Aston Martin is rapidly modernising its range and culling old names in favor of new (or even older, in this case) names. The latest nameplate to get the boot is Vanquish, which will be replaced by the DBS moniker for the company's new car.
The DBS name is only half the story, as Aston Martin has decided to name its upcoming sports car as the DBS Superleggera. You would argue that the suffix is best suited on exotic Italian cars, but in reality, even the Lagonda-based manufacturer can stake a historical claim to the word. Way back in the late fifties, Aston Martin built the stunning DB4, which was soon joined by its performance-oriented sibling, the DB4 Superleggera, or Super Light.
For Aston to name its new sports car after its half-a-century old ancestor is not just coincidence. For one, the new car will definitely not be a Vanquish, as is quite apparent. Just renaming a car won't be enough in today's competitive world of supercars. Every new model replacing the outgoing one simply has to be faster, lighter, and more powerful. Which is where the suffix 'Superleggera' comes in, for Aston Martin reportedly has used a generous amount of carbon fiber and other lightweight materials throughout the new DBS, which is strictly a two-seater sports car, unlike the outgoing Vanquish.
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At the heart of the DBS SL is a 5.2-liter twin turbocharged V12 petrol motor, which will presumably send power to the rear wheels via an automatic transmission. The same engine is currently working under the hood of cars like the current DB11 wherein it makes a hefty 611 hp. We can safely expect Aston to boost the engine's output under the DBS SL's hood even more, as the car will be targetting the likes of Ferrari 812 Superfast and Lamborghini Aventador when it hits the streets.
The new Aston Martin DBS Superleggera is the third model out of seven currently planned by the company. The previous two are the DB11 and Vantage twins. Next in line is an SUV earmarked for 2019, followed by a mid-engined supercar in 2020. Two models exclusive to Lagonda will also be launched by the end of 2022. The proposed seven models will also be joined by the all-electric RapidE and the limited-edition Valkyrie hypercar.