Aston Martin DBS News

Large, luxurious SUVs with copious amounts of power and performance as well as the standard features commensurate with a healthy six-figure price tag. They may account for a relatively modest percentage of new vehicle sales but the technology they contain and the standard they set establishes a benchmark for others to chase. Yet the family transport fundamentals still apply. Practicality, space-efficiency, cost of ownership and safety remain critical factors for buyers in this part of the market and competition is fierce. In this top-shelf category from the 2026 CarsGuide Car of the Year awards, here are our top 10 large SUVs with an entry-price under $220K (listed in alphabetical order) with a summary detailing why they’re on the shortlist.Our top three, including the category winner, will be announced on February 6.Dramatic design and an ultra-smooth ride as well as rapid acceleration, impressive dynamics and strong value for money set the pure-electric BMW iX apart from other large SUVs in this segment.Updated in September last year (after four years in the local market), the iX now boasts even more power, a bigger battery for increased range and faster charging capacity.There are still some niggles around ergonomics (a lack of physical controls) and energy consumption is relatively high for a car of this size, which despite an improvement, limits range.Offered in three dual-motor, AWD grades - xDrive45, xDrive50 and the powerhouse M60 - the BMW iX is a sleek and sophisticated machine.Through 25 years and four generations the ground-breaking BMW X5 has been a family favourite at the top end of the large SUV market.Boasting a spacious interior, leading-edge tech and top-shelf safety, the X5 also presents a compelling value proposition on top of the German brand’s well-deserved reputation for dynamic performance.Thoughtful design touches across the cabin and load space make the X5 a supremely comfortable, low-stress proposition for day-to-day work around town as well as effortless freeway cruising.   Available in plug-in hybrid (xDrive50e), pure-petrol (xDrive40i / M60i xDrive) and turbo-diesel (xDrive30d) form the BMW X5 is a consistent, high-quality, luxury all-rounder. The X6 brings swoopy coupe styling to BMW’s luxury SUV formula, aiming to capture buyers with a head that says family practicality and a heart that longs for a sporty design personality.  Facelifted in 2024, the X6 is currently offered in three flavours for Australia, two petrol (xDrive40i / M60 xDrive) and one diesel (xDrive30d). As their model designations imply, all are all-wheel drive.The relatively recent update delivered new adaptive LED headlights and an even more highly polished interior treatment including a sleek curved display housing a 12.3-inch digital instrument screen and 14.8-inch touchscreen multimedia system.Despite the sloping roofline, interior space is generous, as is boot volume. And despite big rims and a solid kerb weight, the X6 manages to combine superior dynamics with supreme comfort.BMW has multiple options at the smaller end of the large luxury SUV market, but for the time being (until the rumoured X9 arrives) the three-row X7 is the German maker’s SUV flagship. Measuring close to 5.2 metres end-to-end, the X7 is offered in a seven- or (optional) six-seat configuration, with powertrain choices including two petrol (xDrive40i / M60 xDrive) and one mild-hybrid diesel (xDrive40d) engine, each driving all four wheels.Launched here in 2019, the X7 was given a substantial facelift in mid-2023 which brought an aggressive two-tier headlight treatment that hasn’t met with universal approval.But the car continues to be a consistent performer for BMW accounting for around 20 per cent of Upper Large SUV segment sales.Despite a gradual expansion of the brand’s model range and retail footprint, Australian Genesis sales have remained at a steady but relatively modest level in recent years. That said, the GV80, in coupe and more conventional wagon form, consistently stands as the Korean luxury brand’s second-best seller, combining comfort and overall refinement with sleek looks and impressive value.Powered by a 3.5-litre, twin-turbo V6 petrol engine sending drive to all four wheels via an eight-speed auto transmission, the GV80 is available as a six- or seven-seater.The flip-side of its strong performance, however, is a relatively substantial thirst for premium unleaded fuel. But