Aston Martin’s DBS Superleggera Makes Us Dizzy!

Aston Martin press releases are always fun. Because, unlike most manufacturers that use the word “dynamic” for even describing a brick wall in their office, Aston uses a better set of adjectives. Take the release for the DBS Superleggera, for example. It says the power is “prodigious”, the performance is “epic”, and the styling is “individual”. See!

Ah, right! The Superleggera. That’s Aston Martin’s brand new grand tourer. The one that’s meant to replace the likeable Vanquish S. It also marks the return of the “Superleggera” moniker on an Aston Martin after it last appeared on the DB5. Aston says the mark also pays homage to Carrozzeria Touring, the original developers of the lightweight construction tech.

Let’s jump straight into the heart of the matter. Aston Martin has ditched the old 5.9-litre V12 from the Vanquish for the 5.2-litre, twin-turbo V12 from the DB11. No replacement for displacement, you think? Well, think again! The new Superleggera makes 725PS of power and, rub your eyes in disbelief, 900Nm of torque. That’s 122PS and 270Nm of more than the Vanquish S that it replaces. Yum! The headline numbers are delicious too - 0-100kmph is dealt with in just 3.4 seconds, while 0-100mph (0-161kmph), is done in a mere 6.4 seconds.

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Of course, it isn’t all brute power. There’s some aero trickery to ensure the DBS Superleggera doesn’t take off. For starters, the engine is mounted low and “as far back as possible” in the chassis to ensure a low centre of gravity. The rear diffuser generates 180kg of downforce at top speed, which the manufacturer claims is the highest for a production-spec Aston Martin. How can we forget the “curlicue” and the “Aero Blade” that ensure air slips through the car, creating downforce while not adding the visual bulk of a spoiler. If you’re having a hard time figuring out how it works, check this video. It’s of the DB11, but you’ll get the gist.

Finally, there’s the way it looks. It drew a couple of contrasting opinions, but we’d like to believe it’d grow on us overtime. The proportions look heart-achingly perfect, and those delicious 21-inch wheels are well, delicious. As expected the cabin is awash with “aromatic” leather and Alcantara. It’s not skipping on any modern features either. You get keyless entry, 360 degree parking camera and a touchscreen infotainment system. Needless to mention, you can knock yourself out configuring the Superleggera. If you’re too rich to be bothered with that, there are preset “Designer Specifications” that let you choose between themes.