The 2021 Aston Martin DBS Superleggera is one of the most impressive vehicles to come out of British automaker Aston Martin in a long time. It’s a super grand tourer with a V12 engine, sleek styling, and a whopper of a price tag. The DBS Superleggera is available in two different body styles. There’s the two door coupe and the stunning droptop volante. The DBS Superleggera delivers a phenomenal ride quality and might be one of the last great front engine V12 supercars.
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Powerful Engineering of the 2021 Aston Martin DBS Superleggera
The 2021 Aston Martin DBS Superleggera is fitted with a 5.2 Liter bi-turbo V12 engine. It’s capable of achieving 715 horsepower and 663 pound feet of torque. The engine is mid-mounted but accessible from the front of the vehicle. With the optional carbon fiber casing, the engine has an artistic beauty all its own.
The Superleggera coupe can reach a top track speed of 211 miles per hour and travel from naught to 62 MPH in 3.4 seconds. The volante is only a few tenths of a second off those numbers. An 8 speed ZF automatic transmission shunts power to the rear wheels of the DBS Superleggera. It has electrically controlled exhaust and the roar is absolutely intoxicating.
The suspension setup features independent double wishbone coil springs in the front and a multi-link coil spring system in the rear. The Superleggera’s suspension is bolstered by an Adaptive Dampening System (ADS). It has three different settings: GT, Sport, and Sport Plus.
The Superleggera has serious stopping power to match its blistering acceleration. There are carbon ceramic brakes discs in the front and rear. There are also eight different electronic stability control systems at play here such as hydraulic brake assist, dynamic torque vectoring and electronic brakeforce distribution.
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The Exterior Style of the Aston Martin DBS Superleggera
At first glance, the DBS Superleggera definitely has the look of the Aston Martin stable. It has a large mesh grille in the front that flows air right over a finely sculpted clamshell bonnet. The hood opens from rear to front. There are large air intake ports in the lower portion of the front fascia and in the side paneling, as well. The profile of this supercar is complemented by 21-inch Y-spoke wheels wrapped in Pirelli P Zero tires. The rear fenders are wide and muscular. The rear track is also much wider than the front. Whether full titanium or matte black, the quad exhaust ports highlight the rear of the vehicle quite nicely. In truth, the body style of the DBS Superleggera is just a blueprint. Owners can choose from a myriad of colors and fully customize the Superleggera before it drives off the lot.
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The DBS Superleggera Cockpit
The 2021 Aston Martin DBS Superleggera promises luxury at your own specification. Owners can fully customize their cockpit with a wealth of choices in accents, upholstery, colors, and amenities. Perhaps Porsche is the only other automaker that offers this level of selection. Everything from the ceiling headliner to the carpet on the floorboards can be customized, even the color of your seatbelt restraints. If creativity isn’t your strong point, then Aston Martin’s designers are more than happy to outfit the DBS Superleggera in a finely tailored trim. Double-O Seven would be proud.
There are several upholstery choices – full leather, two-toned leather and Alcantara. Some of the leather packages can be downright garish with bright red, yellow or loud blue tones. The quilted pattern and contrast stitching of the leather upholstery gives the cockpit an almost reptilian aesthetic. Aside from full leather, the DBS Superleggera can be outfitted with an Alcantara environment, giving it a softer and sportier vibe.
This is a driver’s vehicle. It’s better suited for two occupants, but there is room for four passengers inside the DBS Superleggera. The interior of the DBS Superleggera is missing a ton of touchscreen real estate though. Most luxury vehicles look like movie theaters on wheels, but the Superleggera is much more austere. The center stack of the Superleggera has push button controls for most essential functions and a small touchscreen above the air conditioning vents. There’s also a digital instrument cluster for the driver. Otherwise, there isn’t much inside the cockpit to take your attention away from the driving experience.
Staying Safe in the DBS Superleggera
As is the case with most supercars, you shouldn’t expect technological safety features like lane keeping assist and pedestrian detection. The Aston Martin DBS Superleggera doesn’t sacrifice space for these amenities. It does come with electronic stability controls and extra large ceramic brakes.
However, there are some safety features that might surprise you. This supercar comes with a 360 degree camera and parking sensors in the front and rear. There’s a tire pressure monitoring system, advanced airbags around the cabin, and blind spot detection. For the most part, you’ve got to do all the work when it comes to keeping this V12 beast under control.
Aston Martin at the Finish Line
The 2021 Aston Martin DBS Superleggera is hard to criticize. It’s elegant, powerful, and timely. Aston Martin delivers the super GT at a moment when the automotive industry as a whole is preparing to pivot toward electrification. That makes V12 supercars like the DBS Superleggera something like a time-stamped masterpiece.
Part of the delight in owning a DBS Superleggera from Aston Martin is customizing the vehicle. There are endless style options at your disposal, so each DBS Superleggera has the potential to be personalized to the owner’s preference. You can go for subtle sophistication or hate-me-now brashness. It’s all there in the optional equipment list.
The Aston Martin DBS Superleggera can cost upwards of $300,000. Clearly, it’s priced in the supercar stratosphere. There are cheaper supercars on the market, but few that can match the Superleggera’s charm and panache. It’s a singular automobile. The name translates to “superlight” but this is a heavy vehicle. The rear wheels can be a bit difficult to scoot around corners, but once you do, there’s nothing but horsepower waiting to fill the gap.