Aston Martin has been successfully producing luxury cars, sports cars and SUVs for years. What did it offer customers in the 1960s when it introduced the Aston Martin DBS model?
Aston Martin has more than a century of tradition. Over the years it has become a benchmark of quality and prestige. How did the brand begin? Aston Martin was founded by Lionel Martin and Robert Bamford, both of whom had been involved in the automotive industry, selling Singer cars. Their goal was to produce their own cars that would be qualitatively superior to the Singers. The first car was produced as early as 1915 and in the following years, after various personnel changes and the relocation of the production site from London to Feltham, followed by the release of several successful models, Aston Martin gained a reputation for producing expensive and luxurious sports cars with coupé bodies. The reputation of the brand survives to this day
Combining luxury and sportiness – a legend of the sixties – the Aston Martin DBS was designed as a more powerful alternative to the Aston Martin DB6. It was planned to use a V8 engine, but due to the protracted development of the engine, the DBS used a six-cylinder engine that had already been used. This was the one used in the DB6. The V8 engine appeared in 1969 and had a displacement of 5.3 liters. Rear-wheel drive, a five-speed manual transmission and a 97.5-liter fuel tank characterized the Aston Martin DBS. The car was also available as a two-door convertible, this version was known as the V8 Volante
In 1972, the car was renamed the Aston Martin V8, and a total of 4021 examples of the model were produced. The year 1977 brought the release of a new sporty variant, the Vantage. This car was also a two-door convertible with a V8 engine and a capacity of 5.3 liters. A five-speed manual transmission was also used here
Compared to the DB6, the Aston Martin DBS was larger than the DB6 and comfortably seated four passengers. Its silhouette was extremely modern for its time, plus it knocked you out with its elegance. Compared to the silhouettes of the Italian cars, the DBS did not differ from them in any way, and what is more, its interior was much more interesting and better finished. The world was introduced to the Aston Martin DBS during the movie “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service” – the model was the car of the famous Agent 007. The DBS was distinguished by its twin round headlights and its body was more angular compared to the DB6. Interestingly, because this model came after the DB6, it should have taken the name DB7. However, the name is different because it refers to the DBSC prototype, designed two years earlier by Carozzerria Touring
Starting in 2007, the Aston Martin DBS model was again offered to customers. It was produced until 2012, and from 2018 the second generation of the model appeared. The British brand returned to the name DBS, modeled precisely on the model of the 1960s. Here we also have quite a film episode – the new Aston Martin DBS was shown to the general public already in 2006, when it appeared in the film “Casino Royale”, and then in 2008 in “Quantum of Solace”
What do we find inside? On request, cars with two or four seats are produced. There is a modified V12 engine (one that was previously used in the Aston Martin DB model). Thanks to this solution, acceleration to 100 km/h can be achieved in only 4.3 seconds. Additionally, its top speed is really impressive – it is as high as 307 km/h. In this version, the DBS has a very aggressive look – among others due to larger exhaust tips and modified radiator grille. The interior has a very sporty look. This two-door coupé impresses everyone, both with its power and its looks! Its production ended in 2012 and was followed by a new model, the Vanquish.
