Aston Martin DBS 770 Ultimate Edition: Let’s take it for a ride

Those of you waiting for Aston Martin’s bold step into a new electrified future will have to wait a little longer. This isn’t that car, nor (we suspect) the next one, or even the next one. Instead, the Aston Martin DBS 770 Ultimate Edition is designed to showcase a model and engine that have been at the core of the Aston Martin experience for many years.

Taking the Aston Martin DBS 770 Ultimate for a spin

All 499 units of the series have already been pre-sold, of which 300 are coupés and 199 are open-top Volante models. We tried the former, testing the Warwickshire-based company’s own example of this finished Collector’s Edition.

Since debuting in 2018 as a much more powerful, redesigned and improved version of the DB11, the DBS has been Aston Martin’s flagship model. The DBS name itself dates back to the 1970s, but in the modern era there was a notable predecessor in the 2007 DBS, which had a similar visual and mechanical relationship to the Aston Martin DB9.

The original DBS models were given the “Superleggera” designation, a historical name that was somewhat at odds with the car’s size and weight. For the past two years, “superlight” has been quietly dropped. In the case of the ‘770 Ultimate’, the number refers to the engine’s power in PS (‘PferdStarke’, or metric horsepower), making it the most powerful production Aston Martin has ever made.

There are tweaks throughout the machine to get that power down without incident. Front and rear spoilers and diffusers have been improved, and there are dynamic changes such as a new steering column, firmer transverse bracing and a retuned suspension. The Ultimate Edition can also be recognized by the horseshoe engine vent on the massive front hood and the lavish application of carbon fiber trim wherever possible.

The engine itself has had increased turbo boost and other tuning improvements to increase power output, with a responsive 5.2-litre 12-cylinder inline and a proper seven. The 8-speed transmission and carbon ceramic brakes are carried over from the ‘standard’ model, while the 21-inch wheels are a new model-specific design.

In the metal, the DBS 770 Ultimate has an unmatched presence. It really is one of the most beautiful machines produced by this aesthetics-obsessed car company, a perfect combination of traditional proportions, muscular details and flowing lines. The interior hasn’t aged so well, although the touch of leather and the V12’s punch more than made up for any misgivings about the aged screens and design. Treat the DBS as an instant classic, not a cutting-edge device, and it makes a lot more sense.

Options and accessories are a bottomless well of possibilities, ranging from a four-piece bespoke luggage set to a unique drinks box, as well as the full attention of the bespoke division Q by Aston Martin, if you need more.

It would be a shame if none of these final models are used properly. The DBS has always been a fantastically romantic grand tourer, marrying the joy of travel with the unhindered ability to move forward, thanks to that ever-eager V12. The DBS 770 Ultimate increases power by a noticeable amount, with just 3.2 seconds needed for the sprint to 60; double to reach 100 mph. Acceleration under way is simply amazing, regardless of which of the car’s three drive modes – GT, Sport and Sport+ – is engaged, and the theoretical top speed of 211mph remains indecently high and practically unattainable.

The breadth of this car’s capability is impressive. The big Aston is just as at home on a fast stretch of motorway, completely planted and stable, its engine barely revving at high speed, as it is on winding roads through the Cotswolds. The steering is communicative and quick, the throttle response instant, the sound unmistakable.

There’s very little subtlety at play, but that’s exactly what the DBS has always been; a strong character with a charm that conquers everything. With two years to go before the first pure electric vehicle to wear the famous winged badge breaks cover, AM still has time to review, revise and refine its traditional front-engine range. The V12 might be gone for good, making for a fond but fierce goodbye.