Porsche 911 vs Aston Martin DBS

What's the difference?

Personally (and I’m expecting some hate from the fans in the comments), I hope Marvel slows down on the superhero movies and shows, but Porsche can keep doing its thing if cars like the 911 Dakar are the result.

It’s certainly a very niche offering, and one that will almost certainly go to collectors in this instance. But even that didn’t stop Porsche from investing in proper off-road upgrades to ensure the 911 Dakar is just as capable in its element as the 911 GT3 is in its and every other member of the range. 

There’s been no official word from Porsche, but my hope is the 911 Dakar follows the same scenario we saw the the previous-generation 911 R. That was another strictly limited special edition, basically a GT3 without the big wing, and it was so popular it spawned the 911 GT3 with Touring Package for this latest generation.

It may be unusual and unlikely, but the 911 Dakar is also unquestionably a great addition to the already extensive 911 range.

The Aston Martin DBS Superleggera is an instant classic, likely heading over a high-end auction block in years to come with a final price far higher than the 2020 ask. But don’t buy it as a collector's item, although it is a beautiful object. Buy it to enjoy. Stunningly fast, thoroughly engineered, and beautifully made, it’s a phenomenal car.

As you can see in these images, our test car was fitted with the optional 'Rallye Design Package'. It adds another $54,730 to the cost but brings with it this head-turning paint scheme inspired by the racing livery from the 1984 winner. It’s actually a two-tone paint job with a wrap, the first time Porsche has produced such a finish on any of its production cars.

The ‘Roughroads’ is a substitute for the original cigarette brand that sponsored the car, while the white and blue scheme, with red and gold highlights is almost identical to the ‘84 car. Owners could pick any racing number between one and 999, our test car had #176 because that’s the number carried by the winning car.

The Rallye Design Package isn’t just a fresh look, too, it also adds the white wheels, a half roll cage, six-point racing-style harnesses and a fire extinguisher, so you can enter motorsport competitions and really push your Dakar to its limits.

The term Superleggera (Italian for Superlight) is normally associated with Italian automotive coachbuilder Carrozzeria Touring, which has historically applied its fine eye and hand-crafted aluminium body technique to a host of local brands, including Alfa Romeo, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Lancia, and Maserati.

As well as some American, German, and British liaisons, the latter covering classic Aston Martin and Lagonda models through the 1950s and ‘60s (your Silver Birch DB5 is ready for you 007).

But rather than hand-beaten aluminium, here the body panel material is carbon-fibre, and the look and feel of this DBS is the product of Aston Martin’s head of design, Marek Reichman (his name might sound German, but he’s a Brit through-and-through), and his team at the brand’s Gaydon HQ.

Based on the DB11 platform the DBS is a fraction over 4.7m long, just under 2.0m wide, and less than 1.3m tall. But it’s only when you’re close to the Superleggera that its intimidating muscularity comes into focus. 

A giant, black honeycomb grille defines the car’s face, and the single-piece forward-hinging ‘clamshell’ bonnet includes a raised central section defined by longitudinal strakes either side, with deep vents above the front axle line to aid the exhaust of hot air from the engine bay below.

Broad ‘shoulders’ around the front wheel arches are balanced by powerful rear haunches to give the car a beautifully proportioned and imposing stance. But there’s scientific function behind this purposeful form, too. 

The Aston vehicle dynamics team went all out with wind tunnel testing, Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) modelling, aerothermal and performance simulations, as well as real-world track testing to refine this car’s aero efficiency. 

The DBS Superleggera’s overall drag coefficient (Cd) is 0.38, which is commendably slippery for a brawny 2+2 GT. But it’s the fact that in parallel with that number it’s able to generate a humongous 180kg of downforce (at 340km/h VMax) that’s remarkable.

The aero trickery includes a front splitter and airdam working in unison to accelerate airflow under the front of the car, delivering downforce and cooling air to the front brakes. 

From there the ‘open stirrup and curlicue’ device at the top of the front wheel wells vents air to reduce lift, and create vortices which reattach the aero wake from the front wheels to the side of the car.

The ‘C-Duct’ starts with an aperture behind the rear side glass funneling air through the underside of bootlid to a subtle ‘Aeroblade II’ spoiler at the rear of the car. A close to flat underside also feeds air to an F1-inspired double diffuser under the rear end.

