Aston Martin to launch updated DBS late next year

That's a fairly long life-cycle for any car, but it seems the DB9/DBS will have to soldier on a bit longer. Its replacement – based on new architecture – isn't due to arrive until 2015 at the earliest. In the meantime, Aston is planning a fairly comprehensive facelift for the DB9 family.

The changes are tipped to arrive first on the higher-end DBS before trickling down to the rest of the family. Design touches are expected to be borrowed from the One-77 supercar, bringing the influence of the company's design boss Marek Reichman to overshadow that of his predecessor, Ian Callum, now at Jaguar.

Among those touches are expected to be a new fascia that, surprisingly, ditches the company's trademark shape in favor of a new single grille opening, coupled with hood vents and sharper lines all around.

A refreshed interior is also expected, as is an upgraded engine with about 20 more horsepower to draw on from the 5.9-liter V12, up to 530 hp in DBS trim. Expect the revised DBS to arrive sometime late next year, with the new DB9 to follow shortly thereafter.