in terms of included features, quality and ownership costs (complimentary servicing for the first five years) this is a compelling luxury package.The Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV (as opposed to the similarly named EQE sedan) is a popular pure-electric choice for families chasing a luxurious, tech-laden mid-sizer with comfort, quality and performance to burn.Available in three grades across the single-motor, rear-wheel-drive 300, dual-motor all-wheel-drive 350 4Matic and high-performance AMG 53 4Matic, the EQE is offered alongside the internal-combustion GLE line-up.We like its useful size and clever packaging, high level of standard equipment for the price and top-tier safety as well as the car’s refined, luxurious feel and impressive technology.Gripes are confined to the EQE’s substantial weight for its size and relatively high maintenance costs. But overall it’s a high-quality option at the top end of the segment.The long-serving five-door, five-seat Mercedes-Benz G-Class 4WD has come a long way from its utilitarian, military-focused ‘Galendawagen’ roots of the late 1970s to now be offered in multiple forms.The local line-up includes the hard working G450d Professional models, powered by a 3.0L inline six-cylinder turbo-diesel engine, as well as the brutal twin-turbo, V8 petrol Mercedes-AMG G63.Plus the recently introduced G580, a wild, pure-electric beast boasting a powerful motor on each wheel for fine off-road control and spectacular on-the-spot ‘G-Turns’.While this machine’s ultra-tough character remains intact, successive upgrades to safety, tech and comfort features have allowed it to thrive in the 21st century. A unique luxury SUV.The S-Class limousine has long been a luxury figurehead for the three-pointed star and the three-row Mercedes-Benz GLS channels that premium positioning into the high-end SUV space.Entry-point to the local line-up is the GLS 450d 4Matic AMG Line, powered by a 3.0-litre inline six-cylinder turbo-diesel engine and featuring racy 22-inch AMG rims and AMG body elements.The full-fat Mercedes-AMG GLS63 4Matic brings twin-turbo V8 propulsion and an even more impressive specification, while the Mercedes-Maybach GLS600 4Matic pushes the luxury quotient through the roof.If your family demands even a base model featuring genuine leather upholstery, multi-zone climate control and screens galore in a package providing heaps of space and smart, comfort-focused features, this is the large SUV for you.  The model that turned the car enthusiast world upside down on arrival more than two decades ago is now a mainstay of the German brand’s global line-up.No less than 10 Porsche Cayenne variants are on offer in Australia across pure-combustion, plug-in hybrid, and more recently, pure-electric form.All are all-wheel drive, with Porsche refining the Cayenne SUV formula over three generations to deliver the brand’s characteristically brilliant dynamic performance in combination with effective day-to-day family practicality.Even the entry-grade 3.0-litre turbo-petrol V6 delivers a stonking 260kW/500Nm, while the Turbo E-Hybrid flagship pumps out a staggering 544kW(730hp)/950Nm. Quite the large luxury SUV. As the name implies, this large five-seater puts a performance spin on the Range Rover luxury SUV formula. Slightly smaller and lighter but packing the performance required to add a satisfying dynamic edge.A more overtly muscular stance is another sign of this SUV’s intent, with powertrain options including a 3.0-litre turbo-diesel, 3.0-litre petrol-electric plug-in hybrid and a fearsome 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 in SV models packing 467kW/750Nm for a claimed 0-100km/h sprint time of 3.9 seconds.We’ve been impressed by the Sport’s sharp handling, especially for a car of this size and weight as well as its deluxe interior, subtly muscular good looks and the PHEV’s useful EV-only driving range.At the same time, we’ve been wary of Range Rover’s pricey options list prices, but the overall value equation across the Range Rover Sport range remains strong. Not just a pretty SUV face, then.

In celebration of its 100th birthday, Italian design company Zagato is once again joining forces with British carmaker Aston Martin to release two limited editions vehicles.

Aston Martin has revealed its new flagship model, the DBS Superleggera powered by a specifically tuned version of the brand’s 5.2-litre twin-turbo V12 engine.

