Aston Martin’s new DBS, recently unveiled at Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, came face-to-face with the Le Mans-winning DBR9, at an exclusive test day at the Nurburgring last week.

The DBS was in Germany for a final sign-off drive at the Nurburgring’s Nordschleife circuit at the same time as the Aston Martin Racing DBR9 and other customer race teams were enjoying an exclusive Aston Martin test session on the Grand Prix circuit, creating an ideal opportunity for the two cars to meet.

With the next public appearance of the DBS scheduled for the Frankfurt Motor Show in September, the car underwent a final sign-off drive from Aston Martin Chief Executive Officer, Dr Ulrich Bez.

The DBS adopts a series of race-derived materials and components, taking inspiration from the successful DBR9. The DBS is powered by an Aston Martin 6.0-litre V12 an enhanced version of which is used in both the DBR9 and DBRS9 race cars. The shared powerplant continues the strong link between Aston Martin’s road and race cars, just as the six-cylinder engine used in the DBR1 inspired a generation of engines in the DB4, DB5 and DB6 in the 1950s and 60s.

Like the DB9 and its sibling DBR9 and DBRS9 race cars, the DBS also uses Aston Martin’s class-leading all-alloy VH (Vertical Horizontal) architecture, a lightweight bonded aluminum structure that provides outstanding strength and rigidity. Aston Martin’s engineers have also employed advanced materials and processes to further reduce weight and increase the DBS’s performance and dynamics.

The DBS also has a revised Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) system, designed to help maintain maximum traction in challenging driving conditions. The system incorporates a ‘Track’ mode which raises the threshold at which the system intervenes to allow the experienced driver to explore the car’s limits.

The car’s braking system features another innovation, the first time Carbon Ceramic Matrix (CCM) brakes have been used on a road-going Aston Martin. The end result is shorter stopping distances with excellent resistance to fade in even the most demanding driving conditions. CCM brakes are also some 12.5 kg lighter than a conventional system, reducing the weight of the car overall and, in particular, the unsprung weight and rotational masses, further enhancing the performance of the suspension.

The DBS will be built at Aston Martin’s global headquarters at Gaydon, near Warwickshire in the UK, joining the current Aston Martin line-up. This now comprises the elegant DB9, the agile V8 Vantage Coupe and the critically acclaimed Vantage Roadster – launched earlier this year.

Deliveries of the DBS are expected to commence during quarter one 2008.