ASTON MARTIN DBS V12 2dr (2008)

Better than the DB9, which is saying something.

I tried them both. I test drove the Aston Martin DBS and DB9, both round the same roads and both for about an hour. And although the DBS has the same engine, it's just been given some sort of... magic adjustment that makes it ineffably better, whooff! It just bites quicker, springs forward and round more tightly, feels both lighter and heavier. Argh I can't describe it! But in every way the DBS is just a little bit more exhilarating to drive than its little brother. The 'sport' button is a gem as well, it REALLY kicks into gear then.

I mean, I pored over the figures and I do understand the differences. The DBS packs 510bhp compared to the DB8's 450. It is just amazing away from the lights, 4.3 seconds to 62mph! And it just SOUNDS INCREDIBLE, there's this absolutely mouth-watering growl when the revs get up which almost makes it hard to concentrate on driving it's so cool.

Of course, as you'd expect from Aston Martin, it looks the absolute business. Inside and outside it's just top class, no holds barred quality. The racing seats look fantastic (I went for the heavier but comfier ones on mine, and I think it was the right move cos I'm still a bit stiff after a long drive). When you get in and sit down you're actually pretty well reclined due to the seat position. That seems odd until you hit the brakes and realise you'd probably have gone through the windscreen by now without them!

The sewn leather interior looks very cool, although my more fashionable girlfriend says it might look a bit dated in a few years. Who cares though, I reckon it'll mature well.

One of the biggest downsides about the DBS is that it's two-seater only, whereas with the DB9 you could opt to have either four seats or a storage space in the back. That's not an issue for me because this car is basically a toy, but if you ever want more than two in it then you might wanna consider the DB9 instead.

The other thing about Aston Martin is that they know how to strike the right balance between technology and tradition. There's loads of old timey dials everywhere, and a regular gear stick, not this flappy paddle nonsense. But it does feel really super modern still, like the slide-up built in GPS panel, that is just awesome to see.

Obviously the biggest down side by far is the fuel consumption. It really has a drink problem! I get about 14 MPG average, sometimes quite a bit lower depending on how daft I'm being with it. I doubt this will impress my eco friendly buddies - but there isn't room for them in it anyway :p Besides you get it all back in power and performance. And with an 80 litre tank it gives you plenty of warning before you need to refuel.

It's so so so much fun I can't really begin to explain, and definitely worth the extra money over the DB9.