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Aston Martin has unveiled its ‘most powerful production car ever’.
Called the DBS 770 Ultimate, it is the last version of its grand tourer with a heavily tuned V12 engine, launched in the British marque’s 110th anniversary year.
With a massive 759 horsepower from a 5.2-litre twin-turbo petrol engine, it can reach blazing speeds of up to 340 km/h.
Only 499 will be built as a swan song to its stunning GT model, costing over £300,000 each. But you might as well put your wallet back in your pocket, because Aston has already cashed on all deposits.
The Ultimate DBS: Dubbed the DBS 770 Ultimate, this is Aston Martin’s ‘most powerful production car ever’ and is the last version of its grand tourer to feature a heavily tuned V12 engine
As the name suggests, this is the luxury carmaker’s ultimate DBS Superleggera, saying goodbye to one of the brand’s finest existing models.
But the 770 guarantees it won’t make a silent exit.
Although promoted as the manufacturer’s ‘most powerful production car ever’, the key word to consider in this claim is ‘production’.
That’s because the 300 coupes (prices £314,000) and 199 Volante convertibles (£337,000 each) it has to make for the world market are enough to qualify it as a volume production model.
The reality is that this isn’t the most powerful road car to leave the Gaydon factory, with ‘exclusive’ models such as the unique 836bhp Aston Martin Victor and 150 1,160bhp Valkyrie hypercars surpassing it on horsepower alone.
Still, this minor caveat doesn’t make the DBS 770 Ultimate any less brutal… or loud.
The Aston Martin 770 Ultimate has been unveiled as the swan song DBS model as part of the British car company’s 110th anniversary in 2023
Although promoted as the manufacturer’s most powerful production car, “production” is the key word to consider. That’s because 499 units are enough to qualify it as a production model, despite a number of more powerful ‘exclusive’ Aston road cars leaving the Gaydon factory in recent years.
Aston Martin engineers have gone to great lengths to squeeze an additional 44 horsepower out of the 12-cylinder engine, mainly thanks to increased boost pressure and modified air and ignition routes, the car company says.
Mated to an eight-speed ZF automatic gearbox, power is transferred to the rear wheels via a mechanical limited-slip differential.
With a torque of 900 Nm, the DBS 770 Ultimate can sprint from standstill to 100 km/h (coupé) in just 3.2 seconds and accelerate to over 320 km/h.
Aside from the engine, there are some other changes made from the ‘standard’ DBS.
While sharing the same carbon-ceramic brake setup, it features exclusive 21-inch wheels inspired by the Valkyrie hypercar and reportedly sporting a “jeweled look.”
The suspension has also been upgraded, with the adaptive dampers recalibrated to provide extra agility without ruining ride quality, while other chassis tweaks have increased torsional stiffness by three percent.
Marek Reichman, Aston Martin’s chief creative officer, announced his arrival: ‘DBS has always been at the forefront of Aston Martin’s production models. And now we’re adding DBS 770 Ultimate with even more…more power, more performance purity and all with more refinement, more flavor and in the most thoughtful way possible.
“Something so raw and yet so beautiful it’s almost intimidating to look at.
“Through this design approach, we got to the shapes – starting with the reinforced front – and from there everything else flows into design balance with the performance upgrades.”
With a torque of 900 Nm, the DBS 770 Ultimate can sprint from standstill to 100 km/h (coupé) in 3.2 seconds and accelerate beyond 200 km/h
Although it shares the same carbon-ceramic brake setup, it has exclusive 21-inch wheels that are said to be inspired by the Valkyrie hypercar and have a “jeweled look.”
One of the design changes to the ‘standard’ DBS is this deeply recessed hood scoop, which is designed to draw air through the radiators to improve cooling
As Mr. Reichman points out, it shouldn’t be a difficult task to identify the 499 limited-edition 770 Ultimate from a ‘regular’ DBS.
The all-round more aggressive swan song versions are accentuated by a new carbon fiber sill. The company says this “visually lowers the side profile toward the rear wheel” and “creates a balanced stance that accentuates the DBS’s muscular physique.”
It also gets a unique combination of front splitter and rear diffuser, a deeply recessed hood air intake to draw air through the radiators to improve cooling, and a touch of extra carbon fiber trim and louvers.
Inside, the carbon improvements continue with this flat-bottomed steering wheel and dashes of the lightweight material on the center console
Even the paddles of the eight-speed ZF automatic gearbox are made from feather-light carbon fiber, all with the aim of losing mass
The bucket seat chassis is made of carbon fiber, while the minimal padding is a mix of leather and Alcantara materials
Inside, the carbon improvements continue and include a pair of new front bucket seats upholstered in leather and Alcantara, a flat-bottomed steering wheel and the guidance of carbon fiber paddle shifters.
The 499 customers who already have their name on the available cars can push the price of their DBS 770 Ultimate even higher if they wish through additional customization available through Aston Martin’s Q division.
This ranges from everything including bespoke graphics packages, unique wheel colors and contrasting leather finishes.
And it’s not the only limited-edition model the British car company is promising in 2023 as part of its 110th anniversary, with another unnamed Aston Martin set to be unveiled as part of the celebration.
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