Aston Martin DBS Superleggera

This article is an Aston Martin DBS Superleggera review based on a memorable weekend in Munich, driving on German roads without speed limits and meeting one of the last uncompromising V12-powered Grand Tourers.

Aston Martin The DBS Superleggera is one of the last truly uncompromising V12-powered Grand Tourers. In this article, I talk about a memorable weekend in Munich, driving on German roads without speed limits, and why the DBS still has a place in James Bond-mythology. This is my experience of the car that combines brutal performance with long-distance comfort and classic British character.

This article has remained unpublished for longer than planned.

When I had the opportunity to borrow Aston Martin The DBS had CarsCollection.com not yet launched. The article was originally intended for Enliven.co, where I published much of my work at the time.

Shortly afterwards, a motorbike accident slowed down the pace of production while I was in hospital. During the same period, Enliven.co was shut down, so the article was never published there.

When the work could eventually be resumed, the idea of gathering all the material on a dedicated platform was born. This was the start of CarsCollection.com.

The images are still there. The experience is still there. And the Aston Martin DBS Superleggera deserves its place here.

A previous encounter with Aston Martin's modern Bond identity

Back in 2015, I had the opportunity to photograph one of the most unusual modern Aston Martin models. During an evening show at Callisma in Danderyd, at the time when they had the agency for Aston Martin in Sweden, the Aston Martin DB10. A car developed exclusively for the film Spectre and never intended for series production.

The DB10 was built in only ten examples and served as a design crossroads for the brand. It laid the foundations for the design language that would later be developed further in the DB11 and, by extension, also influence the feel of models such as the DBS Superleggera. For me, the DB10 was an early and very tangible encounter with Aston Martin's modern James Bond identity, a reminder of how closely film, form and real-world engineering can intertwine at Aston Martin, a brand that constantly straddles the line between myth and reality.

Front detail of the Aston Martin DB10, photographed at the Callisma show in 2015. Emblem and grill in a design language developed specifically for film use.

Overview image of the front of the Aston Martin DB10, focusing on proportions and surfaces rather than aerodynamic function. An expression created for the camera and movement.

A James Bond weekend in Munich

When I borrowed the Aston Martin DBS, the car was delivered directly to Munich airport, where I was travelling with my then girlfriend. That weekend is hard to forget. To get behind the wheel of such an impressive car, from such an exclusive and iconic British car brand, in true James Bond style, was something special.

Delivery moment in Munich, where the DBS Superleggera is being unloaded from transport for this weekend's run.

The Aston Martin DBS Superleggera in transport, an unusual view that gives insight into the logistics behind international press loans.

V12, autumn colours and free road sections

The autumn colours lay like a filter over the German landscape and matched the metallic red paintwork perfectly. Being able to use the car exactly where it thrives, on unrestricted stretches of road, gave the V12 engine the opportunity to show its full potential. Accompanied by a sound that would make any motoring geek go wild, it created memories to last a lifetime.

Front view of Aston Martin DBS Superleggera in autumn landscape. The combination of aggressive shape and classic GT presence.

Detail of the hood air outlet and Superleggera emblem. Functional elements that also contribute to the car's visual identity.

A name with historical weight

The Aston Martin DBS has always had a special place in the brand's history. Introduced back in the late 1960s, the model designation initially signalled something more uncompromising than the company's traditional GT cars. The DBS placed Aston Martin in a more aggressive performance bracket, without losing the hand-built feel and security of form that had defined the brand for decades.

The modern interpretation of the DBS builds on the same idea, but in a technological context that is far more advanced than ever before. In this Aston Martin DBS Superleggera review, it's clear how the model manages to combine the brand's historic GT DNA with modern performance technology and a clear focus on long-distance performance.

Close-up of the Superleggera emblem, a subtle reminder of the model's lightweight ambitions and exclusive position.

Detail of the front wheel and side valve of the Aston Martin DBS Superleggera, where function meets form in one of the car's most characteristic areas.

V12 technology in a vanishing era

Under the bonnet sits a 5.2-litre V12 with twin turbochargers. The engine itself represents the end of an era, delivering power with confidence rather than drama.

The body is largely built from carbon fibre and the chassis is designed to handle high speeds for long periods, not just short accelerations. The adaptive suspension and active aerodynamics make the DBS feel as stable at high speed as it is controlled on more technical roads.

The driving environment of the Aston Martin DBS Superleggera, where sportiness and long-distance comfort meet in classic British style.

Interior detail from the Aston Martin DBS Superleggera, with door handles and Bang & Olufsen speakers integrated into the carbon fibre panel.

Sense of humour before drama

At the same time, the DBS is less dramatic behind the wheel than the numbers suggest, in a good way. The steering is precise but not nervous, and the car communicates its movements with a clarity that inspires confidence even when the pace is turned up.

This is not a car that demands attention at every moment, but rather one that rewards a calm and determined approach to driving. The character is more grand tourer than pure supercar, but with performance resources that far exceed what most people will ever use.

Aston Martin DBS Superleggera photographed obliquely from the front in an autumn landscape, where colours and light interact with the car's metallic red paint.

A natural part of the James Bond mythology

In the film No Time to Die The Aston Martin DBS Superleggera is seen in a contemporary Bond context, carrying its legacy into the modern era. The model is used by MI6 agent Nomi and serves as a clear marker of the DBS Superleggera's position as Aston Martin's most powerful and uncompromising Grand Tourer. It's a car that visually and technically fits the film's more raw and high-intensity expression, rather than nostalgic flashbacks.

The Aston Martin DBS Superleggera therefore functions as more than just a film prop or a technological flagship. It's a car that epitomises an era where performance, character and long-distance comfort were still allowed to coexist without apology. In an age where much is about efficiency, electrification and the promise of the future, the DBS feels almost defiant in its expression. An uncompromising Grand Tourer that does exactly what it was built for. To travel very fast, very far and with full presence.

Aston Martin DBS Superleggera photographed obliquely from the front, with yours truly beside the car wearing a Universal Exports t-shirt. A clear nod to the James Bond heritage that runs throughout the DBS line.

As a final detail, there is a deliberate nod to the James Bond universe even outside the car. The text Universal Exports on my T-shirt refers to the fictional cover organisation that James Bond works for in Ian Flemings world. A small, almost internal reference, but a fitting one in the meeting of the Aston Martin DBS Superleggera, film history and real driving. Sometimes the details are not only in the car, but also around it.

This Aston Martin DBS Superleggera review sums up why the DBS still holds a special place in the Aston Martin range. It's a car built for speed, distance and presence, rather than numbers and drama for the sake of it.