Australian New Car Buyer – June 2019

20 | AUSTRALIAN NEW CAR & SUV BUYER’S GUIDE

ASTON MARTIN DB11 FROM $374,995

THINGS WE LIKE

 New-look exterior design

 Mighty V12 engine

 Handling (in Sport)

 Interior decor

THINGS YOU MIGHT NOT LIKE

Cramped rear seats

Tiny boot

Mercedes-Benz bits in cabin

Floaty ride (in GT mode)

Not quite as taut or balanced as it

could be

SPEX (V12)

 Made in England

 5.2-litre twin-turbo V12 petrol/

eight-speed automatic/rear-wheel

drive

 447kW of power at 6500rpm/700Nm

of torque from 1500–5000rpm

 0–100km/h in 3.9 seconds (claimed)

 Fuel consumption: offi cial fi gures

not yet available

 Warranty: three years/unlimited

kilometres

 Standard: Stability control, active

torque vectoring, adaptive dampers,

seven airbags, leather upholstery,

360 degree camera, alarm, dual

zone air, Bluetooth, eight-inch

infotainment screen, USB, digital

radio, six-piston front/four piston

rear calipers, 20-inch alloys with

255/40 front and 295/35 rear tyres

 Redbook future values: 3yr: 55%;

5yr: 42%

compare with ...

Bentley Continental GT, BMW

M6, Jaguar F-Type, Maserati GT,

Mercedes S63 Coupe, Porsche 911

Safety

Not yet rated

Performance

Handling

Quality and reliability

Comfort and refi nement

Value for money

Overall

STARS

A

ston Martin’s latest DB11
marks a new era for the
British car maker. This big GT
coupe, launched in 2017, is
a truly all-new car and long
overdue. It replaces the DB9,
which fi rst went into production
way back in 2004.
The DB9’s platform, codename
VH, was the basis for almost
everything the company has
produced since. As VH grew
obsolete, the company couldn’t
fi nd the money to design, engineer
and develop something new.
That problem was solved
when Aston Martin’s consortium
of owners agreed to fi nance
an ambitious and expensive
rescue. It includes not only
a new platform but also an
entirely new engine, extra
models (including the inevitable
SUV), increased production
capacity and, if everything goes
according to plan, much higher
sales. Time will tell ...
As if to highlight that change
is in the air, the fi rst of the new

Aston Martin generation adopts

a different look. The DB11 is

a more sharply drawn and

decisively detailed shape than

the rounded and unadorned DB9.

There’s not really that much

space inside. While there’s

ample room for those in the

front seats, the pair of rear seats

is practically useless and the

boot is very small.

The DB11’s cabin fi t-out aims to

awe with acres of craftsmanship

and a 12.3-inch TFT instrument

display. The leather is especially

impressive, but it’s hard not to

notice at the same time that the

switches, buttons, knobs and

stalks are the same as you’ll fi nd

in a cheap Mercedes-Benz.

The explanation? Daimler,

Mercedes’ parent, owns a fi ve

per cent share of Aston Martin

and has a deal to supply it with

selected components, including

some cabin hardware, electrical

systems and drivetrains.

The DB11 range opens with

the Mercedes AMG-sourced

375kW twin turbo 4.0-litre V8,

priced at $374,995 for the coupe

or $398,495 for the Volante

convertible.

It launches the coupe to

100km/h in 4.0 seconds.

An all-new twin-turbo 5.2-litre

V12 -- an Aston-developed

engine, not sourced from

Mercedes-AMG -- is adequately

awesome in the AMR coupe.

Which is exactly what customers

paying $428,000 expect.

There’s strong torque from

2000rpm and great power at

6500rpm, where the engine

emits a regal roar. Aston credibly

claims 3.9-seconds to 100km/h.

The V12 (and the V8) drives

the DB11’s rear wheels via a fi ne

eight-speed automatic transaxle.

The V12 automatically shuts down

half its cylinders under light loads

to keep fuel consumption on the

reasonable side of ridiculous.

As a GT, the DB11 should be

a serene big-trip kind of car.

And it is at lower speeds. Wind

noise grows annoying around

130km/h, which happens to be

the motorway speed limit in Italy,

where the car was launched.

With the chassis in GT setting,

ride comfort is plush. This is fi ne

on the autostrada, but to exploit

the car’s grip and handling,

switching to Sport is a must. Sport

Plus is too stiff for all but the

smoothest public roads.

It’s no Ferrari, in other words,

when it comes to handling. The

DB11 pushes the front end in

tight corners and squirms a

little when powering out. But

this new Brit is much less costly

than a V12-powered model from

Maranello, yet is equally capable

of turning heads.

By John Carey