Leaked: The Aston Martin DBS Superleggera shows its stunning body at a Private event

Believe it or not, at this point the world has only one front-engined, rear-wheel drive luxury super GT. It is called the Ferrari 812 Superfast. This won't be the case for much longer, though, as the Brits are on the verge of releasing something similarly mad and opulent - the Aston Martin DBS Superleggera. We have been hearing about it for quite some time now, but only found out about its official name in April. Now, the car has been spotted, photographed, and leaked online. During a private presentation behind closed doors somewhere in Asia, some eager Aston Martin enthusiast managed to snap a picture. It shows a full-fledged luxury GT that showcases some of the finer points of Aston Martin design cues. It’s biblical.

The Name

The name Superleggera, which is Italian for super light, has been used by Aston Martin a few times before. The Brits used it with the DB4, the DB5, and the DB6 to designate the construction method used by its builders - Touring of Italy. Of course, Touring endlessly searched for ways to lower the curb weight, and it seems that is exactly what the wizards in Gaydon are doing today. The name Superleggera won’t be just for show. The DBS Superleggera will be a lighter compared to the recent DB11.

Chief Creative Officer at Aston Martin, Marek Reichman, said, “When you hear the name DBS Superleggera, you know what it is. It’s the definitive Aston Martin Super GT. It’s an icon, a statement and this one will be no different. We’ve pushed the boundaries of performance and design to give this car a distinct character and ensure it’s worthy of the heritage and weight that this name carries”.

This car will not exactly replace the DBS, but the Vanquish. Aston Martin has alternated the names for its flagship models between the DBS and the Vanquish for some time, and now the Vanquish will sit on top once again.

Drivetrain and Performance

The 5.2-liter, V-12, turbocharged engine that was recently unveiled for the DB11 serves as a basis for the engine in the DBS Superleggera. Intended for use by all future Aston Martin V-12 models, the engine is highly modular and allows for the integration of a number of improved elements. In the case of the DB11, it’s capped at 600 horsepower. The DB11 ARM version did, however, gain a bit of extra juice, bumping it up to 630 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque. While definitely impressive, the upcoming DBS needs more.

A lot more.

I do expect a massive power gain. I'm talking about 700+ horsepower here. After all, the DBS Superleggera will tackle the best from Maranello and even from Woking. Sure, the 812 Superfast may be out of “horsepower reach” with its berserk 789 horsepower, but the DBS Superleggera might enchant and steal some buyers of the McLaren 720S or the Ferrari 488 GTB.

In order to achieve such a gain, engineers are expected to reimagine the air induction and exhaust system. This will help improve injection and provide more boost, ultimately leading to the need to improve intercooling as well.

The “Lightweight” Part of the Equation

Nothing is official as of yet, but some spy photos, this leaked image, and previous reports suggest that the Aston Martin DBS Superleggera will make extensive use of carbon-fiber. The front splitter is undoubtedly made of the stuff. The rear diffuser as well. Designers will have to do much more with carbon fiber to save enough weight, though. In that regard, I am assuming that lowering the center of gravity, reducing the weight, and making it all look nice will have to include the use of carbon fiber body panels. At the very least, they could make use of a carbon fiber bonnet, a carbon fiber trunk lid, and a carbon fiber roof.

How important is carbon fiber?

Very.

We saw BMW use it on the new BMW 7 Series and the 8 Series. The new BMW flagship even has that carbon roof in addition to carbon architecture elements. Aston Martin has to follow suit. Early reports about the Aston Martin DBS Superleggera suggest that carbon fiber will end up in the cabin as well. As a decoration mind you, but it is a lightweight decoration nevertheless.

What About the Looks?

Aston Martin does not have to and honestly should not change the looks of the DBS Superleggera compared to the Vanquish. The Vanquish is a badass machine, and it looks exceptional to this day. The first photos and reports on the new DBS Superleggera show that some of the modern styling causes have been neatly integrated. The blacked out grille has never been bigger. It looks like it’s on a race car. That splitter I mentioned is also smartly designed to connect two front intakes on either end of the bumper without feeling like a design overkill. The hardcore aura was translated heavily to the sides as well. There, the Aston DBS Superleggera has gills and wide arches reminiscent of modern Aston Martin cars. Most notably the DB11, whose chassis the new DBS Superleggera, wears under this pretty body. Obviously, Aston Martin proved it can do wonders with the new chassis as it successfully re-engineered it for the V8 Vantage.

The Superleggera will have a completely different setup, though. A new suspension with stiffer damping is mandatory. Driving aids will have to be far more hardcore, possibly scaled back from the top-notch Valkyrie. All in all, the DBS Superleggera is set to surge to the flagship status, and I have a feeling it will stay there for a while.

What About the Future?

Set to be unveiled in a matter of hours, the Aston Martin DBS Superleggera will rewrite the rules of the hard-core Aston Martins. It will move from the confines associated with the heavy luxury GT cars into a whole new segment dominated by what can only be described as supercars. The Coupe is the first one to be unveiled with the Volante announced in early 2019.

Apart from taking styling causes from the modern Aston Martin cars, the DBS Superleggera will have clear links with the cars previously associated with the name. Despite not being a direct successor to the DBS, the shape of the lights, tailpipes, and, possibly, the shape of the rear lights will be reminiscent of the previous car.