1. How do you drive an Aston Martin DBS V12 and look like you haven’t stolen it?
Sure, there are faster sports cars and more luxurious Grand Tourers than the DBS, but try spotting something that’s more blue-bloode than this one. The DB bloodline is akin to blue-blooded aristocracy in the automotive world, and the new DBS is dressed sharper than its predecessor, the DB9, and it’s more muscular and proportioned. It’s not loud like the Lambo, but in terms of sheer presence, the Aston Martin trumps most in its category. People might not expect James Bond in a Tom Ford dinner jacket, but that doesn’t mean there are no expectations. So as a journalist driving the DBS around for a weekend, the stares can be unnerving – and for the first time on a Friday, I had to pay attention to what I was wearing. Flip-flops and battered denims didn’t cut it.
2. Is there such a thing as an ‘Aston Martin moment’?
The DBS V12 has a 6-litre V12 powerplant that unleashes the power of 510 horses. The presence of carbon fibre panels on the body makes the car almost 50kg lighter than competitors like the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano. So after grudgingly trotting along crowded streets, I stamp down on the pedal at the first sign of an open road and the first two seconds are incredible – the car fishtails as the engine transfers power to the rear wheels before rocketing ahead. The car can do the 0-100km/h sprint in about 4.3 seconds. At this point of time, the only thing going faster is your heartbeat.
Fantastic! The six-speed automatic transmission doesn’t have a gear stick like in regular cars; instead it operates from the fascia-mounted modes for P, R, N and D, which is quite cool.
3. The DBS has four seats. So is a road trip to
The car’s posh in ways you can’t imagine. The key, or the “Emotion Control Unit” as Aston Martin calls it, is made from clear sapphire and stainless steel. The exhaust note – deep bass and a touch metallic – is exquisite (Look up “Quantum of Solace car chase” on Youtube and crank up the volume to hear what I mean). The interiors are done up in plush leather and alcantara and the sound system’s by Bang & Olufsen. Enough said. But this car is strictly a two-seater, and unless one of your friends is a midget, there’s no way you guys are going to make it out of the parking lot. In fact, the back seat is only big enough for a duffel bag. The boot space is minimal and has an umbrella fitted in. So that roadtrip can only happen with one friend – and your duffel bag.
4. There must be things about the car that you don’t like?
Once you insert the key fob into the docking station and press down, it seems like an eternity before the engine fires up. The handbrake is a strange piece of work – it rests on the side of the driver’s seat just before the door sill, and it takes getting used to. Visibility is also a bit of a problem; it took me a while to get used to the dimensions of the car, especially the front passenger side. But most of this is nitpicking – I can’t sound overawed by the car, can I?
5. Is the DBS a chick-magnet? Does it make you a vain person?
About time you got the answer to that one. You’ll be stared at everywhere. People will drive in the lane next to you to get a peak in. The car’s rakish good looks and gallantry are almost embarrassing if you are not extroverted like the car. So stay calm, keep poised as you get out of the car, and be aware that a carload of girls in the adjacent parking lot are wondering who your rich daddy is.
QUICK SPEC
Engine: All alloy, 48-valve 5935cc V12
Horsepower: 510hp
Transmission: Rear mid-mounted
‘Touchtronic 2’ six-speed gearbox with
paddle shifters
Wheels: 20” alloys
Sound system: Bang & Olufsen BeoSound DBS
0-100km/h: in 4.3 seconds
Cost: About Dh1 million, call Habtoor Motors 04-295-6232 for more as prices fluctuate
