Aston Martin DBS

It provides James Bond with a company car and has a long history of stunning models, but Aston Martin looks to have surpassed itself with this: the forthcoming DBS.

After its starring role in the recent 007 movie, Casino Royale, the wraps have come off the showroom version – and it’s set to make its debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September.

Designers have added more aggression to the donor DB9’s elegant shape by introducing a new grille, ducts in the bonnet and low skirts all-round. The interior has also been given a makeover, and now gets features such as graphite-backed instrument dials and carbon fibre door pulls.

The highlight is the engine starting sequence, though. Owners now insert a special polished-sapphire key-card into a docking station – once in, the starter button glows red, showing that the engine is ready to run.

And what a powerplant. Engineers have revised the air intake system of the 6.0-litre V12, bringing in a new by-pass port that opens above 5,500rpm.

The result is an extra 70bhp over the standard DB9, taking power to 510bhp, with 0-62mph achieved in 4.3 seconds and a top speed of 191mph.

A wider track front and rear, and lower suspension with retuned adapt­ive dampers, ensure all that power is transmitted to the road. The DBS is likely to cost around £160,000, but Aston has yet to confirm prices.