No gaudy wings or giant spoilers, just a subtly effective and thoroughly engineered aero profile.

Slim but distinctively Aston Martin LED tail-lights combine with a series of horizontal character lines across the rear to enhance the car’s visual width, and giant 21-inch dark rims fit the car’s proportions perfectly.

Slipping behind the wheel is the full hand-in-leather glove experience. The broad dashtop is split by a vaguely teardrop shaped centre stack with the classic ‘PRND’ transmission buttons and an illuminated push-button starter in the centre.

The compact instrument binnacle, housing a configurable digital display, imparts a quiet sense of purpose, and the Mercedes-AMG sourced media system, complete with rotary control dial, feels familiar. Overall, simple, subtle, yet hugely impressive.

The interior is probably the most ‘normal’ 911 element of the Dakar. Yes, it’s strictly a two-seater (even without the optional roll cage), but it doesn’t feel much different to a GT3, especially as the brand’s 'Race-Tex' synthetic suede is the standard trim material. The only exception is the unique ‘911 Dakar’ badge on the passenger side of the dashboard, which tells you exactly which one of the 2500 examples yours is.

While Race-Tex is the primary trim, there’s plenty of leather elements and contrasting stitching to give a premium look and feel. The standard seats in the Dakar are the lightweight full bucket sports seats, made from carbon-fibre reinforced plastic and also trimmed in Race-Tex. This adds to that sporty, GT3-like feeling. They’re comfortable when you’re in them, but as they’re quite deep they make getting in and out a bit trickier than the standard Porsche chairs.

The rest of the technology is standard Porsche. The multimedia system is as simple and intuitive as ever, one of the better examples on the market today, which is something you typically think of with Porsche but it shows the company’s attention to all the details.

The Dakar comes equipped with a Bose surround sound system and full smartphone integration, with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

However, it’s worth noting if you add the Rallye Design Package and get the roll cage it will cut down on the amount of usable storage space. Without it, you can use the now-carpeted space where the rear seats would go for extra storage, but with the cage you can only squeeze a few soft items in. The rest has to go under the bonnet in the relatively deep but narrow front storage space, which measures 132 litres. 

So, if you do want to take an extended road trip in your 911 Dakar, springing for the roof storage system would be a helpful idea.

The notion of practicality doesn’t naturally align with a 2+2 GT, but a wheelbase measuring 2805mm means there’s enough space between the axles to provide generous accommodation for front seat occupants at least.

And the usual compromises presented by long coupe doors are reduced by the DBS’s swinging slightly up as they open, and down as they close. A genuinely useful touch.

The driver and front seat passenger are snug but not cramped, which feels right in this context, and they’re provided with a lidded central box, which doubles as an armrest between the seats.

Flick the switch and its power-operated top slides back in stages to reveal two cupholders and a general storage space with a 12V power outlet, two USB-A ports, and an SD card input at the rear.

There’s a small coin tray in front of the multimedia dial in the centre console and long door pockets, but bottles will be a struggle unless you’re happy to lay them on their side.

The ‘+2’ seats scalloped out of the rear bulkhead, look super cool (especially with our car’s Triaxial quilt trim) but for anyone in the vicinity of average adult height they’ll feel distinctly inadequate.

Legs or a head aren’t viable options so this space is best reserved for the kids. And there are two 12V sockets in the rear to help keep their devices charged, and them calm.

Boot volume is a useful 368 litres, and the aperture curves forward at the top which helps with loading larger cases, but remember the rear seats don’t fold.

There are small lockers hidden in the back wall, one containing a flat tyre repair kit, so don’t bother looking for a spare of any description.

The DBS Superleggera is like a finely tailored suit. Impressive, but not flashy, while the finish is impeccable, the materials used are top-shelf, and attention to detail is remarkable. And like anything that’s been carefully crafted and largely hand made, the price is substantial.

Before on-road costs like registration, dealer delivery charges, and compulsory insurance, this Aston will set you back $536,900.

The $500K ballpark contains some heavy-hitting competition, the most closely aligned being Bentley’s 6.0-litre W12-engined Continental GT Speed ($452,670), the 6.3-litre V12-powered Ferrari GTC4 Lusso ($578,000), and Porsche’s 3.8-litre twin-turbo flat-six 911 Turbo S ($473,900). All 2+2s, all insanely fast, and bristling with luxury features.

