Aston Martin DBS (08 on) - Review Review by Simon Harris on 23 January 2008 Last Updated: 15 April 2009 This is the car Daniel Craig drove – and crashed – in his first outing as 007 and takes inspiration from the DBR9 Le Mans racer. Following the death of the Vanquish, another ex-Bond star, the DBS is the company's flagship car although Aston prefers not describe it as a direct replacement. The Vanquish was exciting but a bit of brute. The DBS however is aiming to be a far more rounded, more usable coupé. Based on the DB9 launched in 2004, the it uses the same basic aluminium chassis and engine but is lighter thanks to carbonfibre panels. It also has more power and is more aggressively styled - flared arches, cooling ducts in the bonnet, wide sill extensions and a racing style carbonfibre diffuser under the rear bumper help distinguish it from the DB9. That and the price. The £160k DBS commands a £50,000 premium over the DB9 while the similarly styled V8 Vantage costs half as much. 4.5 out of 5 Other Aston Martin reviews Summary Facts & Figures Equipment Driving & Performance Comfort Costs Safety & Reliability Buying & Selling Also Consider Company Car Info Owners' Reviews Gallery 4.5 out of 5 Summary Tweet New price range: £182,784 - £192,784 View all new prices Used price range: £62,035 - £134,640 View all used prices Get an Aston Martin DBS (08 on) information pack Next steps Aston Martin DBS cars for sale Use our cars for sale search facility to find great deals on second hand cars. We have 2 models like this for sale, starting at £150,000. Find used Aston Martin DBSs for sale Usability, style, superb engine Cheaper DB9 almost as good This is the car Daniel Craig drove – and crashed – in his first outing as 007 and takes inspiration from the DBR9 Le Mans racer. Following the death of the Vanquish, another ex-Bond star, the DBS is the company's flagship car although Aston prefers not describe it as a direct replacement. The Vanquish was exciting but a bit of brute. The DBS however is aiming to be a far more rounded, more usable coupé. Based on the DB9 launched in 2004, the it uses the same basic aluminium chassis and engine but is lighter thanks to carbonfibre panels. It also has more power and is more aggressively styled - flared arches, cooling ducts in the bonnet, wide sill extensions and a racing style carbonfibre diffuser under the rear bumper help distinguish it from the DB9. That and the price. The £160k DBS commands a £50,000 premium over the DB9 while the similarly styled V8 Vantage costs half as much. Driving & Performance Performance 4.5 out of 5"Under that shapely bonnet lies the same basic 5.9-litre V12 you’ll find in a DB9 but tweaked to..." Handling 4.5 out of 5"Only those expecting the DBS to be some kind of trackday special could possibly find anything..." Comfort Comfort 4 out of 5"DB9 customers buying new have the choice of specifying rear seats or a storage area in the back of..." Practicality 2.5 out of 5"The DBS may be designed to shrink whole continents but you'll have to do a lot of washing on your..." Equipment 4 out of 5"As you'd hope with a car costing so much, the DBS comes comprehensively equipped. Cruise control, a..." Behind the wheel 4 out of 5"Although the basic cabin architecture is the same as the DB9, the dashboard can now be ordered with..." Costs Running costs 1 out of 5"It seems churlish to quibble about running costs on a car that will set you back £160,000 in the..." Green credentials 0.5 out of 5"The DBS performs miserably on the eco front. With an average of 408g/km CO2 across the line-up, its..." Safety & Reliability Safety 3.5 out of 5"Every DBS comes with dual stage front airbags but side airbags are deleted if you order the..." Reliability 3.5 out of 5"The Vanquish wasn't very reliable and we’ve heard of problems with DB9s, particularly the early..." Buying & Selling Buying new 1 out of 5"Anyone wanting to buy a new DBS must be prepared for a long wait or pay extra for a car already..." Buying used 1.5 out of 5"After the euphoria surrounding the launch of the DBS dies down, depreciation will follow the pattern..." Selling 4 out of 5"An Aston dealer will be happy to take a DBS off your hands, or if interest is still high after the..." Gallery View full gallery Owners' reviews New Aston Martin DBS V12 2d 5 out of 5 “ The Engine... its a masterpeice ” dj roper Car Valuations Find used car prices with Parkers accurate car valuations. Find out more Aston Martin DBS cars for sale We have 2 models like this for sale. Find Aston Martin DBS cars for sale Next: Facts & Figures