Aston Martin DBS Superleggera confirmed

New Vanquish replacement to be the "definitive Aston Martin Super GT"

With the DB11 having been out for some time now, and the new Vantage launch done and dusted, Aston Martin is fast closing in on its goal of replacing each of its cars with a 'Second Century' equivalent. There are just two left to go now but, though we've previously caught several glimpses of Aston Martin's successor to the current Vanquish, there have been no firm details to go on until now.

The expectation is still that it'll borrow quite a bit from the DB11, both in terms of the junior car's aluminium platform and its 5.2-litre twin-turbo V12 - putting out around 650hp in uprated guise. But while we may not have any confirmation of performance or specification, we do now have our first solid information on the new car: that it won't be a Vanquish at all.

Instead, Aston is set to revive the DBS name for its next flagship - the title having been first used on its 1967 grand tourer and revived again in 2007 before being dropped for the current Vanquish.

That isn't the only thing Aston is pulling from the history books as it looks to the future though, with Touring's famous Superleggera script also set to adorn the - heavily sculpted - bonnet of a Gaydon car once more. Having previously made an appearance on the DB4, DB5 and DB6, its inclusion on the DBS is designed to pay homage to the super-lightweight construction once enabled by Touring. Aston claims that the name also provides a hint of what can be expected from the upcoming model, set to feature "the highest levels of performance, craftsmanship and design."

Speaking on the significance of the naming, Chief Creative Officer 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".

Some pretty bold claims for the car to live up to already, then, and some pretty big shoes to fill too. Full details of the new 'Super GT' are set to be revealed in the second quarter of 2018, with cars expected to reach showrooms by the end of the year. More news when we have it.