So, aside from the safety and dynamic tech detailed later in this review, what does this special DBS deliver in terms of standard equipment?

First, there’s the Aston Martin, nine-speaker premium audio system (including 400W amp and digital radio, but no Android Auto or Apple CarPlay), a multimedia system managed via an 8.0-inch LCD screen and console touchpad/dial controller system (sourced from Mercedes-AMG), satellite navigation, a Wi-Fi hub, and a 360-degree camera with ‘Parking Distance Display’ and ‘Park Assist.'

Standard upholstery across the seats, dash, and doors is ‘Caithness’ leather (Aston says a dry-drumming process gives it a particularly soft feel) combined with Alcantara (synthetic suede) and ‘Obsidian Black’ leather on the faceted (think square-ish) sports steering wheel, finished off with the DBS logo embroidered into the headrests. 

The ‘Sports Plus’ performance seats (with memory) are 10-way electrically-adjustable (including lumbar) and heated, the steering wheel adjusts electrically, ‘interior jewellery’ (trim elements) are ‘Dark Chrome’, and cabin inlays are ‘Piano Black.’

Also included are a configurable digital instrument display, dual-zone climate control, keyless entry and start, rain-sensing wipers, cruise control (not adaptive), auto LED (high and low beam) headlights and DRLs, as well as LED tail-lights and dynamic indicators.

The ‘Exterior Body Pack’ consists of gloss-finish carbon-fibre across the rear bumper, bootlid flap spoiler. rear diffuser, and front splitter, and the standard rims are 21inch forged ‘Y spoke’ alloys, with (big) dark anodised brake calipers behind them.

All up, a subtle and exclusive approach to an equipment package that’s as much about the overall quality of the car’s design, engineering, and execution as it is about individual features. 

But on the subject of features, ‘our’ car was kitted out with a series of special options, namely: Bang & Olufsen audio - $15,270, ‘Leather colour option special’ ‘Copper Tan’ (metallic) - $9720, contrast stitching - $4240, vented front seats - $2780, power seat bolsters - $1390, Triaxial quilting - $1390, headrest embroidery (Aston Martin wings) - $830.

That’s $35,620 worth, and there were still other boxes ticked, like a colour keyed steering wheel, smoked rear lamps, plain leather headlining, ‘Shadow Chrome’ rims, even an umbrella in the boot... but you get the idea. 

And if you really want to personalise the car, ‘Q by Aston Martin’ offers a collection of “unique enhancements beyond the scope of the core option range.” Then ‘Q Commission’ opens up a bespoke, atelier-style collaboration with the Aston Martin design team. Possibly an entirely custom car, or just machine guns behind the headlights.

While it has elements of the 911 GT3, the 911 Dakar is based on the Carrera 4 GTS Coupe, at least from a powertrain point of view. Both models share the same 3.0-litre twin-turbo flat-six engine tuned to make 353kW/570Nm, paired with Porsche’s eight-speed dual-clutch transmission as standard. Naturally, it’s also fitted with Porsche’s all-wheel drive system, but the Dakar gets some unique features.

For starters, it’s equipped with the same trick engine mounts as the 911 GT3, which are stiffer to cope with extra off-road driving.

The all-wheel drive system features two unique modes - 'Rallye' and 'Off-Road', designed for improved loose surface performance. The former sets the all-wheel drive with a rear-bias and primes the powertrain for sporty driving, while the latter actives the differential lock for better slippery surface traction, also setting the engine and transmission for maximum low-speed response. 

One major difference between the Dakar and the Carrera 4 GTS (owing to the former's off-road changes) is a much lower top speed; 240km/h compared to 309km/h for the GTS. The 0-100km/h times are almost identical, though, with the Dakar taking just 3.4 seconds and the GTS 3.3 seconds.

The DBS Superleggera is powered by an all-alloy, 5.2-litre twin-turbo V12, featuring dual-variable camshaft timing and direct-injection to produce 533kW (715hp) at 6500rpm and 900Nm from 1800-5000rpm. 

In line with the personal nature of this car’s build, a brushed metal plaque sits on top of the engine, proudly stating ‘Hand built in England’, and noting that a final inspection was carried out (in our case) by Alison Beck. 

Drive goes to the rear wheels via an alloy torque tube and carbon propshaft to a (ZF-sourced) eight-speed automatic transaxle, incorporating a mechanical limited-slip differential, with manual shifts available via wheel-mounted paddles.

Despite the knobby tyres and extra weight (which is only 10kg in standard form, but will obviously blow out if you get the roof basket and load it up) fuel economy for the 911 Dakar is only fractionally heavier than the GTS. Its official rating is 10.5L/100km and on test, which included spirited driving on- and off-road, plus a mixture of motorway and urban running, we returned 12.6L/100km, which is solid for a sports car.

Coupled with the 67-litre tank, you’ll have a theoretical range of 638km on a full tank, which won’t get you across the outback but is respectable for this type of car. It isn’t a Toyota LandCruiser so obviously it won’t get you quite as far on a single fill.

Claimed fuel economy for the combined (ADR 81/02 - urban, extra-urban) cycle is 12.3L/100km, the DBS emitting 285g/km of CO2 in the process.

In just under 150km with the car, covering city, suburban and freeway running (as well as a sneaky B-road session) we recorded an average of 17.0L/100km, which is a sizeable number, but kind of expected for a roughly 1.7-tonne, V12-powered meteor on wheels.

Stop-start is standard, minimum fuel requirement is 95 RON premium unleaded, and you’ll need 78 litres of it to fill the tank (which translates to a real world range of approximately 460km).

Porsche isn’t known for doing things in half-measures, so it should come as no surprise that the 911 Dakar has some serious off-road potential. Thanks to the extra ride height, underbody protection and the new tyres the Dakar has some strong off-road credentials.

It has 161mm of ground clearance, which is only 26mm less than a Macan. Porsche also claims an approach angle of 14.2 degrees, a breakover angle of 16.2 degrees and a departure angle of 16.4 degrees.

Even so, the idea of taking a Porsche 911 off-roading still feels unusual, especially when you get gravel under the tyres… and yet, the Dakar feels at home. With the drive mode set to Off-Road and maximum ride height engaged, the Dakar is more than capable of navigating some very rough terrain.

We headed down some rugged trails in the Blue Mountains, west of Sydney, and after some heavy rain the previous weeks, the surface was extremely rutted, chopped up and littered with large gravel. While you wouldn’t put it in the same off-road capability class as a 70 Series LandCruiser, the Dakar had no trouble navigating roads that would normally break a sports car. Even when we came across a water crossing the Porsche just powered through it without any issue.

Back on sealed roads, and despite the knobby Pirellis, the 911 Dakar handles just as well as you’d expect a Porsche sports car to. It doesn’t feel significantly slower or dulled by its off-road elements and instead has the same smooth, effortless performance that has made this model a sports car icon. It's obviously not quite as precise and poised as a 911 GTS on road tyres would be, but it's not far off.

The everyday added bonus of the Dakar’s off-road upgrades is, unlike any other sports car (except maybe Lamborghini's Huracan Sterrato), you never need to worry about speed bumps or potholes, so it would actually make for a surprisingly liveable daily driver.

Once you dip under three and half seconds for the sprint from 0-100km/h strange things happen to your field of vision. Faced with that kind of acceleration, it instantly narrows, your brain instinctively focusing attention on the road ahead because it senses something borderline unnatural is going on.

Claiming just 3.4sec for the DBS Superleggera to hit triple figures (and 0-160km/h in 6.4sec!) we felt obliged to validate the number, and sure enough peripheral vision blurred into nothingness as this brutal machine delivered its shock and awe performance.

And the aural accompaniment is suitably intense, thanks to the electronically-controlled (stainless steel) exhaust, with active valves and quad tail pipes, orchestrating the brilliantly guttural and raucous ‘sound character.’ 

Pure pulling power is immense with all 900Nm of maximum torque available from just 1800rpm all the way to 5000rpm. Mid-range urge is prodigious, and Aston claims the DBS Superleggera will blast from 80-160km/h (in fourth gear) in 4.2 seconds. That’s a number I didn’t verify, but I’m not going to doubt it.

It might share essentially the same bonded aluminium chassis, but thanks to its carbon-rich bodywork the DBS Superleggera is 72kg lighter than the DB11, with a ‘dry’ weight (no fluids) of 1693kg. The engine is also set low and far back in the chassis, to the point where it’s actually a front-mid location, delivering a 51/49 front/rear weight distribution.

