Aston Martin DBS (07-12)
Aston Martin DBS delivers luxury and performance. Learn about UK prices, inspection advice, and running costs; find off-market examples and post a wanted ad.
Launched in 2007 under Dr Ulrich Bez with design led by Marek Reichman, the DBS was Aston Martin’s lighter, harder-edged evolution of the DB9 on the second‑generation VH platform. It paired a 5.9‑litre (5935 cc) naturally aspirated V12 with standard carbon‑ceramic brakes, extensive carbon‑fibre body panels (bonnet, front wings, boot lid, splitter and diffuser) and Adaptive Damping, trimming roughly 65 kg versus a DB9 and sharpening the brief from luxury GT to serious fast road car. The coupé arrived first in 2007 with a six‑speed Graziano manual; Aston added the six‑speed ZF Touchtronic 2 automatic in 2008. Our view is that the manual delivers the more involved experience and slightly keener throttle-to-axle connection, whilst the Touchtronic suits long‑distance use and became the majority choice as production progressed. The Volante (convertible) followed in 2009 with additional bracing and a power-operated fabric roof, carrying a modest weight penalty but near‑identical performance in period testing. Both coupé and Volante could be ordered as a 2+0 (rear shelf) or a 2+2 with occasional rear seats; the latter was the market default in many territories. Output was quoted at 510 bhp (517 PS, 380 kW) and 420 lb ft (570 Nm), good for a claimed 0–62 mph in 4.3 seconds and 191 mph. Carbon‑ceramic discs (six‑piston front, four‑piston rear) were standard across the run, something no other DB9‑based model offered as standard at the time. On screen the DBS was the Bond car in Casino Royale (2006) and Quantum of Solace (2008), which fixed its image but also closely matched its real brief: a British V12 with long‑legged ability and credible dynamic focus. Production numbers: Aston Martin did not publish a definitive, audited breakdown. Best-available independent tallies suggest circa 3,400 cars worldwide across 2007–2012, with roughly two‑thirds coupés and one‑third Volantes. No official split exists for manual vs automatic or 2+0 vs 2+2; the evidence suggests Touchtronic and 2+2 configurations are more common, with 2+0 most frequently seen on early manual coupés. Hub summary: The 2007–2012 DBS is the sweet spot of VH‑era Aston Martins if you want a usable V12 GT with meaningful chassis and braking upgrades over a DB9. Manual coupés and genuinely 2+0 cars are the connoisseur picks; Volantes with Touchtronic suit high‑mileage touring.