KEY POINTS:
Aston Martin has launched its flagship DBS in New Zealand. And there's a new James Bond flick on the way, called Quantum of Solace.
Conclusion: you're going to get really sick of reading Bond-themed stories about this car (it's the one Daniel Craig drove in Casino Royale and will again in the new movie).
So best I get in first. The DBS is exactly the kind of thing a secret agent needs. It's posh enough to pull up outside a casino in the south of France, yet its race-derived technology makes it a serious contender at 10/10ths on a mountain road.
The DBS looks almost exactly like a DB9, but it's not.
Yes, the DB9 was the base: but the DBS is $135,000 more expensive, and gets more power, reshaped lightweight carbon-fibre body panels (boot enclosure, boot lid, door surrounds, front guards and bonnet), special suspension with two-mode adaptive control and unique interior elements.
While the DB9 is a luxury sports car, the DBS is the sort of thing a gentleman racer might buy to use on the odd track day and do big skids on the way to work.
Aston Martin chief executive Ulrich Bez says: "The DBS delivers the ultimate driving experience and bridges the gap between our road and track cars - the DB9 and DBR9."
I got the DBS for four hours of free driving last week. So I can't really comment on how good the iPod integration is or how many sets of golf clubs you can fit in the boot, but I can tell you that it's a thing of awesome speed and chassis finesse if you're lucky enough to get it alone on your favourite back road.
Its 0-100km/h sprint time of 4.3 seconds is well and truly in the supercar league, but what's most remarkable is the sheer fluidity of the chassis. It's a car that really flatters smooth driving - it flows from bend to bend (and over big bumps) with incredible composure.
Cutting weight helps in the way it rides: Kiwi roads are famously bumpy, but the DBS was unflustered by wobbly backroads, even with the adaptive suspension set on Track mode.
The DBS doesn't tap you on the shoulder and want to play all the time like a Porsche 911 GT3 or Mercedes-Benz CLK Black Series.
But that's the essence of the car - it combines outrageous supercar performance with slick chassis dynamics. It's a class act.
DB9 or DBS, the sex appeal of this body shape is undeniable. But I'm unsure about the interior. Some of the trim reflects the racing theme, with Alcantara on the roof lining and carbon fibre door inserts.
But other bits go big on the bling, with garish switchgear and a highly polished alloy gear lever/surround. I loved the 10-way adjustable sports seats, but the optional storage "saddle" on top of our test car's transmission tunnel hindered the gear-changing arm.
James Bond rolled his DBS in Casino Royale and looks set to smash another into a quarry in the opening car-chase sequence of Quantum of Solace.
A stunt driver also managed to deposit one into Lake Garda by accident during filming of the same. But I delivered my DBS back to Independent Prestige in Auckland in one piece, unmolested by bad guys.
Ding da da da ding... you know my name (because there's a byline at the top of the story).
