Aston Martin DBS Superleggera debuts

Aston Martin has delivered a first look at the car it will use to take on front-engined Ferraris and the likes of Bentley’s new Continental.

Dubbed the DBS Superleggera, the new V12-engined 2+2 coupe will arrive Down Under late this year (2018) and replace the current Vanquish.

While the company is tight-lipped on the next Vanquish, it’s almost certain the badge will return to the Aston Martin line-up on the rump of the British brand’s mid-engined McLaren fighter in 2012.

Meantime, the new front-mid-engined Aston Martin DBS Superleggera is built on the same architecture that underpins the DB11 and brand-new Vantage. The 2+2’s 2805mm wheelbase is identical to the DB11. At 4712mm overall, it’s actually shorter.

“This is very much a DB11 on steroids,” Kevin Wall, Regional Manager Aston Martin Australia & New Zealand told motoring.com.au at an embargoed private viewing of the Aston Martin DBS Superleggera in Melbourne.

The four-seat DBS Superleggera is powered by a 5.2-litre twin-turbo V12 that boasts 533kW (725hp) and 900Nm. Power is put to the ground via the rear wheels only through a rear-mounted ZF eight-speed automatic transmission.

Weighing in at 1693kg, according to Aston’s spec-sheet (a modest saving even over the DB11 V8), the Superleggera features carbon-fibre panels.

John Mahoney was live at the UK reveal

With a top speed of 340km/h Aston Martin’s ‘brute in a suit’ unashamedly has Ferrari’s 812 Superfast in its sights. And with a starting price of $517,000 plus on road costs, it undercuts the Ferrari by almost $100K.

The Aston Martin DBS Superleggera is, however, just as super-fast -- making the dash from 0-100km/h in just 3.4sec. And with 100 per cent of that mammoth torque figure available from just 1800rpm, it moves.

“There’s no hiding that it’s made to go” said Wall.

The DBS Superleggera’s looks are familiar but differentiated from its DB sibling. There’s a new honeycomb grille, but more notably, this is the first Aston Martin in the history of the marque to not feature the winged logo on the rear of the vehicle. It’s letters only, and there’ll be more of this, Wall said.

The Aston Martin DBS Superleggera is also aerodynamically superior to its DB11 sibling which is where it gains some of its performance edge. A new rear double diffuser is a noted upgrade.

“In fact, at maximum velocity, it creates 180kg of [rear] down force,” Wall explained, reporting that this is the highest figure ever for a series production Aston Martin, with a claim of no additional drag penalty.

To help stop the DBS Superleggera, oversize carbon ceramic brakes are standard. The new Aston rides on 21-inch wheels, the rear shod with bespoke 305-section Pirelli P Zero rubber.

Wall confirmed that there are no current plans for a convertible version of the DBS, but countered that “everything is continually reviewed in the world of Aston Martin”.

The luxurious interior is everything you’d imagine – leather, Alcantara, chrome, satin chopped carbon-fibre, individualised embossing and embroidery and more. Bespoke is an understatement.

Standard equipment includes keyless entry, tyre pressure monitoring system and a 360-degree camera with Parking Distance Display and Park Assist.

The audio system has DAB plus Bluetooth audio and phone streaming, iPod, iPhone and USB playback. Satnav and a wi-fi hub are also included, however, items like autonomous braking and adaptive cruise control are still conspicuous by their absence.

First local deliveries of the DBS Superleggera will begin in December 2018.

Despite being priced north of half a million dollars, before bespoke options, Australia and New Zealand’s first 30-car DBS Superleggera allocation is all but spoken for according to Wall.

Look out for our launch review of the Aston Martin DBS Superleggera mid-July.