferrari’s 812 Superfast, and is sure to appeal to the next James Bond
Aston Martin stepped up its pursuit of Ferrari with the unveiling of a 211mph (340km/h) road car aimed at reinforcing the brand’s reputation for speed as well as luxury.
The DBS Superleggera will be the British company’s fastest-ever standard production model, competing with Ferrari’s 812 Superfast, which shares the same top speed. Revealed in London on Tuesday, the Aston will sell for £225,000 (US$298,000) in Britain.
Its latest entrant in the Super GT segment, which emphasises high speeds and long-distance driving, is aimed at reminding customers that Aston Martin is about more than mere hand-built opulence. With the DBS tag, it’s reviving a nameplate that first appeared in 1967 and featured in two James Bond spy films. Superleggera, or “super light”, harks back to pioneering Italian construction methods developed to eke out the last iota of performance.
CEO Andy Palmer said the DBS Superleggera, built to replace the Vanquish S, will return Aston Martin to the “pinnacle of the Super GT sector” and act as a “halo” model, buoying sales across the range by emphasising the brand’s high-speed credentials.
In a crack at Maranello, Italy-based Ferrari, he said the new auto, powered by a 5.2-litre twin-turbo V12 engine, will develop 20 per cent more torque – which he likened to punching power – than “a certain red type of car”.
Mid-range advantage