Blast from the past?

Sort of yes and sort of no. The image above shows the evocative script of Touring Superleggera, the Italian coachbuilder that started life in 1925 and collaborated with Aston Martin on a handful of cars through the years, including the DB4, DB5 and DB6 (mark I). But the iconic text is now to be applied to an all-new model from the British car maker, the 2018 Aston DBS Superleggera.

Where does that fit in?

It's to be Aston Martin's 'flagship Super GT', which means it replaces the Vanquish to sit above the new Vantage and DB11 with a distinctly sporting remit. Aston even hints that it'll live up to the Superleggera part of its name, meaning 'superlight' in Italian. We're told that it'll go up against such talented opposition as the Ferrari 812 Superfast.

It'll need some power so...

Indeed, though Aston hasn't told us anything about what's under that vented bonnet. It's fair to assume it's a version of the company's twin-turbo V12 found in the DB11.

What has Aston told you?

Well, Marek Reichman, Chief Creative Officer of the company, said, "When you hear the name DBS Superleggera, you know what it is. It's the definitive Aston Martin Super GT. It's an icon, a statement and this one will be no different. We've pushed the boundaries of performance and design to give this car a distinct character and ensure it's worthy of the heritage and weight that this name carries."

Anything to add?

Aston first used the DBS name in 1967 and then brought it back 40 years later for the DB9-based sports coupe. We'll see more of the new DBS Superleggera in the coming month or two apparently.

Shane O' Donoghue - 18 Apr 2018