New cars: 2009 Aston Martin DBS

Road & Track

What comes to mind when you think of Aston Martin? British design and engineering? Superior craftsmanship? The new flagship DBS lives up to that heritage with an angry, hand-built 510-hp V12 engine, a “voluptuous shape, and room for two very fortunate souls.” The mid-front engine provides more leg space for driver and passenger, and the manual six-speed gearbox shifts easily.

The New York Times

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Some quibbles: The leather-and-suede seats give the cabin the look of a “boutique bordello.” The navigation system rising from the dash looks cheap, the “strange tachometer” spins counterclockwise, and the tiny back seat just barely holds a few small parcels. The car won’t start unless the electronic key is inserted into a slot “just right.”

Automobile

Sure, the DBS comes with a Bang & Olufsen sound system. But we’ll take “the roar of the V12” over “a good ear-bleeding stereo” any day. Stomp on the gas pedal and the burst of acceleration from the rear wheels nearly overwhelms the grip of the massive 11.6-inch-wide rear tires. If you need to get from 0 to 62 mph in a hurry, the DBS will do that in 4.3 seconds on its way to 191 mph.