The British-based prestige sports car maker is recalling about 75 per cent of its cars built since late in 2007, after discovering a Chinese supplier was using counterfeit plastic in the accelerator pedals.The recall covers all left-hand drive cars that rolled off the production line since November 2007 and all right-hand drive ones since May 2012, in which there is a risk the pedals may break. The DB9, V8 Vantage, DBS,  Rapide, Rapide S, V12 Vantage, V8 Vantage S and Virage are included in the recall, but the latest Vanquish is not.The recall means thousands of wealthy and celebrity owners around the world will have to return their cars -- including the DBS driven by Daniel Craig in the James Bond movie Quantum Of Solace and a V12 Vantage Roadster he was loaned for his 45th birthday last year.Documents filed with the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration state that a company called Synthetic Plastic Raw Material Co. Ltd. of Dongguan supplied the counterfeit plastic to Shenzhen Kexiang Mold Tool Co. Ltd -- the firm that makes the pedals for Aston Martin.The recall affects 156 cars in Australia, the owners of which are being contacted. "Aston Martin is writing to owners and working through the process of replacing those as quickly as practical," an Aston Martin spokesman said. "However there have been no accidents or instances of the pedal failing here." Aston Martin has announced it will move production of the part to the UK. 

Both the range-topping 12-cylinder DBS and Vantage coupes have received a sinister-looking makeover to deliver the Carbon Black limited-edition series.  The pair are meaner and leaner with lashings of carbon fibre to reduce weight and enhance handling.Just four cars are earmarked for Australia, three Vantages and one DBS.  Aston Martin's sales manager for Australia and New Zealand, Marcel Fabris, says the cars will arrive around April."At present, this allocation of special edition vehicles remains unsold, however we don't expect them to last long now that their availability has been announced," he says.  Fabris says pricing has not been finalised."However they will be priced within 5 per cent of the normal vehicles' prices," he says.  This should push local pricing for the DBS Carbon Black above $500,000 and the 6.0-litre V12 Vantage should nudge $400,000.The V12 Vantage coupe is normally $379,251 and the V12 DBS is $485,606.  Fabris says the prices will include the drop in duty, which came into effect from today.  "Aston Martin is passing on the full 5 per cent duty reduction for all vehicles delivered from January 1," he says.Each Aston has a specially formulated Carbon Black metallic paint scheme that takes 50 hours of hand painting to complete. For the V12 Vantage the iconic Aston Martin side strake has been fashioned from real carbon fibre backed by a black mesh and complimented with gloss black 10-spoke diamond turned alloys.A bright finished grille and front parking sensors complete the exterior detailing.  Inside, the black theme continues with lashings of rich black hand-stitched leather highlighted with a contrast silver coarse stitch.  The cars lightweight seats are made from carbon fibre and kevlar, saving 17 kg over the standard seat.Throughout the cabin there are piano black trim highlights on the centre stack and centre console, anodised black tread plates and unique sill plaques build on the carbon theme.  The Aston Martin 700 watt premium audio system is standard in the V12 Vantage while the DBS boasts a high-end Bang & Olufsen system.The DBS, which already makes extensive use of aluminium and carbon fibre, was launched in 2007 and the V12 Vantage arrived last year.  Both engines deliver 380kW/570Nm, giving the Vantage a zero to 100km/h sprint of 4.2 seconds and top speed of 305km/h, making it one of the most powerful production Aston Martons.  The DBS hits 100km/h in 4.3 seconds and has a top speed of 307km/h.

