2008 Aston Martin DBS Review
June 22, 2008 by Matt Brogan
But the moment we rounded the next bend, the scene was spellbinding. We might just as well have been in Monument Valley, Arizona, given the okra red dirt and these strange flat-topped hills surrounding us.
The best part was, we hadn’t seen another car or road-train, in over an hour. Our own private highway, where we could drive the DBS like a supercar should be driven, and not a stop sign or set of traffic lights within 400 kilometres – just a cattle grid or 20 to slow for occasionally.
We were about start shooting one of the best looking cars in the world in one of the most remote locations in Australia and the feeling was surreal. Planning for a journey of such considerable scale takes many months of preparation and thanks primarily to Ian’s suggestion, we found this Martian landscape provided the ideal backdrop with which to contrast the DBS’s gorgeous Silver Lightning patina – pay dirt.
From this vantage (pun intended) it was evident that our logistical challenge, worthy of a UN relief effort, had paid off and after flying our staff and equipment a total in excess of 23,000km to be here, finally we were ready to go.
What lies beneath the Aston Martin’s purposeful yet transcendently beautiful exterior is a technologically masterful and modern vehicle with power, poise, balance, and, perhaps surprisingly, grace. As Aston Martin themselves put it, Power, Beauty, Soul.
As placid and composed as any Grand Tourer, the DBS may allow you to be fooled by its beauty. But, while an angel it may appear, surrender your right foot (and potentially your license) and the big coupe releases a fury worthy of challenging any more aggressively styled Italian rival.
Final drive through a 3.71:1 ratio ensures brilliant acceleration, particularly in-gear and makes for a usable, driver friendly tractability so rarely found in cars with this level of performance.
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!!!!