Photos of the new Aston Martin DBS Superleggera flagship have leaked ahead of the car’s official debut, showing a stunning design that—according to allegedly leaked specs—will be backed up by a 715 horsepower jackhammer under the hood.
A number of automotive websites, including Carscoops and Autocar, have published evidently official images of the new, hotly-anticipated DBS Superleggera—images that show a gorgeous, DB-11-ish design, but with a big gaping grille, two large outboard intakes feeding heat exchangers, two hood vents, openings in the front fenders, and a lovely, thin taillight design sitting above a quad exhaust:
The two car websites claim that, according to leaked specs, the DBS Superleggera will get a 715 horsepower, 664 lb-t 5.2-liter V12 that—along with a ZF eight-speed auto—is capable of launching the sports car to 60 mph in 3.4 seconds.
While Carscoops doesn’t mention the source of these specs, Autocar attributes them to Topspeed, which has since removed its article on the DBS Superleggera, writing:
I know you’re coming here to see the new Aston Martin DBS Superleggera, and we did have the story right here, but that information was leaked, and Aston Martin has kindly asked us to remove it for now. Unfortunately, we’re not at liberty to share any information with you at this time...
Topspeed’s now-removed story claimed the 5.2-liter V12 made maximum torque from 1,800 rpm “all the way up to 5,000 rpm,” and that—after that torque goes through a ZF eight-speed “designed specifically to handle the extra torque”—it goes through a lower final-drive ratio and a mechanical limited slip differential.
Topspeed wrote in its story that the new DBS Superleggera is based on the DB11's mostly-aluminum platform, but loses 160 pounds (for a total of 3,733 pounds of heft) thanks to heavy use of carbon fiber body panels. Topspeed also described how the car manages to produce nearly 400 pounds of downforce, saying:
Up front, it has a honeycomb grille to go with a new splitter that pushes air under the vehicle for better downforce and brake cooling. There are redesigned fender vents for better airflow from the wheel wells and increased aerodynamic viability.
As for the beautiful quad exhaust, it apparently has “adjustable valves,” which should make the car both a total riot to hoon, but also livable in the city. The car allegedly sits 0.2-inches lower than that of the DB-11, and features an active suspension.
Stopping the car, Topspeed wrote in its story, is handled by carbon ceramic brakes, with giant 16.1-inch diameter front rotors clamped by six piston calipers, and 13.2-inch pizzas in the back squeezed by four-piston calipers.
“Pricing should start out around the $300,000 mark,” Topspeed estimated, going on to say buyers should be able to take ownership by the end of this year.
We’ll obviously have to wait until Aston Martin officially reveals the car before we know how accurate Topspeed’s information is (the site says it will “be able to share everything [it knows] with you at 3pm EST (8:00 pm BST) today”), but at the very least, the pictures look legit, and the car looks damn good.