Overall rating:

The DBS's relevance looked shaky with the introduction of the Aston Martin Virage, but a few carbon add-ons in this Carbon Edition give us the perfect excuse to revisit it. Age has done nothing to diminish its allure, the Carbon Edition appealing enormously.

Key Facts

Pricing: £186,582
Engine: 6.0-litre twelve-cylinder petrol
Transmission: six-speed automatic, rear-wheel drive
Body style: two-door coupé
Rivals: Ferrari 599 GTB, Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, Bentley Continental Supersports
CO₂ emissions: 367g/km
Combined economy: 18.2mpg
Top speed: 191mph
0-62mph: 4.3 seconds
Power: 510bhp at 6,500rpm
Torque: 420lb.ft at 5,750rpm

In the Metal:

The DBS has always split opinion here, some thinking its overt style a touch uncouth for an Aston Martin, others liking its confident, bold muscularity. Typically I've been in the former camp, but in metallic Flame orange with the Carbon Edition black carbon fibre accents it looks sensational. Certainly not as graceful as the Virage or DB9, but somehow it just looks right. The riot of air shaping and venting wings and scoops are enhanced by black highlights in carbon fibre, with the wing mirrors, brake light inserts, front aerofoils and rear diffuser constructed from the lightweight material.

Inside, the centre console dash top is carbon fibre too, while the headlining gets a quilted leather finish and there's carbon badging on the sills. The DBS also benefits from the new satnav system developed in conjunction with Garmin. As ever it's a great driving environment, fine, traditional leathers mixing with neat metal and plastics, the DBS refreshingly old school with analogue instruments and a lack of unnecessary gimmicky add-ons.

Driving it:

You'll be pleased with the lack of distractions when driving it, as winter roads and a 510bhp rear-wheel drive coupé makes for entertaining progress. Riding on winter tyres the DBS is a bit of a handful, it easy to get the rear tyres to relinquish their grip. The Carbon Edition is mechanically identical to other examples of the DBS, and having driven one on regular tyres in the summer it's not usually quite so willing to relinquish its grip. Still, the quick steering makes any unwanted slides relatively easy to gather up, and there's always the option of slowing down, deselecting Sport and letting the electronics rein in the wayward tail.

There's no fun in that though, the DBS providing huge entertainment in Sport mode with the ESP's thresholds a bit higher than in standard mode. It's no surprise that it's quick, but the savagery by which it accelerates is what's so amusing - even if the quoted 4.3-second 0-62mph time is comprehensively beaten by every competitor car listed above. It'd be near impossible to achieve it too with winter tyres on, the DBS spinning its wheels from standstill all the way up to and past the 62mph threshold - with ESP disabled.

Irresponsible, perhaps, but then the DBS is the kind of car that goads you into being a bit naughty; its character so much more boisterous than its more GT-orientated relatives. Blame the engine note and its ability to gain speed from anywhere in the rev range with real ferocity. Blame too the finely judged suspension, which allows you to carry the DBS's easily gained speed with real assurance, and brakes that never feel like they're going to give up stopping.

What you get for your Money:

In truth, you're paying for little more than a few bits of carbon fibre and a choice of some special paint finishes. This Flame Orange and Ceramic Grey example joins Carbon Black in the range, while there's not the option of a satin lacquer paint finish. Ten-spoked diamond black turned wheels also feature, these optionally available in full gloss black.

Worth Noting

The carbon fibre paddle shifters Aston Martin announced when the Carbon Edition was revealed haven't made it through to the production car. Instead, your expensively manicured fingers operate standard paddles, which is fine by us.

Summary

The Carbon model is an Aston DBS special edition that's so much more than the sum of its parts. It's also a reminder that, for all the fuss about the Virage, there's a car above it that's rawer in character, with the aggressive looks to match its savage pace. Winter tyres do it little favours, but being familiar with the DBS in the dry on standard rubber it's a good deal less fidgety. Rapid and extrovertly styled, the DBS has never sat too comfortably with us, but this car has changed that.