2018 Aston Martin DBS Superleggera revealed as Ferrari 812 competitor

The new DBS Superleggera is based on the underpinnings of the DB11 and shares the same Aston-made turbocharged 5.2-litre V12 engine. The unit has been reworked to make 715bhp, compared with 630bhp in the DB11 AMR. In the Superleggera, the engine generates 664lb ft, available at 1800-5000rpm. That’s 148lb ft more than the DB11 AMR.

To handle the extra power and torque, the rear-wheel-drive DBS Superleggera gains a new transmission and gearbox, with a drive ratio of 2:9:1 (compared with 2:7:1 on the DB11). This means a claimed 0-62mph time of 3.4sec and 0-100mph in 6.4sec.

Opinion: Aston Martin DBS Superleggera - it’s all financial

The Superleggera sports a bolder front grille, along with new headlights and tail-lights, to further differentiate it from the DB11, as part of Aston’s plan to put more space between the cars in its range. It is the first car not to feature the brand’s winged logo on its rear boot lid, with the name Aston Martin spelt out there instead.

Also new is a quad exhaust system, which has been tuned to produce a “more expressive” noise, according to chief engineer Matt Becker. That makes it 10db louder than the DB11. Becker added: “We don’t just want more noise, we want quality noise.”

The bodywork features a front splitter, extensive underbody aerodynamics, a rear diffuser and a new Aeroblade 2 rear wing, generating 60kg of downforce at the front of the car and 120kg at the rear. The 180kg total downforce is the most of any road-going Aston Martin, yet the DBS produces the same drag as the DB11, which makes just 70kg of downforce.

The DBS Superleggera has a dry weight of 1693kg. It sits on bespoke Pirelli P Zero tyres, with 21in wheels.

Despite those figures, Becker said the car has been designed to combine comfort and performance. “We wanted to develop something that’s incredibly fast but feels Vantage-like in its size and response,” he said.

“The performance figures might look scary —and this car is incredibly quick — but you don’t have to be a hero to get the most out of it performance-wise.”

Becker said extensive tuning work has been done on the ESP and traction control to cope with the torque and how quickly it builds up. He added: “It has a playful nature. If you slide the car and know how to drive, it gives you all the information you need to make the right decision about when to put your foot on or off the throttle.”

Aston Martin is targeting existing Vanquish customers as well as Ferrari buyers who want “something that is as quick but less intimidating”, according to Nurnberger. The DBS Superleggera follows the DB11 and Vantage as the third product in the firm’s ‘second century’ plan to launch seven models in seven years, and Nurnberger said that broadening the product range will enable Aston Martin to push for customers who aren’t part of its existing base.

The DBS Superleggera is due to go on sale later this year in coupé form, with pricing starting from £225,000. A Volante version, which has already been spied testing, is set to arrive in early 2019.

Transmission:

Not only does DBS have a brand-new gearbox, necessary to handle the monstrous 664lb ft peak torque, it also comes with a lowered final drive ratio for even more punchy in-gear performance. It carries the same 2.9:1 ratio as the Vantage, reduced from 2.7:1 of the DB11.

Performance: