Aston Martin DBS Touchtronic 2 - A Bonding experience

Aston Martin DBS

James Bonds, the man who is licensed to kill had to shift gears manually, while we, licensed only to irritate, got to use the new Touchtronic 2 six-speed automatic.

Aston Martin Touchtronic 2

The DBS Touchtronic transmission features a final drive ratio shortened from 3.15:1 to 3.46:1, aiding quicker acceleration times and an improved performance feel. Additionally, changes to the gearbox calibration aid more aggressive gear shifts and greater usability, while retaining the performance potential of the manual gear box – matching the 0-60mph (0-100km/h) time of 4.3 seconds. System functionality is consistent with that on the DB9, with ‘Park’, ‘Reverse’, ‘Neutral’ and ‘Drive’ modes selected via facia mounted controls.

Aston Martin Touchtronic 2

When in ‘Drive’ mode, pulling either of the leather-trimmed magnesium alloy paddles mounted on the steering column will activate Touchtronic mode, enabling the driver to control gear shifts via the paddles. Touchtronic mode is also accessible directly on engine start-up. Alternatively, the ‘Drive’ mode can be selected at any time by pressing the ‘D’ control on the centre console, engaging a fully automatic mode which will select the most appropriate gear for the speed and driving conditions automatically.

The system also includes a ‘Sport’ mode - activated by a button on the centre console – which engages a more aggressive gear shift strategy as gear changes feel sharper and more forceful, engine speed matching on downshifts is more aggressive and in full automatic mode, upshifts occur at higher speeds. The Sport setting also incorporates a more responsive throttle map to match the high-performance characteristics of the DBS.

SPECS

On Sale : Now

Based Price : $273,000

Drivertrain : V-12 5.9-liter, Power : 510-hp, Torque : 420-lb-ft V12

Transmission : Touchtronic 2 6-speed Automatic

Curb. Weight : 3,737 lbs.

Acceleration 0-62 MPH : 4.3 sec.

Fuel economy : N/A

[Source : Aston Martin]