2008 Aston Martin DBS
 
2008 Aston Martin DBS Specifications
Chassis
Brakes F/R:ABS, vented disc/vented disc
Tires F-R:245/35 R20 - 295/30 R20
Driveline:Rear Wheel Drive
Engine
Type:V12
Displacement cu in (cc):362 (5935)
Power bhp (kW) at RPM:510(380) / 6500
Torque lb-ft (Nm) at RPM:420(570) / 5750
Redline at RPM:n.a.
Exterior
Length × Width × Height in:185.9 × 81.1 × 50.4
Weight lb (kg):3737 (1695)
Performance
Acceleration 0-60 mph s:4.1
Top Speed mph (km/h):191 (302)
Fuel Economy EPA city/highway mpg (l/100 km):n.a.
Base Price: 2008 Aston Martin DBS - $265,000
2008 Aston Martin DBS Pictures

Aston Martin Introduces the Ultimate Luxury Sports Car – the DBS

Aston Martin will unveil one of the most eagerly anticipated cars of the year when the new DBS is revealed at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance on August 16th, where the company takes a starring role as the featured marque.

Aston Martin Chief Executive Officer, Dr Ulrich Bez, said: "The DBS is the ultimate expression of Aston Martin's engineering and technical ability. It offers pure performance without compromise.

"The DBS delivers the complete driving experience and bridges the gap between our road and track cars - the DB9 and DBR9."

Equally at home on a twisting mountain circuit as on the open road, the DBS is a true thoroughbred. The Aston Martin DBS is a 6.0-liter V12 powered, race-bred, two-seater shaped by the aerodynamic demands of high performance, with an exquisite interior that marries beautifully hand-finished materials with the very latest in performance technology.

A combination of elegant design, innovative manufacturing processes, race-derived materials and components and Aston Martin's unrivalled hand-build expertise makes the DBS a luxury sports car without equal. Every line, crease and curve conveys the enormous potential of the DBS, a seductive blend of refinement and raw power, provided by the hand-built V12 producing 510 bhp, a top speed of 191 mph and a 0-60 mph time of 4.1 seconds.

Performance

The need for high-performance stability, handling ability and low kerb weight defined the DBS's form and construction. Accordingly, the DBS becomes the first production Aston Martin to make extensive use of ultra-light carbon-fiber body panels. High levels of performance and control are delivered by the combination of inherent light weight, near-perfect weight distribution, a supremely powerful and flexible V12 engine, and a performance-honed six-speed transmission, together with new carbon ceramic brakes and an adaptive damper controlled suspension system.

At the heart of the DBS is a 6.0-liter V12 engine. As with all current Aston Martins, it is hand-assembled at Aston Martin's dedicated engine facility in Cologne, Germany. The classic 6.0-liter V12 features a number of power-increasing enhancements. These include a 'by-pass' engine air intake port that opens above 5500 rpm to allow more air into the engine, and re-profiled air inlet ports that further improve airflow into the combustion chamber. Combined with a compression ratio of 10.9:1, the result of these enhancements is prodigious power and torque: the DBS delivers 510 bhp at 6500 rpm. The 3.71:1 final-drive ratio ensures that the additional power is usable, enhancing in-gear acceleration in particular.

Design

The DBS is manufactured using the finest materials, with a combination of hand-finishing and pioneering high-technology processes. From the exceptional quality of the design and finish to the advanced production techniques employed to save weight and create strength, the DBS is both a technological masterpiece and a powerful visual and tactile experience, inside and out.

The external detailing reflects the power and dynamic abilities of the DBS, with revised inlets and enlarged grilles that deliver more air into the engine and increase its cooling capacity. Subtle design details include a new five-bar design for the polished alloy main grille, as well as two additional vents in the enlarged power bulge on the carbon-fiber bonnet. These vents are entirely functional, improving engine performance and efficiency, yet also communicating the increased power output of the uprated V12 engine.

The DBS's aerodynamic enhancements are shaped by Aston Martin's racing experience. A carbon-fiber splitter and a new front bumper design help channel airflow around the car's wider bodywork. The aerodynamics team worked hand in hand with the modeling team to ensure that the forms and surfaces of DBS were sculpted for inherent stability at high speeds.

Interior

The interior of the DBS represents the epitome of Aston Martin's commitment to using materials honestly, without disguise or embellishment. Lightweight materials are used throughout to save weight; door pulls are made from carbon-fiber, for example, and the carpet has been woven with lighter fibers to save weight. Special semi-aniline leather is used throughout the cabin, saving weight as well as giving a soft feel and distinctive aroma.

As an option the DBS may be equipped with specially developed lightweight seats (outside North America). These feature a carbon-fiber and Kevlar composite structure and are manufactured by a supplier to the motorsport and aviation industries before being returned to Aston Martin's Gaydon factory for hand-trimming. The structure is created by sandwiching a layer of Kevlar between two layers of carbon-fiber with the outer finish left exposed on the seat backs, lacquered to create a durable and attractive finish.

The start sequence of the DBS is augmented by an all-new centre console design with a cast metal surround, crisp typography and new graphics. The new console has a traditional dial-face clock at the centre, flanked by two rotary controls for the heating and air-conditioning system, fashioned from solid, turned aluminum.

