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The dormant 2009 Aston Martin DBS fires up and comes alive, its ferocious 510-horsepower V12 awakening with a sharp blip and a mighty roar like the crack of a whip inciting an avalanche. Your grin widens; your eyes glow. The boisterous horns of the James Bond theme blare in your head. If this ever got old, it would be time to sell everything off and pursue a higher calling. The DBS is a modified version of Aston’s sexy DB9, with bulging fenders and a more chiseled fascia that give the impression that it can kick your teeth in if you challenge it. The difference between the two is like pretty boy Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig’s tough guy in a dinner jacket, yet both appeal in their own way. A 510-hp V12 (a 40-hp increase) lurks under the DBS’s lightweight carbon-fiber hood, and with a curb weight of only 3,737 pounds (143 less than the DB9), it can hit 60 mph in about 4 seconds.

The handling is slicker and the entire car feels more like a dedicated driving machine. Yet, while the DBS is clearly a tough guy, there’s more to the “dinner jacket” than its styling. The interior is swathed in made-to-order leather, Alcantara and subtle accent trim of aluminum, carbon fiber and/or piano-black wood. For 2009, the DBS can be optioned with a pair of vestigial rear seats that replace the standard rear parcel shelves. With either rear setup, the DBS is really intended for two people who’ll be surprisingly comfortable over long journeys, with front seats that strike a brilliant balance between comfort and support. Road trip comfort is also aided by a surprisingly compliant suspension given the car’s sporting nature. When it comes to the exotic segment, the few models available each chisel out their own particular niche, making direct comparisons pointless.

If a Bentley Continental GT Speed, Ferrari 599 Fiorano, Ferrari 612 Scaglietti or Lamborghini Gallardo also tickle your fancy, there’s little apples-to-apples fodder to share. Having said that, Aston’s own DB9 is much cheaper and offers nearly as much performance as the DBS. In the end, it all depends on how much money you want to spend and what type of exotic automotive experience you desire. When it comes to the 2009 Aston Martin DBS, it’s expensive, but it’s hard to imagine being disappointed by the sights and sounds of this truly unique automotive experience.