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The original DBS was introduced in 1967 as a supplemental model to the DB6, but continued in production until 1972, two years after the DB6’s demise. Using a 4.0-litre straight six engine, it came with 282bhp in standard form, but with 325bhp as a Vantage.

The original DBS starred in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service and is the car in which Tracy di Vicenzo, aka Mrs Bond, is shot dead by Irma Bunt. The current DBS was announced in 2006 and made its Bond debut in 2007, in Casino Royale.Read the full article

The problem with Aston Martin and their current range appears to be one of misjudged conceptual thinking. You cannot deny their beauty, or the passion of those involved in their design and engineering, and I am sure that Dr Bez has the charisma and leadership in the same vein as Victor Gauntlett and David Brown had, but the cars appear to me to be mixed in their messages.

 Take the V8 Vantage. The term Vantage was always applied to the more performance orientated Astons, and yet here it is on a "bread and butter" model, if you can call it that. The DBS appears to be missing the 9 in its moniker, and appears to not rival anything in any market. If I want a more hardcore sportscar, then the Porsche 911 GT3 is cheaper, and a more accomplished GT can be found in the Ferrari 599, for a little more outlay. Dont tell me that those who can afford one would not be able to afford the latter, even if it is more expensive. And don't get me started on the Rapide, which is in fact a Lagonda name. DB9 4 door more like. It looks as though something heavy sat on it and it became longer and lower under the resultant pressure!

And is it me, or is there a bit too much flashiness comming into the products. Astons should not, and never have been, about flash. Restraint, class, beauty, brooding aggression, were more the order of the day, a kind of iron hand in a velvet glove. But just look at that gear lever! What happened there. And the over abundance of chrome in the interior strikes an uncomfortable American chord with me. Surely what Americans could appreciate about AstonMartins were their inherant Englishness, not the other way around.

I love Astons, always have, but I cannot help but be slightly wary. The passion is there, but the cars look the same, and the marketing appears to have been thought through without detailed understanding of the brand. And Aston Martin is more than just James Bond's car.

As good as it may be, the DBS is just a 'GTi' version of the DB9 in my books and is no way a true replacement for the Vanquish. Aston - please build a proper replacement, and one that can take the fight to Ferrari 599 and Merc SLR. These, and the Vanquish, are super GTs. Something the DBS can never be. 

I can't help but feel that during the last couple of years Aston appears to be losing its way somewhat and, dare i say it, some of its lustre that made Astons what they are. The DB9 is still up there with its rivals, but the Vantage never quite made it against it rivals ans is deparately in need of a 'S' version to take on a 911 Turbo, F430, GTR and Gallardo, while the Vanquish is no more - supposedly replaced by the DBS. And then we have the Rapide - stunning looking, but wrong car for Aston perhaps? Mind you, many thought a Cayenne was wrong for Porsche and looks what's happened!

Some valid points made already. And here's my thoughts on the current Aston range. Yes, the cars look lovely, but they all look more or less exactly the same. All based on the styling of the DB9, which itself was a reworked DB7. The new Rapide looks the same too.

How much longer is Aston going to stretch out the same design? What happened to innovation and freshness?

well the old DBs look pretty similar to me up to DB6, then the DBS and V8 aren't far apart either. So similarities are moot. What bugs me is this: Classic Astons have fairly straight lines, understated and elegant etc. etc. Nowadays they're all extravagant details and curves. Meanwhile Jaguars have gone the other way around. Methinks Ford ownership was a bad step for AM enthusiasts

I'm propably going to get a lot of stick for saying this but a few comments gone early have highlighted the issue so maybe l won't but why do Aston keep selling the same car to us but just calling them different names. I mean don't get me wrong they are achingly beautiful cars (except the DBS which l think is trying too hard). but don't they all look the same? the V8 is a short DB9 and the DBS is a DB9 on steriods. the rapide is a long four door DB9. so am l missing something? everyone cries outrage when Porsche does it. but when Aston does it, its cool. and even the DB9 is a reworked DB7 although this time it was for the better. i'd have any of them any day without skipping a beat but l just the same shape and practically the same design is starting to wear on a bit. I won't waste my money on the DBS tho, i doubt l'll be able to exploit the subtle changes from the standard DB9 from the way l drive and on these british roads. plus l don't like the way it looks. too many louvres and bulges and scoops. come on its not a subaru. I'd rather buy the DB9 Volante and cruise along than buy that thing and feel uneasy when someone looks in my direction everytime l drive it.

65 AMG:

everyone cries outrage when Porsche does it. but when Aston does it, its cool.

 I think there's a difference between a small company keeping a 10 year old design going, and an absurdly rich company (backed by a powerful family of designers) keeping one going for forty years.

 

i doubt l'll be able to exploit the subtle changes from the standard DB9

Well, this is AM. The art of transforming a car (going from road tests) essentially by fiddling, right? Isn't that where the adage comes from, about waiting for the upgrade pack before buying the latest model?

l don't like the way it looks. too many louvres and bulges

Hear, hear!