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Aston Martin DBS Superleggera: The new king of grand tourers?

Aston Martin is still in the middle of a complete reboot, and its latest offering is the DBS Superleggera.

Tim Stevens Former editor at large for CNET Cars
Tim Stevens got his start writing professionally while still in school in the mid '90s, and since then has covered topics ranging from business process management to video game development to automotive technology.
Tim Stevens
2 min read
Aston Martin

On this page here I'm going to write some words for you about the new $304,995 Aston Martin DBS Superleggera. Honestly, though, I don't blame you if you just scroll on past and click through to the gallery. Because, seriously, just look at that thing. It is a remarkable looking car, and with 715 horsepower and a 211 miles-per-hour top speed, it's looking to have the performance to match. But as with all things Aston Martin, those things are never enough.

Watch this: Aston Martin DBS loses weight and gains great looks



Astons need to have provenance, and here you need look no further than the name. DBS is a reference to the late '60s grand tourer, itself a reference to David Brown, the man who, starting in the late '40s, shaped Aston Martin into the marque that we know today.

Aston Martin's new DBS Superleggera just took our breath away

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The Superleggera title, however, is an altogether different thing. This was a designation applied to many of Aston's iconic DB cars from the '50s and '60s, a reference to a lightweight construction technique also used on period Ferraris and Alfa Romeos, among others.

Those two names brought together create an allure of historicity that any car may struggle to deliver, but the numbers sure look good. Again, 715 horsepower is on tap from a 5.2-liter, twin-turbo V12, a variation of the lump that produces 630 in the new Aston Martin DB11 AMR. And there are other family features shared, including a basic chassis and suspension setup between the two.

However, that chassis is wrapped in a new body made of carbon and aluminum (thus earning the Superleggera designation), a body that takes much of the character presented in the DB11 and then pumps it up to an unholy new level. Aero appendages are more apparent here than on the DB11, but to good measure, resulting in 397 pounds of downforce at 211 miles per hour.

It'll sprint to 62 mph in just 3.4 seconds, but beyond speed and acceleration, the real test of this car will be just how well it hoovers up big miles at big speeds. The DB11 has already proven quite good at that, and the new DBS should readily follow suit.

The cost for all that? Starting price is $304,995 here in the US, a $60,000 premium over the quickest DB11. Worth it? We'll let you know after we get some time behind the wheel -- assuming we can stop looking at the thing long enough to actually step inside.