Aston Martin DBS revealed: manual gearbox for back-to-basics Bond?
Newswheel staff :: 08 May 2006 :: Filed under Coupe, Front engine sportscar, Aston Martin, Aston Martin DBS, Europe & UK, US,
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007’s new wheels
Better late than never: Aston Martin fired off the first salvo of its DBS marketing assault last week with images of the upcoming Bond-branded coupe. Belatedly, and in the interests of completeness, we present them to you. Just don’t get too excited. The car appears to be a wide-bodied rehash of the existing DB9 model…
Spot the difference: DBS above, DB9 below
As if you didn’t already know, the DBS will be 007’s latest wheels in the next instalment of the James Bond saga, Casino Royale, which hits cinemas in November. Aston reckons the new car “encapsulates a link between our elegant DB9 road car and the powerful DBR9 race car.” Which apparently translates into flared wheel arches, a wider track and new bonnet, sill and front bumper treatments.
In terms of market positioning, we’ll be impressed if Aston manages to slot this new offering into its increasingly homogenous model range without a spot of fraternal sales cannibalisation. According to Dr Ulrich Bez, Aston’s not-awfully-English head honcho, “the DBS is not of the understated elegance of a DB9, nor the youthful agility of the V8 Vantage. It is explosive power in a black tie and has its own unique character which will equal that of James Bond.” Which is fine and dandy in the time-honoured product placement tradition. But it’s not entirely clear how it squares with the positioning of Aston’s existing range-topper, the Vanquish S. Assuming the DBS offers an uprated variant of the DB9’s V12 powertrain (Aston has yet to reveal tech specs), it will be near-as-dammit identical in concept to the Vanquish.
Back to basics Bond: manual box for new Bondmobile
Whatever, it’s the interior shots that provide the only real surprise – a manual gearbox. Given the 007 links and the gadget-infested history of said supine secret agent, you might have expected the DBS to get the full robot gearbox treatment. Perhaps the implications of the grittier, more authentic man of mystery that new Bond boy Daniel Craig is expected to extend to his choice of transmission. Real men drive manuals. Possibly.
Those DBS pics in full:
Posted 26 July 2006, by rafał czarnecki
chapeaux bas!!!! I`ll buy it for sure!!!!