THE SOPHISTICATED CHOICE
Getting to know a luxury car brand that has continued to impress for more than a century
Cars, like people, are made different. Some are made to blaze at first sight while others spark your passion like a steady ember that lasts through the night. There are some that require more attention and care while others give you comfort and stability. In pop culture, the Aston Martin is known as James Bond’s choice. For racers, it’s the successful racing heritage that started the founding of the company that spans for more than 100 years. For motoring enthusiasts, it is the handcrafted, high performance, highly-engineered marque that combines both comfort and performance in one unique and elegant package.
WHY AN ASTON MARTIN
Supercars are not only interesting, but also exciting.
They have aggressive design cues—the smell of handcrafted leather and bespoke ambiance, the feel of the power on your hands, and the sound of the engine under the hood.
If you are going to profile Aston Martin owners, they are sophisticated, made, and experienced in enjoying the best things in life. They appreciate the car's uniqueness and its atypical presence on the road and understand the amount of work and technology that goes into making this automotive masterpiece.
What I like about it, is that it is very understated. It’s not as blinding as other cars, but it still captivates the eye with a note of curiosity and mysterious flare.
In our experience with the Vantage S, Aston Martin’s single most successful model in history, there are no sacrifices on both comfort and performance. On local roads, getting used to the engine’s temperament during traffic might be a challenge, but on the open road, the car is a delight to drive. I appreciate its seating configurations that maximize the generous leg space provided. On the other hand, my husband never tires of its distinctive exhilarating exhaust sound at high rpm.
Some Gran Touring cars (those good for long drives) forgo performance on the track to provide the comfort needed for everyday driving. The Vantage S is comparable with our Formula V1 cars on the straights; It felt balanced on the corners and well-planted while turning, and afforded a lot of mechanical grip. Thus giving drivers confidence in the car.
THE NEW VANTAGE
On its latest incarnation, the Vantage features a sleeker and more understated look. It is also the first Aston Martin to be fitted with Electronic Rear Differential which will allow better power delivery in different surface situations.
Under the hood is a new alloy, 4-litre twin-turbo V8 engine in place. Set low and as far back in the chassis as possible for optimal center-of-gravity and perfect 50:50 weight distribution, this high performance, high-efficiency engine returns a CO2 figure of 245g/km yet develops 510PS at 6000rpm and 685Nm from 2000-5000rpm. With a dry weight of 1530kg, this gives the new Vantage formidable power-to-weight and torque-to-weight ratios at the throttle.
THE ULTIMATE: DBS SUPERLEGGERA.
Coming to Philippine shores is a pure thoroughbred that marks the return of not one, but two illustrious names. With DBS, Aston Martin is reviving an iconic nameplate that first appeared in 1967, while Superleggera pays homage to the innovative lightweight construction methods pioneered by an Italian coachbuilder, Touring.
In the new DBS Superleggera, Aston Martin has a
Super GT with sculpted carbon fibre body panels encasing a 5.2-liter twin-turbo V12 engine, tuned to produce tremendous power and immense torque for breathtaking response and extraordinary in-gear performance.
DBS Superleggera replaces the esteemed Vanquish S with 725PS, 900Nm of torque, a top speed of 211mph, and acceleration that dispatches 0-62mph in just 3.4 seconds and 0-100mph in 6.4 seconds.
Taking cues from their Formula 1 experience, the car is designed with compelling curves and advanced aerodynamics; making it a precision tool with the best downforce never seen in an Aston Martin before.
DBS Superleggera deploys its prodigious power and torque to the rear wheels via a new rear-mounted ZF eightspeed automatic transmission. It combines the responses of a supercar with the refinement of a GT, with the capability of a maximum speed of 211mph.
The chassis is made with the lightweight bonded aluminum structure first seen on the DB11. The latest generation adaptive damping is fitted as standard, with sensors detecting the prevailing driving conditions. Both the powertrain and chassis have a choice of three dynamic modes—GT, Sport, and Sport Plus—which can be selected by the driver to intensify or relax DBS Superleggera’s responses according to the needs of the driver.
As with most supercars, the DBS Superleggera gives you an extensive scope of personalization and a generous level of standard equipment, including keyless entry, tire pressure monitoring system, and a 360-degree camera with Parking Distance Display and Park Assist. The audio system has DAB plus Bluetooth audio and phone streaming, iPod, iPhone, and USB playback. There is also an integrated satellite navigation system and Wi-Fi hub. All the in-car infotainment systems use a central LCD screen, controlled via a central dial.
A POWERFUL RESURGENCE
Aston Martin President and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Andy Palmer said: “DBS Superleggera not only marks the return of a great Aston Martin name but signals our return to the very pinnacle of the Super GT sector. Handsome beyond measure, its lightweight carbon composite and aluminum body is sculpted into shape with tremendous presence and charisma. Thanks to the remarkable torque available from its twin-turbo V12, DBS Superleggera also packs a breathtaking punch, yet its dynamics have been carefully honed to engage drivers of all ability levels. Immaculately styled, obsessively engineered and outrageously potent, the new DBS Superleggera is every inch the Aston Martin flagship”.
Whatever your choice, it remains a personal one, a reflection of your priorities and stature in life. People in motoring echo what people in fashion say about clothes, being “art that you wear.” Cars, in this manner, are “art that transport you to different places.”
On this note, an Aston Martin would be a hand-built, high-performance moving masterpiece.