When the credits run on the forthcoming James Bond flick, Quantum of Solace, there'll be a disclaimer that no animals were hurt during production.You won't see this, having left by that point for the carpark, but it's always there.As you climb into what is almost certainly a far humbler form of transport than those you've just seen on the screen, you might wonder at the lack of a Royal Society for Protection of Cruelty to Automobiles.As can be seen from these exclusive images of the sequel to Casino Royale — the flick that rebooted and imbued the flaccid Bond franchise with balls — Automobile Rights protestors would be outraged.Evidently not content with establishing a Guiness Book record for achieving seven barrel roles in Casino Royale, seven of the sumptuous DBSs were variously brutalised for the chase sequence near curtain up on Quantum.This is set an hour after the closing shot of Casino in which Daniel Craig's Bond stands — silenced Heckler & Koch smoking in his hand — over the writhing form of Mr White, who he has kneecapped by way of introducing himself as “Bond, James Bond”.Stunt coordinator Gary Powell, the third generation of the legendary English clan who have taken the falls and rolled with the punches on every Bond flick since Dr No, has said he set out to top his Casino rollout.“We have stiffened the suspension and pushed the wheels out at an angle and used special tyres for each surface. We take all the traction control off the cars so when we want to do a big wheeslpin, the car will allow you to do it.“That way the stuntman controls the car rather than the car controlling the stuntmen. We have put in a hydraulic handbrake in the Aston Martins so the stuntman can skid the car round corners. It's fitted between the driver and the door so that it's easy to reach for without looking down.”Someone must have done so at some point, though, one Aston plunging contrary to direction into northern Italy's usually placcid and postcard perfect Lake Garda. In addition to the scripted carnage visited upon a clutch of Alfa Romeo 159s, another had an “accidental” accident.While Quantum of Solace's director is Marc Forster, it was Dan Bradley who spent two months with the second unit shooting the sequence near Garda — a favourite setting for European car makers with products to launch.“I love the bit where Bond loses the driver's door of the Aston Martin,” says Bradley, seemingly oblivious to the wails of auto eroticists.“Now it's like, every car that comes past him, every shot that is fired at him, the potential for Bond's (survival) withers. I love what it gives us in terms of storytelling and the threat to Bond.”With Bondophiles buzzing that the new film will see a return of the gadgetry that was notable by its absence in Casino, this is one refreshingly unsophisticated touch. Whereas Sean Connery's original 1964 Aston Martin DB5 was stuffed with then hi-tech optional extras including retractable machine guns, Craig fires his H&K at the pursuing Alfas through the gaping doorframe.If somehow we've forgotten that Bond is fiction, albeit boy's own stuff of the highest order, the last sentence is a salient reminder. Alfas harrying an Aston?While the Fiat group have not revealed what involvement in the franchise currently dominated by Ford and its subsidiary Premier Auto Group cost, the mere association as the villains ride of choice can hardly hurt flagging sales of the 159.Those in question are the 159Ti 3.2 JTS V6 Q4, the topline edition of the sedan which sells locally from $76,990, a snip compared to the $466,600 pricetag on the DBS. Actually, we'd recommend the visually almost identical 2.2 JTS from $54,990.And if you're looking for a still more affordable bit of Bondage, Ford's micro Ka is to make a cameo appearance, just as the current Mondeo was first seen by the world in Casino Royale.Of course, soon after being seen in this placed product, the then-new Bond actor acquires an example of the iconic DB5 in a card game, a symbol of Craig taking the 007 mantle.This and the bravado opening of Quantum remind us that for all the girls, guns and gratuitous quips, the car remains a central motif of this longest running movie franchise.Quantum of Solace is released in November. The new trailer can be seen at www.007.com/ 

