ASTON MARTIN DBS VOLANTE PLUS
We chose to leave the suspension in its GT setting for most of the week combined with the Sport Plus drivetrain setting, netting maximum comfort and maximum speed.
Should you wish to tighten up the car's otherwise lovely ride, Sport Plus Mode places the adaptive dampers into their stiffest setting, helping the DBS remain composed at higher speeds. In addition to GT, Sport, and Sport Plus modes for the drivetrain, Aston includes these same modes for the suspension, which can be configured independently. But Aston has managed to tread a very thin line here, in our opinion offering the absolute apex of aggressiveness and comfort in one package. This is a 4,000-plus-pound GT car, so you might hop in expecting it to feel more luxurious than sporty. Let off the throttle or invoke a downshift, and the DBS rewards you with a crackle on the overrun that can shake entire apartment buildings. Shifting with the column-mounted paddles increases the involvement even more, eking every last rev out of the sumptuous V12. The transmission wakes up, allowing a shorter response time between the mashing of your right foot and your ears being filled with a V12 roar. One little button transforms the DBS from a quiet cruiser to a loud bruiser. Things liven up though when you take the DBS out of GT Mode and place it into Sport or Sport Plus Mode. It even includes an engine stop/start system to improve fuel efficiency, which we gladly left turned off. The transmission loves to stay in top gear to preserve fuel and in the standard GT mode, the car can almost be described as sleepy with regard to throttle response. Under normal circumstances, the V12 hums along quietly with a smooth soundtrack playing in the background while transmitting almost no vibration. Can anyone say British Hellcat? An eight-speed transmission handles shifting duties and in normal driving, it feels completely civilized.
12 cylinders and twin-turbocharging help the 5.2-liter engine crank out a phenomenal 715 hp and 663 lb-ft of torque. Like a true GT, the DBS Superleggera Volante's driving experience is dominated by a large-capacity engine. Our tester sported an understated shade of Xenon Gray with red brake calipers, which garnered attention from those in the know while scooting under the radar of the authorities (handy with 715 hp on tap). A selection of colors for the fabric roof can also be chosen, including Bordeaux Red, Atlantic Blue, Sandstorm, and the more conservative Black. The brake calipers go beyond the usual red and can be painted in the likes of Vivid Orange, Vivid Blue, and Bronze.
For many, the Volante will be about getting noticed, though, so there are also much more vibrant colors like Hyper Red, Lime Essence, Kermit Green, Elwood Blue, and Frosted Glass Yellow. The broad color palette spans over 50 shades, including stealthy hues like Satin Xenon Grey, Satin Jet Black, Satin Concours Blue, and Skyfall Silver - a sneaky allusion to Aston's link with 007 over the years. In the case of the DBS, the feeling is quite spectacular.Ĭhoosing a paint color for the Aston Martin DBS Superleggera Volante can consume many hours, such is the pleasure that comes with trying different wheel designs and colors on Aston's vast configurator.
The Aston Martin DBS Superleggera Volante arrived on the market last year without much direct competition, but at this price range, it's all about how the car makes you feel. It makes its triumphant return after a brief hiatus, now with the Superleggera (superlight in Italian) moniker attached to pay homage to Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera, an Italian coachbuilder who helped assemble some of Aston's most valuable models. Just a twin-turbocharged, hand-built V12 throwing 715 horses at the rear wheels.Īston first used the DBS moniker in 1967 on a successor to the DB6 and we last saw it used on a DB9-based model from 2007 to 2012. There is no outsourced V8 to be found here. Enter the Aston Martin DBS Superleggera Volante, the convertible version of the company's flagship grand tourer. We thought the DB11 skated a fine line between agile sports car and comfortable cruiser but in the back of our minds, we knew Aston Martin could create an even more astonishing product. The last time we hopped behind the wheel of an Aston Martin, it was a DB11 with an AMG-sourced V8.
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