2010 Aston Martin DBS
What does almost $300,000 buy you? A 2010 Aston Martin DBS Volante is one option.

Model: 2010 Aston Martin DBS Volante convertible; 510-horsepower 5.9-liter V12 and 6-speed automatic transmission

Base Price: $283,900

Options: High spec alarm, Smokers kit, First aid kit, Piano black fascia, Satellite radio, Ten-Spoke diamond turned silver wheels, Contemporary paint color, Contemporary leather color, Contemporary headlining color, Contemporary carpet color, Garage door opener

Price as Tested: $297,240

Total Miles Tested: almost 200

Fuel Economy: 15.1 mpg

Editors’ Notes
Tom Appel: I'm not some value hound that thinks every car over $30,000 is a ridiculous waste of money. I strongly believe that a $110,000 Mercedes-Benz S-Class is worth $110,000. It's a fabulous car, and if you can afford it, God bless you. At $300,000, though, the equation changes. At that price a car needs to be so much more than competent transportation. A car that expensive needs to turn a milk run to 7-Eleven into a life-affirming experience. The DBS very nearly does that. From the heft and presence of the cut-crystal "key" to the intoxicating exhaust note, the DBS is all about atmosphere. Sure, this car is crazy fast, and it handles with surprising deftness given its mass. But, most importantly, it's like a vacation with wheels. Lower the top, listen to the sounds this car makes, and completely forget that you have three calls to return and a report to summarize before tomorrow.
Ed Piotrowski: The ride stinks, the body flexes too much over bumps, and the controls are a disaster; but darn if this isn't one heck of an exotic ride. Interior appointments are amazing, the exhaust note is intoxicating, and it accelerates with the ferocity you'd expect from a 12-cylinder sports car. If a Lamborghini is too overt and a Bentley is too passe, this Aston Martin might be just the ticket.
Don Sikora: It is really hard to place a value on a car, any car, that costs about twice as much as your home. Still, ten minutes behind the wheel of our Aston Martin DBS impressed with beautiful craftsmanship and surprising details--the polished aluminum cupholder that folds out of the console bin is a work of art. On the road, the strong V12 puts out a wonderful exhaust note, and the Aston has about as much presence as anything on four wheels can deliver and still be street legal. Is it worth almost $300,000? Does it really matter? Those lucky enough to afford an automobile like this will likely find it worth every penny. For the rest of us car guys, even spotting one on the road can make your day.
Jack Stewart: The DBS makes a great sound when accelerating. It’s a shame to stop the music just because the speed limit has been exceeded. Everything in the interior that looks like leather, is leather--as it should be in $280,000+ car (or a $40,000 car for that matter). The post-war Aston Martin never tried to be an all-out sports car, but a luxury express capable of covering distance quickly. The new DBS does that job well.


10.20.2009