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The British brand celebrates 110 years in 2023, unleashing the Ultimate “Brute in a Suit” on the world
2023 Aston Martin DBS 770 Ultimate Photo by Aston Martin
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Aston Martin turned 110 last Sunday. Founded on January 15, 1913 by Lionel Martin and Robert Bamford – Aston actually comes from a historic hill climb that Martin supposedly won in his first co-production car – the historic English carmaker is known for two things : the famous “DB” sports cars various James Bonds have raced, crashed and otherwise tickled; and seven, count ’em, seven bankruptcies.
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That first moment saw Aston mount a series of exotics on the silver screen, starting with Sean Connery’s immortal DB5 – with a reprise in Daniel Craig’s No Time To Die – while the second saw the brand sell just 110,000 cars for its 110 years, with 100,000 of them in the last 40 years alone. Indeed, by the time David Brown – he of the ‘DB’ name that persists today – bought the company in 1947, the early Aston Martin was as much a story of revolving investors as it was of iconic cars.
Fortunately, the company has finally found stability with mostly Canadian money. Laurence Stroll, he of Tommy Hilfiger and Michael Kors, now owns the lion’s share of Aston Martin and, as well as buying his son Lance a seat in an F1 car, he’s added some much-needed solidity to the design process.
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The result of this recent Canadian-induced stability is a slew of new models, culminating this anniversary year in the ‘Ultimate’ DBS. And by “Utimate” the company means “the most powerful production car” in its history. This latest — and final — DBS claims 770 hp. from its twin-turbocharged 5.2-liter V12, which in North American horsepower stands at 760 hp. Officially rated for a 3.4-second 0-100km/h sprint – and limited mainly by a lack of traction as the DBS remains resolutely rear-wheel drive – it has a top speed said to be on the silly side of 340 kilometers per hour. For a car officially billed as a ‘grand tourer’, the DBS 770 sounds convincingly like a supercar.
A set of 410mm carbon-ceramic front disc brakes, for example, curbs all that horsepower. The steering column, once a bushing to dampen road vibrations, is now firmly mounted to the chassis, which the driver – James Bond? — perhaps better to “enjoy a more accurate connection with the road ahead.” The lateral stiffness between the two front links of the front suspension has increased by 25 percent for the same reason, and the overall torsional resistance of the DBS has also increased by about three percent, the improved front cross members are obviously very strong.
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AM also says its adaptive damper system has also been improved, “focusing on control and composure without compromising ride quality.” High-performance Pirelli P Zero ‘tyres’ – 265/35 R21 front and 305/30 R21 rear – complement the handling improvements.
In keeping with that increased performance, the cabin comes with Sports Plus seats — trimmed in full semi-aniline leather and Alcantara, of course — while Aston’s performance seat can be an option for those looking to hit the track (or avoid the Spectre’s misdeeds). If you want to go crazy, you can order custom items like a custom-made strap and buckle badge featuring a laser-engraved “DBS 770 Ultimate” logo on the center armrest. Meanwhile, paddle shifters are standard.
Finally, all DBS 770 Ultimates will be fitted with a unique set of door sill plates displaying the Aston Martin wings, the ‘770 Ultimate’ logo and limited edition numbering, as this final DBS will be limited to 300 Coupes and 199 Volantes per worldwide . The DBS770 Ultimate will be ready to ship sometime in the third quarter of 2023, although no price has been set.
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David Booth
Canada’s leading automotive journalists with over 20 years of experience covering the industry
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