Like most folks, I ignore most of the emails from dealerships. Most of them are just ads, but I probably get a few hundred of these a week, so it takes something special to catch my attention. Then Aston Martin of San Diego dropped something attention grabbing in my inbox and I can’t stop thinking about it. It’s time we talked about the 2007-2012 DBS.
The particular listing is for this 2009 Aston-Martin DBS in silver with 14,588 miles and a manual transmission. Current asking price is $134,998, or the cost of a modest house in some areas.
This isn’t a car that needs much in the way of explanation. It’s what James Bond very briefly drove in Casino Royale before he flipped it a dozen times. However, it’s a car that even today makes you look like a superstar. That can’t be said for too many high-end and exotic cars that have a decade on them.
Our resident James Bond aficionado and Aston Martin fan, Justin Westbrook, went on record saying “The DBS is probably the best modern Aston Martin.”
I tend to agree. Sure, the new hypercars like the Valkyrie and such will have staggering performance, but I would much rather spend the money I don’t have on this DBS as there are few other cars that combine crowd-stopping looks, V12 power, and three pedals on the floor.
Is there a better car of a similar vintage? You might be able to make the argument for the Ferrari F430, which is one of my favorites, however to most folks you would just be someone who bought an old Ferrari.
An Aston is different. An Aston is distinct. Plus this isn’t a smaller V12 Vantage or anything. This was the big coupe of its day. Less racy, more refined. More distinguished.
If you think there is a better candidate for a 10-year-old car, let me know. I’m just staring at this DBS not thinking of anything else.