Could The Aston Martin DB11 Be The Best GT On The Market?
The qualities of what makes an excellent GT car are well known. It has to be fast, comfortable, capable, and (preferably) absolutely gorgeous. The new DB11 hits all those nails squarely on the head and then some. Aston Martin is world renowned for creating exquisitely beautiful machinery, so it would be easy to just post a list of pictures and let this car sell itself. The prestige of the badge and its long-standing link to James Bond are enough to get many a buyer signing on the dotted line over something like a Bentley Continental GT, but the constant innovation and timeless design really help set them apart from the pack. Let’s get into the breakdown of its GT credentials
Is It Fast?
In a word: Yes. It is available in either V8 or V12 format both with twin turbo forced induction. The 4.0 V8 produces 503 bhp and 675 Nm of torque, which equates to 498 ft.lbs in old money, propelling it from 0-62 in 4 seconds. The 5.2 V12 manages 600 bhp and 700 Nm (516 ft.lbs) which is available from as little as 1,500 rpm, giving it a 0-62 time of 3.9 seconds. Not a whole lot faster, but the noise of the V12 is enough to convince you that the 9% price increase over the V8 is money well spent. But both will easily get you into trouble if you’re not careful with the accelerator pedal, and statistically speaking drivers of performance cars are more likely to make an accident claim, so it might be handy to have the number of a company like dfw car accident lawyers to hand just in case. They are also surprisingly economical on long journeys too, claiming as much as 35 mpg thanks to what Aston Martin is calling Intelligent Bank Activation. Meaning that when you’re cruising, only half the engine is working at any one time. Put your foot down though, and all 12 (or 8) cylinders start working in earnest.
Is It Comfortable?
Of course. Aston Martin isn’t exactly new to the game. There’s hand-stitched, quilted leather everywhere, some of which even has broguing, ventilated seats, intuitive touchscreen controls for everything and a fantastic 8-speed automatic gearbox with paddle shift. The steering wheel is nice and chunky and is slightly squared off, giving it a purposeful look. The rear seats are even usable, and sport ISOFIX as standard, not to mention the cavernous boot which is big enough for two golf bags. And should you ever tire of the heavenly sounds coming from the exhaust pipes, an optional Bang & Olufsen Beosound system will transform the cabin into an acoustic delight.
Is It Beautiful?
Without a shadow of a doubt. Not only does it have that gorgeous clam-shell hood at the front, which only one supplier in the world could manufacture from a single piece of aluminium, but the way the roof line slopes so elegantly down to the rear of the car is slightly reminiscent of the Jaguar F-Type that we all fell in love with back in 2013. However, the proportions of the Aston are just in a different league. Not only is is beautiful on the outside, it is gorgeous inside too. As previously mentioned, the quilted leather is extremely comfortable, but the hand stitching and tasteful colour choices really are a delight to the eye as well. The whole car is so elegantly put together that you could imagine technicians measuring every component to check whether the proportions are right.
Aston Martin has always made excellent GT cars, and the DB11 does not look to be breaking that streak anytime soon.