Cool car, this dbs. But only she is incomprehensible to us or to herself. Oddly enough, but such an impression we had from the very moment of its appearance. It seems that she seeks to be something like 599 GTB, but his relatively sluggish V12 engine, multiplied by the DB9 architecture, which does not allow the use of all the potential that is in full force, does not cope with the assigned duties.
It will be reasonable to note that the automatic box is unlikely to at least somehow affect this, but perhaps it will become a key of clarity, it will show what the DBS actually is. This model had to find your place in this world for a long time, maybe now it will turn out? The decision to install the “automatic” as an addition to the “mechanics”, on Aston it ripened for engineers last year. Lonely mechanics became frankly weak DBS place. The chief engineer of the project Daiv Dudi explains such a mistake with a dilem: «We did not know where to start, to which to adapt the car first …». The automatic gearbox from ZF was then rejected, but when the same transmission showed itself on DB9, the decision to make another gearbox for DBS did not force itself to wait.
ZF made a more rigid and strong body for the transmission, strengthened mobile mechanisms inside it, and also set up a new control system. “So many new extreme settings, so many changes — and everything is so fast, soon, we did not even have time to track all the changes. As a result, due to new details, the transmission had to be placed just below, it did not fit in the old transmission tunnel, ”Dudi says with a laugh. But it was the right choice. The final result was beyond any expectations: to control the box with the help of steering wheel petals and buttons on the dashboard is very convenient, the transfers are moved quickly and smoothly, there is almost no interruptions in traction. Even in «Drive» mode -the box works just fine.
The thumb presses the “Sport” button — one switch using a convenient aluminum plate, and here we get full control over the machine. Switching down, do not particularly press the “Speech to the Paul” — otherwise the interior will be filled with an explosion of power, and the tachometer arrow will take off to the limiter, which is 6800 rpm. The switching is simply lightning fast, the box perfectly sorts through the gears, while maintaining the torque in a wide range of revolutions.
Let the transmission switch quickly in motion, but when changing the rear speed modes and moving forward it has a lack — between these modes there is another “n” — neutral. Thus, moving from reverse, you must first turn on the neutral, and only then the “Drive” mode is activated for further movement forward. Otherwise, the box is very good, but she clearly lacks a sports nature. This is also supported by heavy, forever exposed to V12 inertia, which gives a huge torque, but the desire to use this very moment disappears already in the third gear-all due to the same severity of the engine of 5. 9 liters. The engine seems to be glad to provide all its newtonometers, but after having passed the arrow 2/3 of the tachometer scale, this desire is becoming more and more vague. Touchtronic raises the price of DBS by £ 3000 compared to the standard. Another way to raise the price for the same amount is to order an audio system Bang & Lufsen (if you value decibels and purity of sound, then this option is simply irreplaceable). The list of additional equipment also added new 20-inch 10-spice wheels (saving 2 kg each). You can also finally install chairs for the rear passengers.