A V12 engine and a manual gearbox is a rare combination, especially in modern cars. In fact, the only things we can think of that offer it today are the Gordon Murray Automotive T.50 and T.33, Aston Martin Valour and Pagani Utopia. Those cars are all extremely limited edition affairs with seven-figure price tags, and are all sold out at any rate.
There is another, much cheaper way of getting hold of a nearly factory-fresh car with that golden combination of engine and gearbox, though. Though it emerged from the factory 16 years ago, this Aston Martin DBS has covered less than 1,000 miles in its lifetime, and the chance to buy it is coming up at Bonhams’ Goodwood Members’ Meeting auction on 14 April.
Aston Martin DBS – side
Produced between 2007 and 2012, this iteration of the DBS was a harder, more powerful, racier version of the DB9 grand tourer. Using the same 5.9-litre, naturally aspirated V12, it took power up from 450bhp to 510bhp, and buyers had the choice of a six-speed automatic or six-speed manual gearbox. Thanks to these healthy numbers and a lightweight aluminium architecture, a manual-equipped DBS would hit 62mph in 4.3 seconds and a top speed of 190mph.
Somewhat unsurprisingly, the auto was a far more popular choice, with one source reckoning on just over 1000 of the approximately 3400 DBSs built having three pedals. The manual, as a result, is now the more desirable used choice, and this might just be the most desirable of all.
Aston Martin DBS – interior
For starters, it’s an incredibly early car: purchased new in January 2008, it carries chassis number ‘00001’, although it’s not clear if it’s genuinely the very first DBS built. It’s also finished in a fairly typical but still deeply classy spec; Lightning Silver over red leather.
Most notable, though, is the fact that it’s covered just over 900 miles from new, having spent most of its life as part of a static collection. It’s almost certainly one of the most original DBSs in existence which, together with its three-pedal setup, makes Bonhams’ estimate of £70-90k seem almost like a bargain.
2024 Aston Martin DBS – rear
As always with these things, there are a couple of question marks. While Aston’s factory paperwork suggests that the left-hand drive car was built to US specifications, the VIN number and indeed the physical spec belong to a car destined for the Saudi Arabian market. The listing also suggests that thanks to it spending most of its life sitting motionless, it may need a bit of reconditioning to get it back to its best.
We hope somebody takes it on so it can live the life it deserves: a three-pedal, 12-cylinder Aston is a terrible thing to waste. If a buyer does pick it up for five figures, then they can bask in the satisfaction of owning what’s surely the cheapest ‘new’ V12 manual around. If they can stretch their definition of the word ‘new’, anyway.
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