Suspension is double (forged alloy) wishbone front, multi-link rear, with adaptive damping standard, and there are three set-up stages available via the flick of a switch on the left-hand side of the steering wheel.

On the opposite side of the wheel a similar mode control allows you to cycle through ‘GT’, ‘Sport’, and ‘Sport Plus’ settings, tuning various functions including the throttle map, exhaust valves, steering, traction control, and shift response. Steering is speed-dependent electrically-assisted.

Brakes are professional grade vented carbon ceramics, with thumping 410mm rotors at the front clamped by six-piston calipers, and 360mm discs at the rear sporting four piston calipers.

Managing this car’s phenomenal thrust as it morphs into lateral g-force, is a surprising experience. Of course, it grips like a Trump handshake, with a specific ‘A7’ version of Pirelli’s ultra-high performance P Zero tyre on a 21-inch forged alloy rim at each corner.

The 265/35s at the front are big, and monstrous 305/30s at the rear deliver a strong mechanical connection with the road. But it’s the car’s steering and overall agility that’s unexpected.

It doesn’t feel like a beefy 2+2 GT. And while it’s not in the 911’s league when it comes to response and dynamic feedback, it’s a long way down that road.

I found Sport and the middle suspension setting to be the backroad sweet spot, and with the seven-speed auto in manual mode the lightweight DBS simply lights up.

Shifts on the way up the ratios via proper alloy paddles in manual mode are rapid and precise, and the car remains stable and balanced, yet entertainingly athletic in enthusiastic cornering.

When squeezed hard on initial application carbon ceramic brakes don’t ‘bite’ in the same way steel discs do, but the system’s ability to rapidly wash off speed, while the car remains in a steady state, is exceptional.

At the same time, shifts down through the gears are accompanied by a variety of aggressive pops and bangs (a feature of Sport and Sport Plus modes) and the DBS points accurately yet progressively into a bend.

Road feel is excellent, the sports front seat is grippy and comfortable, and the car’s ‘Dynamic Torque Vectoring’ (via braking) system chips in to ensure understeer is kept in check.

In a more sedate mode, thanks largely to the active dampers, the Superleggera is surprisingly comfortable around town, despite the big rims and low-profile rubber.

Under the heading of ‘random thoughts’, the simple interior layout (including the spot-on digital instrument cluster) is great, the auto stop-start is a little jerky on restart, and including the front air dam, ground clearance under the nose is only 90mm, so be mega-careful in and out of driveways, or prepare yourself for the sound of scraping carbon (happily avoided this time around).

The Aston Martin DBS hasn’t been assessed by ANCAP or Euro NCAP, but the ‘expected’ array of active safety tech is in place including ABS, EBD, and BA, as well as traction and stability controls.

There’s also blind spot monitoring, a tyre pressure monitoring system, a 360-degree camera with ‘Parking Distance Display’ and ‘Park Assist.’

But more recent crash-avoidance tech like active cruise control, lane-departure warning, rear cross-traffic alert, and most notably, AEB, are missing in action.

If an impact is unavoidable there are eight airbags to help protect you - dual-stage driver and front passenger, front side (pelvis and thorax), front knee, as well as two-row curtain.

Both rear-seat positions offer top tethers and ISOFIX anchors for secure baby-capsule or child-seat location.

While most car brands, even the premium ones, have moved to at least a five-year warranty, Porsche is sticking with three years (and unlimited kilometres). But you can extend the warranty, for a price, through your local dealer.

Porsche has also bucked the common trend for capped price servicing, with costs varying from model to model and across states and each dealership, so you’ll need to consult with your local showroom to get a clearer picture. Service intervals are every 12-months or 15,000km, whichever comes first.

In Australia, Aston Martin offers a three-year/unlimited km warranty, with 24-hour roadside assistance included for the duration.

Servicing is recommended every 12 months or 16,000km, whichever comes first.

Aston also offers extended service contract options, renewable after 12 months, including features like transfers and accommodation in the event of a breakdown, and coverage while the car is being used at official Aston Martin events.

There’s also a collection and delivery service (or courtesy car) to sweeten the servicing deal.