A DBS PROTOTYPE seen trialling new aerodynamic parts at the Nurburgring has sparked speculation that the British company is preparing a harder-core ‘R’ variant of the flagship DBS.

Stiffer suspension, new bodywork and a mild increase in power are all rumoured to feature on the track-focussed DBS variant.

However, our source within Aston Martin says that even if the rumours prove to be true, we shouldn’t expect anything new to arrive in the near future.

Aston Martin typically reserves such performance tweaks for late in each model’s cycle. Given the DBS is scarcely 18 months old and the DBS Volante has only just been launched in Europe, another DBS variant isn’t likely to appear in Aston showrooms for at least another year or two.

A case of the internet rumourmill getting carried away? Perhaps, but with Aston’s previous record of hi-po model updates (the Vanquish S and Vanquish Ultimate Edition are two good examples), an even more rapid DBS is most definitely not out of the question.