Automotive

Worth the wait: Aston Martin DB11 breaks cover

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The new DB11 is a crucial car for Aston Martin, and sends the brand in a new direction for the future
The DB11 on the ground in Geneva
All of Aston Martin's classic desin cues have made it onto the DB11's flanks
The silver detail running the length of the roofline gives the car a unique profile
The details on the DB11's headlamps are a sign Aston Martin has brought the DB series into the modern age
The vents on the side of the car are designed to minimise pressure in the front wheelarches
The Aston's wheels are fussier than the designs we've seen from the brand in past, but they still look fantastic
Aston Martin has dropped the naturally aspirated engine from the DB9 for a turbocharged engine
It's still a V12, but we'll be interested to see if it still has the same character as the older motor
Aston Martin has a long history, but this car is crucial to its success going into the future
There are neat little design touches all around the body, but they're also practical
The rear of the car has been designed to direct air over the rear spoiler
The rear spoiler has been integrated into the rear deck for a clean design
Aston Martin has taken a leaf out of Ford's book with the disconnected cabin and air management
Even the car's gearshift paddles are immaculately designed
High end audio is available, but that's not the only option on the list
The car's displays have all been redone, bringing the DB series up to date with the best modern supercars
We love the look of the DB's interior detailing, even if it isn't quite as subtle or classy as older Aston Martins
Mercedes-AMG infotainment means some of these buttons will look familiar
That's a button we want to press
The car's infotainment controller is the same as the Mercedes one, but beyond that the DB's center stack is unique and beautiful
The air vents are beautifully wrought, as are the dashboard buttons and the center screen
The DB11 will handle the 0-100 km/h sprint in just 3.9 seconds
The two-tone trim is loud, but still looks classy
The classic clamshell bonnet and grille features on the DB11's design, so you know this is an Aston Martin
The rear of the car is where things have changed the most, thanks to new taillights and a new spoiler
The car's styling mightn't be as clean as the outgoing DB9's, but we're still big fans
Top speed is 200 mph, but we wouldn't be surprised if most cars never reach that - they're more likely to sit at 100 mph and cross continents
The car's rear diffuser is just one aero element designed to keep the car on the ground at high speed
The Aston Martin DB11 launched at the Geneva Motor Show
The DB11 in action
We're not sure if the sound out of the twin exhaust will be as good as the DB9's, but initial signs about the car's handling and motor are good
The DB11 is the first properly new DB car since the DB9 launched in 2003
The new DB11 is a crucial car for Aston Martin, and sends the brand in a new direction for the future
Aston Martin DB11 debuts at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show
C.C. Weiss/Gizmag
Aston Martin DB11 debuts at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show
C.C. Weiss/Gizmag
Aston Martin DB11 debuts at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show
C.C. Weiss/Gizmag
Aston Martin DB11 debuts at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show
C.C. Weiss/Gizmag
Aston Martin DB11 debuts at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show
C.C. Weiss/Gizmag
Aston Martin DB11 debuts at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show
C.C. Weiss/Gizmag
Aston Martin DB11 debuts at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show
C.C. Weiss/Gizmag
Aston Martin DB11 debuts at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show
C.C. Weiss/Gizmag
Aston Martin DB11 debuts at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show
C.C. Weiss/Gizmag
Aston Martin DB11 debuts at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show
C.C. Weiss/Gizmag
Aston Martin DB11 debuts at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show
C.C. Weiss/Gizmag
Aston Martin DB11 debuts at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show
C.C. Weiss/Gizmag
Aston Martin DB11 debuts at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show
C.C. Weiss/Gizmag
Aston Martin DB11 debuts at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show
C.C. Weiss/Gizmag
Aston Martin DB11 debuts at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show
C.C. Weiss/Gizmag
View gallery - 48 images

The Aston Martin DB9 is still one of the world's most beautiful cars, but it's also getting long in the tooth. Although Aston has done a good job of keeping it fresh in the 13 years since its launch, a concrete update to the DB line is more than a little overdue. Thankfully, Gaydon's finest engineers and designers look to have nailed the followup – the DB11 – which has just been unveiled in Geneva.