Deliveries of the DBS are expected to commence during quarter one 2008, with prices to be confirmed at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September.

Posted byAkl at 20:54 0 comments  

MUGEN tunes the 2010 Honda Insight

MUGEN tunes the 2010 Honda InsightAn exciting piece of news for hybrid sports car fans: MUGEN, the experienced Japanese tuning firm responsible for years of Civics and Accords miles in front of their stock counterparts, has developed and released a tuning program for the as-yet-unreleased Honda Insight.

While the Insight is similar to the Prius in nearly every way, including styling and powertrain, the very idea of a TRD Prius sounds completely ridiculous. MUGEN's relationship with Honda is longstanding, think Ford and Roush here in the States, and you can bet that if a MUGEN-tuned Honda Insight is making such a loud entrance, it is fully sanctioned by the Insight's builder.

Specifics under the hood are nothing fancy by tuner car standards. A new performance intake is paired with an oil cooler to supposedly keep the gasoline and electric motors stoked and cooled, and larger, wider alloys should make a huge difference on the road.

If Honda's current product line is any indication, a factory Insight should prove more agile and spirited in driving than its Toyota hybrid counterpart. MUGEN would not be putting their name in front of the car without some degree of confidence that the Insight tuning package makes a tangilble performance difference.

The new MUGEN Honda Insight even features an aero kit MUGEN claimes significantly improves the Insight's already-stellar aerodynamics, complete with rear spoiler. What?

The MUGEN-tuned Honda Insight is not expected to be offered as a standalone model in the United States, but enterprising tuners will of course get their hands on the parts. A Ronn Scorpion, Tesla or Fisker is one thing, but a sub-$20,000 hybrid car with real tuner potential?

Depending on critical reception to the 2010 Honda Insight's driving dynamics, the MUGEN Insight may seem like one of the greatest business decisions in the entire energy efficient car industry, or a big joke.

Posted byAkl at 20:48 0 comments  

New Lamborghini to be unveil at Paris Auto Show


Lamborghini is trying some marketing technique by releasing some teaser images prior to the Paris Motor Show on the 2nd October. Try to guess what are all this pictures all about. It is predicted that Lamborghini will unveil LB 715-5 or 83X or both. Take a peek into the upcoming new Lamborghini.

Posted byAkl at 20:46 0 comments  

BMW 6-series coupe concept revealed



BMW AG will give its new 6-series coupe a more classically elegant form than the bullish appearance of the existing car.

The new-generation 6 series will debut later this month at the Paris auto show as a concept that will be very close to the production car.

The concept's refined styling was first shown on the four-door Grand Coupe concept in April at the Beijing auto show and it provides the 6 series with clear visual links to other recent BMW models.

Most notably, there's a strong resemblance to the 5 series with which it shares rear-wheel-drive underpinnings.

The new 6 series continues BMW's design revolution under Adrian von Hooydonk, whose mold-breaking Z9 Grand Turismo concept car first shown in 1999 laid down the styling template for today's 6 series.

“With this car, I feel like I have come full circle. I was lucky enough to influence today's 6 series, and I've also been heavily involved in defining the new look of the coupe concept,” he said.

Despite its billing as a concept, von Hooydonk confirms that the production version of the new 6 series will get only minor changes, including different mirror housings, tailpipes and less flamboyant wheels. “What you see is largely what we intend to place into production,” he said.

The 6 series receives what von Hooydonk describes as “a shark-like nose” featuring highly technical headlamp graphics (to be offered with optional LED corona lenses like those featured on the concept), a forward-leaning kidney grille and a full air duct within the lower part of the bumper designed to accentuate width.

The long hood -- a design cue reflecting the 6 series' longitudinal engine mounting -- is more contoured than before, and like the rest of the car's steel body, it boasts tauter surfacing than today's somewhat bloated-looking model.

The addition of chrome around the side window graphic, which is virtually similar to that of the first-generation model, is aimed at enhancing overall elegance, giving the new 6 series a more upmarket flavor.


ENLARGE
The production 6 series will be similar to the Paris concept, shown.
At the rear there are characteristic L-shaped taillights that use LED graphics similar to those seen on the 5 series. The trunk is also more integrated than before and now boasts a subtle spoiler integrated into the metal.

A fabric roof convertible version is also due in 2011.

BMW hasn't provided official figures, but company insiders confirm that the new 6 series is virtually the same length though it's a good deal wider and slightly lower than the current car.

It also boasts an incremental increase in wheelbase along with wider tracks front and rear -- measures that help ensure the confident stance of the current model is retained. The added dimensions also boost interior accommodation, most notably in the rear.

Driver's car

Inside, BMW's design team gave the new 6 series a unique asymmetrical dashboard that channels the German carmaker's early models by adding a center console angled toward the driver.

“It's a coupe, a driver's car,” von Hooydonk said. “We think it should have a more driver-centric feel than our regular models.”

BMW is not revealing the engine line, though the 6 series will use an eight-speed automatic transmission. Topping the range will be a successor to the M6 running a twin-turbocharged V8 in combination with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.

Posted byAkl at 20:42 0 comments  

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