Electrifying performance

"I am not your rolling wheels, I am the highway, I am not your carpet ride, I am the sky." That's how Chris Cornell powerfully delivers the lyrics to his song, I am the Highway.

It's very rare to come across cars that don't need to compete with others. They are the cars that define pure motoring experience and lead the industry. The DBS is Aston Martin's answer to the highly competitive and chaotic motoring world. The catch here is that it's not only performance that drives the motoring industry. Nor is it the 0-100km/h sprint time or Nürburgring lap time that determines the positioning of a car in a certain segment. Sure, cars built for specific purposes such as lap times are great, but that's not why we love certain cars - especially the classics. Cars that create an emotional appeal are the most effective in creating a lasting impression. You could own a car that performs beautifully, but you must have an emotional bond or else it risks becoming extremely forgettable. That's what great car makers want to avoid. They aim to create and firmly implant in our minds the idea that their cars are synonymous with fine motoring. And like Chris Cornell says in his song, they represent the highway and not the car when it comes to the motoring world.

The DBS is like a deadly alter ego of the DB9. It's akin to the Dark Prince that comes to life every now and then in a popular video game. The DBS shares almost everything with the DB9 except for some design details and engine tuning which makes it a lot meaner looking and slightly better performing than the DB9. That kind of difference in this segment often means there's quite a monetary difference. Simply improving a few minor details could cost in extras as much as a decent mid segment sports car. The Aston Martin brand kind of makes up for all the pricing extravagance and enthusiasts are usually more than willing to opt for the extras.

Driving the DBS was what most of us would call a good experience.

Powered by a fine-tuned version of the same 6.0 litre V12 engine that is shared with the DB9, this mean machine does 0-100km/h in around 4.3 seconds and has a top speed of 310km/h, which is quite good for a Grand Touring car. The front-mid mounted engine is hand assembled at Aston's engine facility in Cologne,, Germany. It generates 510 horsepower at 6,500rpm.

The DBR9 and DBRS9 race cars are powered by further enhanced versions of the same engine, producing an excess of 600bhp. The engine also features a bypass air intake port that opens above 5,500rpm and provides for the higher volume of air required by the engine. The beefy grunt of this V12 contributes to 50 per cent of the entire appeal for this car.

Achieving a lightweight rigid structure is crucial in vehicles such as these, where every design aspect affects the ride quality, overall balance and strength of the car.

This is done using Aston's Vertical Horizontal architecture that makes use of an aluminium structure that is both strong and rigid. Extensive use of carbon-fibre for the boot enclosures, boot lid, door opening surrounds, front wings and bonnet contributed to a weight loss of around 30kg without a loss in strength compared to conventional materials.

The carbon-fibre material also offers a lot of flexibility when it comes to shaping and wrapping the bodywork around the various parts, especially the wheels. They are extensively detailed and this is almost impossible to achieve with steel or aluminium.

Aston's body paint features a ‘Surface Veil' coating which consists of 200 micron layers of epoxy and glass and this is what gives the cars their super paint finish.

Technicality aside, the way this car makes the driver feel is something that is quite rare in the motoring industry. While we have supercar performers that can probably do a 0-100km/h in about half the time of the DBS, what is usually missing is the perfect blend of finesse and supercar performance. This is further enhanced by the use of some of the best materials known to man. The design of the DBS, like all other Aston Martins, is simply breathtaking - both inside and out.

The design and performance provided by the DBS is like a marked territory, which is guarded and protected by Aston. There are not many cars in the world that can beat Aston in its own turf and that is GT cars.

A Track mode and a Stability Control disengage mode are available in addition to the Dynamic Stability Control mode and these enable a responsible driver to safely push the limits of the car and really explore the power and rubber-burning capabilities of the monster engine.

Carbon Ceramic Matrix brakes are featured on the DBS for efficient and fade-resistant braking given its top speed capability of 310km/h. These brakes are specially designed and are 12.5kg lighter than the conventional system and indirectly enhance the performance of the suspension system by reducing the unsprung weight and rotational mass.

The Aston also features a Bang and Olufsen sound system with quite a few speakers, but I couldn't care less, since I was too busy enjoying the drive feel and engine sound to turn on the sound system. I wonder if DBS owners ever turn on the radio and drown the soul-filling exhaust note that comes with a driving experience that perfectly blends with the refined looks of this car?

The words ‘Power Beauty and Soul' that are displayed between the dials as soon as the car is started up make complete sense.

One could go on and on about how much technology has gone into this car, but my main focus is on the passion that goes into building such a car because without it, the technology becomes meaningless.

Aston delivers all the motoring passion most of us would ever need and it does so with the kind of refinement that 007 himself would approve of.

This is a car that defines motoring in its own way and paves the way for many to follow. As Chris Cornell continues in his aforementioned song, "I am not your blowing wind. I am the lightning. I am not your autumn moon. I am the night!"

Specifications: Make / Model Aston Martin DBS

• Engine 5,935cc, V12
• Power 510bhp @ 6,500rpm
• Torque 570Nm @ 5,750rpm
• Transmission Rear Mid Mounted Six-speed ‘Touchtronic 2'
• Acceleration 0-100km/h in 4.3 secs
• Top speed 310km/h
• Price Dh1,300,000