James Bond's last ride has finally made it to Queensland. Described as a DB9 on steroids, the DBS was unveiled at the Sunshine Aston Martin dealership at Southport, Queensland's sole outlet for the brand, last week. Four DBS vehicles have been sold and the dealership's next allocation is not expected until late next year. The DBS is the car which made a fleeting but record-breaking appearance in the last 007 film, Casino Royale in 2006. The production version made its global debut at the famed Concours d'Elegance at Pebble Beach in California last year. In the movie the car made a cameo appearance — on screen for a matter of seconds — but it made an impact and entered The Guinness Book of World Records by rolling seven times in the air before it crashed. The road car is one rung down from the DBR9 sports car, a rocket ship which won the GT1 class at the Le Mans 24-hour last year at the hands of Australian David Brabham, Rickard Rydell and Darren Turner. For $520,000 fully optioned including all on-road costs you get the most technological Aston ever built, full of space-age materials and lashings of carbon fibre. Under the V-shaped bonnet, which can be lifted with your little finger, hides a 6-litre V12 that screams to 6500rpm and maxes out at 380kW of power and 570Nm of torque. Acceleration is not for the weak-kneed as it tackles the 0-100km/h measurement in a supercar-qualifying 4.3 seconds. There is carbon throughout the car, including the front wing lip, the rear diffuser, the wing mirror joins and door surrounds that amount to a considerable slimming of overall weight. A complex Adaptive Damping System uses two valves to adjust the dampers to five different settings. The DBS is shod with specially developed Pirelli P-Zero 20-inch rubber. Huge brakes made of a carbon/ceramic composite are 12.5kg lighter than conventional materials. Up to 300 have been earmarked for global production. Sunshine Aston Martin sales manager Chris von Oppeln says the super sports coupe has attracted a wide demographic group. “The demographics on the Gold Coast vary from property developers, medical people, earth-movers, horse breeders and those from the mining industry,” he said. The next challenge for the Southport Aston Martin dealership is the arrival, possibly in late 2009 or early 2010, of the Rapide four-door super saloon. “We have had an enormous amount of interest in the Rapide,” von Oppeln said. “It will bring in people who have not previously considered an Aston.” A convertible version, the DBS Volante, was captured in development testing in Europe earlier this year.   Snapshot Aston Martin DBS Body: 2-seat coupe made from bonded aluminium VH structure Engine: all-alloy quad overhead cam 48-valve 6-litre V12 Layout: front mid-mounted engine, rear-wheel-drive Power: 380kW @ 6500rpm Torque: 570Nm @ 5750rpm 0-100km/h: 4.3secs Max speed: 302km/h Transmission: rear-mid-mounted 6-speed manual Wheels: 8.5x20-inch (front), 11x20-inch (rear) Tyres: Pirelli P Zero 245/35 (front), 295/30 (rear) Steering: rack and pinion with servotronic speed-sensitive power assist, 3 turns lock-to-lock Suspension: independent double wishbone (front), independent double wishbone (rear) Dimensions (mm): 4721 (l), 1905 (w), 1280 (h), 2740 (wheelbase) Brakes: 398mm ventilated carbon ceramic discs with six-piston calipers (front), 360mm ventilated carbon ceramic discs with four-piston calipers (rear) Price: $466,600 (list price), $520,000 (optioned and on road)  

MR Bond, your next car is ready. The concept Aston Martin DBS which James Bond rolled in the latest film, Casino Royale, has been unveiled in production form at the Pebble Beach Concours Elegance, California. Aston Martin Asia/Pacific marketing and PR supervisor Tomoko Ihara said the first DBS in Australia would arrive in the first quarter of next year. “We have advanced orders from several customers in Australia,” he said. However, Ihara said the price would not be released until the car was revealed at next month's Frankfurt Motor Show. The flagship two-seater is claimed to be set between the DB9 and the DBR9 track-only car. Worthy of a Bond car, it is powered by a 6.0-litre V12 producing 380kW of power, a top speed of 302km/h and a 0-100km/h time of 4.3sec. It features a lightweight carbon-fibre, aluminium and magnesium body; 20-inch wheels; high intensity discharge headlamps and LED rear lamps; rear-mid mounted six-speed manual gearbox with limited-slip differential; Pirelli P Zero tyres (245/35 and 295/30); an adaptive damping system with track mode; and large ventilated carbon ceramic disc brakes with six-piston calipers. Inside, the DBS gets a Bond-style leather-upholstered cabin with iridium silver centre console, carbon fibre door trims, sports seats with 10-way electric adjustment, hard disk drive and a boot-mounted umbrella. Now that James Bond is a non-smoker, the ashtray and cigar lighter are an optional extra along with lightweight seats with six-way adjustment (no electric heating), 20-inch alloy wheels with graphite finish, piano black facia trim and centre console finish, leather storage saddle, personalised sill plaques, auto-dimming interior rear-view mirror and comprehensive first-aid kit. The DBS will be built at Aston Martin's global headquarters at Gaydon, near Warwickshire in the UK. It joins the other models in the line-up: DB9, V8 Vantage Coupe and Vantage Roadster launched earlier this year. There are five Aston Martin dealers in Australia including Sunshine Aston Martin on the Gold Coast.  

