James Bond’s latest ride makes its world debut at the Pebble Beach Concours.
The party kicking off the 2007 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance took place in the tree-lined entrance to the waterfront Beach and Tennis Club. The martinis were stirred (not shaken), and attendees strolled the swanky surroundings dressed in their finest haute couture. James Bond would have blended right in, making it the perfect place to debut the fictional British spy’s latest ride.
The Aston Martin DBS is the newest sports coupe from the famed marque, and Aston’s Chief Executive Officer Dr. Ulrich Bez was on hand to introduce it. With Aston Martin as one of the featured marques at this year’s Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, Dr. Bez noted that although Aston Martin will always honor its rich heritage, the DBS represents the future of the company.
Aston officials describe the DBS as a bridge between the DB9 and the race-bred DBR9, providing a limited number of customers the opportunity to own race car-like performance for the street.
The specs on the new model are quite impressive. Under the sculpted hood is a hand-built 6.0-liter V12 engine that pumps out 510 horsepower, described by Dr. Bez as “sufficient.” Torque is rated at 420 lb-ft—strong enough to get the DBS to 60 mph in just 4.3 seconds on its way to a top speed of 191 mph.
The exterior of the car is pure adrenalin—not only does it make any car enthusiast’s heart beat faster, but it looks as if it’s moving at top speed even when at a standstill. With less ground clearance than the DB9, the DBS features flared wheel arches designed to accommodate 20-inch alloy wheels. The car has a polished alloy five-bar grille, a number of aerodynamic enhancements, and a carbon fiber bonnet (or hood, as Americans call it) complete with a large power bulge and additional venting.
The high performance of the DBS translates to the interior, so the level of luxury inside is befitting an Aston Martin. Carbon fiber adorns many places, both for style and weight savings. Alcantara leather envelops passengers in comfort—the example on display at Pebble Beach featured a beautiful red interior.
Gauges are white numbers on dark graphite, seats feature a twin stitch, and the 6-speed gear shifter is fashioned from polished alloy. Lightweight racing seats made of carbon fiber and Kevlar composites are an available option, but only for those outside North America.
In order to let loose the DBS’s 500-plus horses, one would typically need a key. Instead Dr. Bez pulled from his pocket what he called a new invention from Aston Martin—the ECU, or “Emotional Control Unit.” The elegantly polished sapphire fob looks like a piece of fine jewelry and slots into the center of the dashboard; the fob displays the Aston Martin logo and glows red when the car is ready to start. Considering the DBS’s aggressive exterior styling and refined interior—and knowing what’s under the hood—a mere key wouldn’t do this car justice.
We think James Bond would agree.
Source: MSN Autos
Dr. Ulrich Bez, CEO of Aston Martin, introduces the all-new DBS sports coupe. Photo: Bruce Whitaker