What's all this about?

Aston Martin has revealed the DBS’s swansong: the new DBS 770 Ultimate. Limited to just 499 examples, it’s the last stop for the current DBS, which will go out of production later this year. With an uprated engine, enhanced performance and more driver engagement, the 770 Ultimate is described by its maker as “an emphatic last word” for the V12 DBS.

110 years? That's quite a milestone...

It is indeed. Lionel Martin and Robert Bamford, Aston Martin’s founders, first made their partnership official on January 15, 1913, and the company intends to celebrate properly. And so it should. The brand started life in a small workshop in London to become the star of James Bond films and one of the most desirable luxury car brands in the world.

What makes this DBS so ultimate?

Like the ‘standard’ DBS, the Ultimate comes with a massive 5.2-litre twin-turbocharged V12 engine, but Aston Martin has made some changes. The company has squeezed an extra few horses from the engine, taking the total output to 770hp and 900Nm of torque, which heads to the rear wheels via an eight-speed ZF gearbox with its own bespoke calibration.

As well as tuning the straight-line performance, Aston Martin has fitted a new steering column and tweaked the underpinnings for greater handling prowess. The whole car is stiffer than before, with an enhanced front cross member and a thicker rear undertray, while the damping has been tweaked to improve “composure” without “compromise to the ride quality”.

Looks like there are changes to the body, too...

There are indeed. Aston Martin has increased air flow to the radiators, thanks to a horseshoe vent in the bonnet and a new front splitter. The company has also added a carbon-fibre windscreen surround and carbon-fibre mirror caps, while a new carbon-fibre sill element visually lowers the side profile towards the rear wheel. There are changes to the rear diffuser, too, maintaining the aerodynamic balance from front to rear.

The DBS 770 Ultimate also benefits from new and unique 21-inch wheels available in a choice of finishes. Pirelli P Zero tyres are standard on all cars.

What about the inside?

Yep, there are changes there, too. The car gets Sports Plus Seats trimmed in full semi-aniline leather and Alcantara, complete with a ‘fluted’ quilt and perforation pattern as standard, although an even more performance-orientated seat can be specified as an option. The car gets bespoke schemes, too, including contrast colours linked to welt and stitching, and a tailor-made centre arm rest strap and buckle badge with a laser-etched DBS 770 Ultimate logo. Carbon-fibre gear shift paddles are also fitted as standard.

Naturally, the DBS 770 Ultimate is available with a range of Q by Aston Martin bespoke features, including graphics options, painted wheels and tinted carbon fibre, as well as trim inlays and woven seat inserts.

What does Aston Martin have to say about it?

“When an iconic model generation reaches the end of production it is important to mark the occasion with something special,” said Aston Martin’s chief technology officer, Roberto Fedeli. “In the case of the DBS 770 Ultimate, we have spared nothing in ensuring the final version of our current series production flagship is the best-ever in every respect. Not only is it the fastest and most powerful DBS in our history, thanks to a comprehensive suite of improvements to the transmission, steering, suspension, and underbody structure; it is also the best to drive.”

So how much is it?

Aston Martin hasn’t confirmed a price for the DBS 770 Ultimate, but it has admitted that all 499 cars are sold, with production beginning during the early part of this year. Some 300 of those cars will be coupes, while the remainder will be convertibles. The first examples are set for delivery in the third quarter of 2023.

James Fossdyke - 12 Jan 2023