Aston Martin DBS Superleggera review

I suspect the DBS is an easy sell for Aston dealers. It’s a more assertive, powerful car than the DB11, and for the wealthy the £50,000 price differential is likely neither here nor there. So who’s going to be buying the DB11 AMR now? The cheaper V8 I can see a role for; the V12 AMR, less so. It’s more understated which might appeal to a few, but surely the vast majority are going to want the one that looks like it’s been working out? Speaking of the way it looks, I wasn’t sure when I saw it in pictures, but in the flesh it’s terrific, much more appealing and striking than the DB11.

Rivals? Well, as discussed earlier, the 812 Superfast is another kettle of fish altogether, so you’re looking at the Bentley Conti GT. On paper it’s slower, but with 4WD it’s better able to deploy its power at relevant speeds. But the Bentley is also substantially heavier, so relies on its chassis electronics more and is less rewarding to drive – it doesn’t have the same simplicity and clarity of communication that the Aston enjoys. That said, how long before Aston has to bow to pressure and think about 4WD?