Michael Schumacher retired with seven world championships, but 007 is up to 21 movies — with six different macho men in the role — and still going hard.During the past quarter-century and in 21 official films, Bond has been the target of more bad guys on wheels than anyone else in cinema history, yet he has always managed to escape without a scratch.And he has often pulled a nifty U-turn on the opposition with some sort of car trickery, from concealed machine guns on a 1960s Aston Martin to an '80s Lotus Esprit that morphed into a submarine — and even a remote-controlled BMW 7 Series in the '90s.Now he's back for the noughties, and doing it again in the remake of Casino Royale, which opened in cinemas just before Christmas. And he's back in an Aston Martin, just like the early days.The hype for the new 007 movie got me thinking not only about Bond's wheelwork in the latest British supercar, but also the dream car of my childhood: a scale model of the Aston Martin DB5 Bond drove in the 1960s.It came with all the Bond gear — revolving number plates, concealed machine guns, tyre-slashers, a bulletproof rear shield and even an ejector seat.In 1965, Corgi released its scale model of the gadget-laden DB5, and by 1968 nearly four million copies had been sold.It remains Corgi's best-known model, and I couldn't afford it.The release of the 21st-century Casino Royale has triggered a lot of talk about 007 and cars and movies.The model-making machine is already rolling again, with scaled-down copies of the DBS and even re-done — but de-gadgeted — replicas of the original DB5. And this time, there was a tiny Aston in my Christmas stocking.It's worth looking at what Bond cameos have done for car companies.BMW experienced plenty of benefit when it signed a multi-movie deal that began with its baby Z3 convertible. The world saw the car first when it was driven on the big screen by Bond. That deal continued with the Z8 convertible and the controversially styled 7, and even a BMW motorcycle.But then Britain bounced back for the last of Pierce Brosnan's appearances as Bond, when he slid back into an Aston and the baddies strapped into a rocket-equipped Jaguar.This time around, Agent 007 is driving a gorgeous new DBS, and there's even a special appearance by an original DB5.A poll has been conducted for the television series Top Gear on the most popular car chase in Bond movie history. And the winner is ... no, not the Aston. Not a Jaguar, nor the Lotus, nor even one of the BMWs.First choice was a crazy little Citroen 2CV that suffered all sorts of punishment — including being cut in half — when it was driven by Roger Moore in the 1981 film For Your Eyes Only. The four-wheeled co-stars:Dr No (1962): Sunbeam Alpine, Chevrolet Bel AirconvertibleFrom Russia With Love (1963): Bentley Mark IVGoldfinger (1964): Aston Martin DB5, Rolls-Royce, Mercedes 190SL, Lincoln Continental, Ford Mustang convertible, Rolls-Royce Phantom IIIThunderball (1965): Aston Martin DB5, Ford Mustang convertible, BSA Lightning motorcycle, gyrocopter1967 You Only Live Twice: Toyota 2000 GT, BMW CSOn Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969): Aston Martin DBS, Mercury Cougar, Bentley S2 Continental, Rolls-Royce CornicheDiamonds Are Forever (1971): Ford Mustang Mach 1, Triumph Stag, moon buggyLive And Let Die (1973): double-decker London bus, Chevrolet Impala convertible, MiniMokeThe Man With The Golden Gun (1974): AMC Hornet and Matador, Rolls-Royce Silver ShadowThe Spy Who Loved Me (1977): Lotus Esprit, Wetbike concept, Ford Cortina Ghia, Mini MokeMoonraker (1979): Bentley Mark IV, Rolls-Royce SilverWraithFor Your Eyes Only (1981): Citroen 2CV, Lotus Esprit Turbo, Rolls-Royce Silver WraithOctopussy (1983): Mercedes-Benz 250 SE, BMW 5 Series, Alfa Romeo GTVA View To A Kill (1985): Renault taxi, Ford LTD, Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II, Chevrolet Corvette C4The Living Daylights (1987): Aston Martin DBS and V8 Vantage, Audi 200 QuattroLicence To Kill (1989): Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow, Kenworth petrol tankerGoldenEye (1995): BMW Z3, Aston Martin DB5, Russian tank, Ferrari 355Tomorrow Never Dies (1997): Aston Martin DB5, BMW 750iL, BMW R1200C motorcycleThe World Is Not Enough (1999): BMW Z8, Rolls-Royce Silver ShadowDie Another Day (2002): Aston Martin Vanquish, Jaguar XKR, Ford Thunderbird convertibleCasino Royale (2006): Aston Martin DBS and DB5, Jaguar E-type roadster, Fiat Panda 4x4, Ford Transit, Ford Mondeo