While the U.S. prepares to jack up average fuel economy to 35 miles per gallon, and the Europeans ratchet up theirs to almost incomprehensible, industry-shattering highs, it's easy to forget that the new rules will probably still allow small, niche manufacturers of gas-guzzling supercars to thrive, for the time being at least.

Britain's Aston Martin, free now from the shackles of the Ford Motor Co bureaucracy, and makers of exclusive, coupe rocket-ships, is about to unleash its amazing top-of-the-range V-12 DBS on the American market.

To be fair to Ford, Aston Martin, which stars in James Bond spy movies, as well as producing a range of fast two-seaters and coupes, has thrived since its takeover in 1987. And if you're thinking of treating yourself this Christmas, you might want to stretch your finances to the cheapest Aston Martin -- the V8 Vantage Coupe - a snip at $160,000. The Vantage Roadster will set you back another $20,000. The V-12 DB9 Volante bursts through the $200,000 barrier, and the new DBS starts at $265,000, before taxes.

Aston Martin was sold by Ford earlier this year to a Kuwaiti investment firm for about $900 million and is becoming a victim of its own success. Capacity at its factory in Gaydon, in the English Midlands, is running out. Aston Martin made 7,000 cars last year, 2,000 more than the year before, and compared with just a few dozen cars when Ford bought it back in 1987.

According to Walt Madeira, Manager, European Vehicle Sales Forecasts, for automotive consultancy CSM Worldwide, Aston Martin will be producing 8,000 cars by 2011, and at least 10,000 by 2015. Given that the capacity at Gaydon is about 8,000, Aston Martin is looking to build its new four-door four-seat Rapide elsewhere.

Rapide to leave Britain

Last month Aston Martin announced it would build the Rapide outside Britain, and rumored candidates were German's Karmann, Magna of Austria, Valmet, the Finnish company which makes the Boxster sports car for Porsche, and Pininfarina of Italy. That would be the first time in its 93-year history that Aston Martin would build a car outside Britain.

Madeira believes that the Italian company Pininfarina will be building the Rapide when it hits the streets in 2009.

But it is the stunning new DBS which is in the spotlight now. Aston Martins, despite starring in over-the-top James Bond movies, have always retained a sense of dignity, tradition and restraint. Until now, that is; introducing the new flagship DBS supercar, the first Aston Martin to embrace bling.

For instance, when you turn on the DBS's engine, the words "Power, beauty, soul" flash up in a corner of the speedometer.

And the traditional ignition key has been consigned to history.

"The ignition key has evolved into a machined and highly tactile polished sapphire ECU (emotion control unit) resembling a fine wristwatch or piece of contemporary sculptural jewellery. You insert it into the docking station and it glows red to indicate the car is ready for action," says the Aston Martin blurb. Sports stars with money to burn will love that.
Ask nicely

As this car costs $265,000, the company will certainly make you a proper key, if you ask nicely.

But if you like Aston Martin's new, brash thinking, the company will sell you a limited edition, matching Jaeger LeCoultre chronograph wristwatch, which will start up the car, and lock and unlock it when you touch the watch. Price: $36,000. The interior has suede and special soft leather. The dashboard instruments are graphite backed. There are only two seats.

The DBS, which was developed from the DBR9 GTI Le Mans racer and replaces the Vanquish, uses many of the mechanical parts of the cheaper DB9, but it's a bit bigger and lower, with a more aggressive, muscular body. You can easily tell it apart from the cheaper version by its new five-bar design for the polished alloy main grille, and two additional vents in the enlarged power bulge on the bonnet. If this doesn't make clear you've spent more than a quarter of a million dollars on a top-of-the-line Aston Martin DBS, the carbon fiber, add-on skirts, spoilers and ducts will.

Under the bonnet is a massively powerful 510 bhp, 6.0 litre V-12 engine which will thrust the car from rest to 60 mph in 4.3 seconds and on to a maximum 191 mph, if you can get to drive on German motorways with no speed limit. No word yet on the fuel "economy". It makes a big noise too which will turn heads. The DBS has a 6-speed manual gearbox and has high-tech components like carbon ceramic brakes, and computerized suspension to flatten out the bumps.

High-pitched V-12 howl

You probably won't notice all the flamboyant bits when one zooms by you; but you'll be able to identify it by the high-pitched howl of the massive V-12 engine as it disappears over the horizon.

Madeira says there are plenty of super-rich new customers in emerging markets like Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Russia, India and China to take up the sales slack if a recession hits traditional markets in Europe and the U.S.

One cloud hanging over Aston Martin's prospects, not to mention fellow supercar manufacturers like Porsche, Ferrari, Lamborghini and Maserati, has been the threat of a new fuel consumption regime in Europe in the name of saving the climate, which might outlaw these fabulous but resource-unfriendly machines. New rules unveiled in late December by the European Commission, at first reading, set a confusing scenario for the future.

Madeira though is hopeful about the ultimate outcome.

"European legislators have always had the common sense to agree that the automotive industry is not uniform. Specialist car makers like Ferrari and Aston Martin contribute quite a bit in tax and salaried positions and governments want to keep what are often highly skilled jobs," Madeira said.
Performance, not CO2

Madeira believes Aston Martin could increase its lineup from four to five vehicles by reinstating the Vanquish once again, but doesn't expect the company to move down-market while production is restricted.

There doesn't seem to be any new technology on the horizon either, with no hybrid versions on the cards.

"Petrol supercars seem to be the way forward. It could be looking into a hybrid, but it's more concerned with performance than CO2 levels," says Madeira.

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At least he's being honest.

Besides, responsible consumers who are truly concerned about climate change and eco-friendliness will only ever be satisfied with the bastion of environmental awareness, the hybrid Escalade