2008 Aston Martin DBS Review
June 22, 2008 by Matt Brogan
A well weighted clutch offering precise feel and feedback comes as a pleasant surprise to the left leg and with the superbly ratioed, six-speed Gratziano gearbox offering light, direct shifts any driver worth their salt should master the DBS effortlessly. Perhaps my only criticism, if any, at this point is the gear lever position does tend to throw your elbow toward the passenger seat instead of aftward.
The DBS proved time and time again to be astonishingly quick off the line over several timed 400 metre runs, but what impressed us most, was its huge torque, spread evenly through all six gears. It just doesn’t let up, even in sixth the DBS still pulls as hard as a Mt Isa road-train. As quick as it is, it’s not just the acceleration that impresses when it comes to the DBS but also the ease with which you can sail through the six speeds. As I said in our first steer, the DBS is the user-friendly supercar.
After shooting plenty of entertaining footage for our upcoming video it was time to hand the cars back for refueling. Meanwhile we journeyed out to the Cawnpore Hills before day’s end to see if it was the spectacle we’d been so keenly anticipating – it had better be, as it’s a big desert, and I have a shovel.
It was late afternoon and we were pushing the X-Trail hard as we needed to be well into our return trip before dark otherwise there was every possibility of quite literally running in to camels, cattle, emus, wild pig or ‘roos, a proposition none of us was keen on.
About an hour into the trip, we spotted some huge hills jutting upward in stark contrast to some of the flattest landscape you ever laid eyes on, flat in all directions, flat for so far in fact that the horizon is a distant shallow falcate crescent following the earth’s curvature.
We motored on, as we had to be getting close, given we could see what looked like a mesa or two, not far ahead. I kept saying to the guys how beautiful it was, trying to soften the blow, just in case the place did not live up to expectations.
Very well written and thank you for going the extra extra mile in producing this story
What an awesome read, felt truly involved, and what an awesome machine. Thanks guys.
excellent story guys!!! pleaseure to read. As much as i love this car i cant help but think of what else i could get for that kinda money……….
I’m sure you could get plenty of things, but I doubt they would be as much fun.
Did anyone notice the stitching on the console wasn’t straight. Tee Hee.
Great read folks. Most can only drean at driving such machines. The hard work is obviously paying off.
Awsome car, arguably the nicest car on thr planet. British of course, Ooooh I’m so proud. Pity no diesels though, Tee Hee again.
Fellas,
Fantastic in every way, the Aston, the writing and the photography justified why you were the first to drive it in Australia.
I also appreciated the high res picture of the Mack Titan, its now my wallpaper, also a magnificent machine, it doesn’t have quite the sheet metal work but it has more power and and is more reliable than any Aston! I hope you appreciate that a road train cannot safely or feasibly leave single road bitumen to accommodate others, its not a choice the drivers have.
Thanks for the great review, now I’m waiting for the new RS4 review when they get around to releasing the car!
Nice Nice Nice,
Although that gearknob reminds me of future Biff’s (Back to the future) silver fist walking stick for some reason… :S
I still prefer a 599gtb any day….good story guys!
Funny how the anti-spam word was Ferrari!
What an epic journey and an epic car. An amazing article guys, I thoroughly enjoyed the read, even while I was suffering from a gargantuan case of jealousy. Good work.
Five stars across the board, wouldn’t expect anything less.
FANTASTIC in all every way, For me the best looking car made right now. Just amazing
GREAT CAR. GREAT STORY.
Great Review…
I’d hate to be hitting Potholes in one of those. How would the Aston Reps react to a scratch on the paint? 7 layers of Hand Crafted repair.
Also, someone must have been constantly polishing the car with all that red dirt around.
Doesn’t the Veyron’s steering wheel take something like 1½ weeks for one guy to stitch together? You get what you pay for I guess…
Awesome car and great pics!
Good review. Dream car! (Next to the R35 GTR!)
Been for a ride in this car. One word.
Faultless!
This is the car which I always dream of. Great pics, Its professional image
Very well written and the photographs are amazing.
Not only did it give a good comprehensive review of the car, but it felt as if i was being told an old story of a legend.
Thank you
What a wank of a story…. “Ohhh it takes months of preparation for a story like this”….
What you mean you can’t just pack a ute up with all the spares and food and camping gear and drive the whole lot out there – take a few pictures and then come back?
Oh nooooooo…
And the road trains have to swerve off a single lane road into the ditch to make way for a spoon fed twat like you?
Sure…
Yep – the highlight of my life is to drive a rolling piece of artwork; that will look like some time warp relic just like the supercars from 20 years ago….
Parts, spares and servicing – ridiculously expensive.
Most of the really rich people drive plain second hand cars… and tossers like you blow all their income on junk like this.
QED.
Just because you drive a flash car you think you own the road guss what —-head you don’t. Those road trains are worth more than those cars, besides that, just because you have your head that far up your —- you couldn’t read the road sign. you have to get off the road but then your PRETTY cars & tyres dirty. Wake up to yourself and think about why thay don’t get off the road. Do you really think that a 110tonne road train is go’n to move off the road and probably crashing for a what a 2.5t car RIGHT!!!!