We could tell you about the DB11's twin-turbo V12 engine, or we could grace you with the details about the car's new lighter, stronger bonded aluminum structure, but it's clear what the first talking point is when it comes to a new Aston: the way it looks.

All of Aston Martin's classic desin cues have made it onto the DB11's flanks

All of Aston Martin's classic design cues have made it onto the new car, from the front-hinged clamshell bonnet to that iconic grille, but the DB11 also debuts a new design language for Gaydon. The roof strakes that run to from the A-pillar to the C-pillar give the car a unique profile, and we think the sloping decklid and integrated rear spoiler somehow manage to look classically beautiful and thoroughly modern at the same time.

Scratching beneath the surface reveals this beauty is more than skin deep, because Aston Martin has gone to great lengths to ensure the design is also functional at high speed. There are vents hidden away in the side strakes to reduce pressure in the front wheel arches, and the integrated rear spoiler is fed by small air intakes located at the base of each C-pillar.

The car's infotainment controller is the same as the Mercedes one, but beyond that the DB's center stack is unique and beautiful

Unlike the DB9, which was powered by a naturally aspirated V12, Aston has turned to turbos in its new 5.2-liter motor. Producing 447 kW (600 hp) and 700 Nm, the new engine is powerful enough for a 0-100 km/h (62 mph) sprint time of 3.9 seconds on the way to a top speed of 322 km/h (200 mph).

Power is channelled to the road through an 8-speed ZF gearbox.

Although these are impressive figures, it will be interesting to see whether something has been lost in the transition from natural aspiration to a turbocharging. We'll just have to wait and see whether the new car has the same snarling engine note the DB9 was famous for, or if some of the fireworks have been damped down.

The rear of the car is where things have changed the most, thanks to new taillights and a new spoiler

An adaptive suspension and steering setup lets owners choose between GT, Sport and Sport Plus modes. As you'd imagine, GT mode is designed for crossing continents, while the car gets stiffer the further up the tree you move.

On the inside, there's a 12-inch display sitting atop the dashboard, and there's a Mercedes-style rotary controller with a touchpad to control it at the base of the touch sensitive center stack.

Overall, the car's cabin oozes class. Those gearshift paddles are beautifully wrought, the two-tone treatment on the bucket seats looks special without becoming blingy or garish, and with ISOFIX mountings for child seats it's even reasonably practical.

Pricing for the DB11 kicks off at £154,900 in the UK, €204,900 in Germany and $211,995 in the USA. Don't expect too many to go for the base price though, with such a range of options available we'd expect plenty of owners to add tens of thousands of pounds, euros and dollars to the list price without thinking twice.

Stay tuned for more information from show floor in Geneva, and take a look through the gallery to see Aston Martin's gorgeous press shots of the DB11 on the move.

... and in case you are wondering what happened to the DB10 – that moniker was hijacked by one Mr. J. Bond.

Source: Aston Martin

View gallery - 48 images
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6 comments
wanderkip
Hey, I love Astons too, but the same performance as a Z07 Vette for more than twice the price? (and only very slightly better looking...). I know, I know... there are plenty of self-indulgent weenies with deep pockets that value good breeding instead of good sense.
Stephen N Russell
Love 2 rent, awesome, darn price to buy, love the AMs since DB5 from Goldfinger.
Paul van Dinther
Yuk. Cluttered confusing styling. Car for yobbos.
Reegs
Beautiful lines and engineering as always from Aston, but the days of the combustion engine are numbered.
Jump in a sun powered Tesla Model S (with your whole family) and wait for the DB11 at the finish line.
Keith Reeder
"but the same performance as a Z07 Vette for more than twice the price? "
A plastic bag and a 40 room mansion will both keep the rain off you're head, but that doesn't make them comparable...
wanderkip
@ Keith Reeder- "A plastic bag and a 40 room mansion will both keep the rain off you're head, but that doesn't make them comparable..." That would only be analogous if the mansion cost twice that of a plastic bag, not several million times. :) If you haven't driven a modern Vette lately, you owe it to yourself.