2012 Aston Martin DBS Carbon Edition Volante

Aston Martin says the car will do zero to 60 mph in 4.3 seconds en route to a 190 mph top speed. The price starts at $304,291 including destination and a $2,600 gas guzzler tax. As tested: $305,311.  (David Undercoffler / Los Angeles Times)

The Carbon Edition gives you special 20-inch rims with a 10-spoke design; carbon fiber mirror housings, trim in the taillights, and throughout the cabin; an exclusive seven-layer paint job that’s finished in a 25-hour polishing process; and semi-aniline leather that, quite frankly, smells like heaven.  (David Undercoffler / Los Angeles Times)

If the DBS itself looks familiar, it should. The car into which all this carbon and leather trickery was dumped is a bit of a starlet itself, having played an integral role in the 2006 James Bond film “Casino Royale,” which introduced Daniel Craig to the role.   (David Undercoffler / Los Angeles Times)

Recent upgrades to all DBS versions include standard carbon ceramic brakes and a Garmin-based navigation system.   (David Undercoffler / Los Angeles Times)

If you’re a fan of a stout V-12 engine (you are, trust me), this car will be heard in Sport mode. Put that transmission in manual mode and wait for the engine to crest that 3,700-rpm threshold and you (and those within a city block of you) are treated to a malevolent trumpeting not unlike the brass section in an orchestra from hell.  (David Undercoffler / Los Angeles Times)

Unfortunately, the DBS’ loyalty to style means the interior controls are there to look good first and function second. The navigation screen rises out of the dash like a carbon-fiber-topped monolith, but the Garmin system it houses is worthy of a Kmart Blue Light Special.   (David Undercoffler / Los Angeles Times)

Though its power output of 510 horsepower and 420 pound-feet of torque may seem like sports car numbers, it’s important to remember the DBS is a large, grand-touring car. If you want lithe and nimble, look up Aston’s smaller Vantage V-8 or V-12.  (David Undercoffler / Los Angeles Times)

But keeping the DBS’ modus operandi in mind, the car is a thoroughly well-bred touring car. Curb weight is 3,836 pounds, and it handles this weight well, remaining securely planted through turns but never cumbersome. Long-range, high-speed cruising is what this car does best (hence the grand-touring tag).  (David Undercoffler / Los Angeles Times)

The DBS Carbon also shows its age with its six-speed transmission. It’s been good to the DBS since 2007, but in an era of super-fact dual-clutch transmissions or automated manuals, the lack of crispness and immediacy is becoming more apparent.  (David Undercoffler / Los Angeles Times)