Aston Martin DBS V12 (2007–2012) Price Guide

The Aston Martin DBS V12 was the car Daniel Craig drove in Casino Royale, and that association did as much for the car’s reputation as anything in its specification sheet. Fortunately, the specification sheet was impressive enough to stand alone: 510bhp from a naturally aspirated 5.9-litre V12, carbon-fibre body panels over the bonded aluminium DB9 platform, ceramic brakes, and adaptive damping. The DBS was better than the DB9 in every meaningful way and more dramatic in every visible one.

The Car

Launched in 2007 with deliveries beginning in 2008, the DBS was built at Gaydon on the DB9’s VH bonded aluminium platform. The 5,935cc V12 produced 510bhp (40bhp more than the contemporary DB9) through a six-speed manual gearbox on early cars, joined by a six-speed Touchtronic II automatic from 2008. The bonnet, front wings, bootlid, and front splitter were all carbon fibre, saving around 65kg over the DB9. Ceramic composite brakes were standard. The interior seated two in standard form, with a 2+2 configuration available as an expensive option. The Volante convertible arrived in 2009, adding 115kg through chassis stiffening but retaining 191mph capability. The final manual car was produced in 2011; last cars left the factory in mid-2012.

What Goes Wrong

The endemic brake squeal is caused by the carbon-ceramic pad material and effectively unavoidable. The 12 bolts securing the brake discs to their carriers can shear under hard use, allowing slight disc movement; check these at every service. The Touchtronic II selector buttons can become unresponsive on early automatics, triggering warning lights that Aston can resolve with an ECU reflash. Bilstein dampers on early cars can leak at the top seal; later cars received a double seal that addressed this. On Volantes, the motorised hood latches can fail through water ingress and are expensive to replace; operate the roof several times during inspection. Paint blistering around door handles from water infiltration is a known issue; if untreated it spreads.

Buying

The manual coupé is what collectors pursue, especially in an unusual colour. The Touchtronic automatic was the bigger seller and is the more relaxed daily driver. The Volante commands around a 10% premium over equivalent coupés. Colours beyond the ubiquitous silvers and greys (Toro Red, Midnight Blue, Chiltern Green) attract a 5–10% premium. Low-mileage cars with full Aston Martin service history and working ceramics are the specification to pursue; budget for a ceramic brake refresh on any car without recent documentation. The DBS Superleggera that eventually succeeded this car represented a comprehensive step forward in performance and technology.