;rive The DB11’s pulse-quickening new exterior, futuristic
technology and t win-turbocharged engine rev up iconic Aston Martin.
By Lawrence Ulrich
POWERING AHEAD
;;;;; ;;;;;; ;; synonymous with timeless British design,
but the clock has been ticking on the brand’s ageing
power trains and technology. The DB11 is the corrective,
a 600-horsepower bombshell melded with the latest in
electronics and driver interfaces, courtesy of Aston’s new
technology partner, Mercedes.
Marek Reichman, Aston’s chief creative o;cer,
boldly proclaims this to be the most beautiful DB in a
lineage that stretches to the DB2 of 1950. Beholders can
argue the highlights of previous incarnations, but there’s
no denying the DB11’s functional gains, including a striking
redesigned grille, a clamshell bonnet and the innovative
Aeroblade system—a series of steeply raked roof pillars
that channel rushing air through discreet body ducts,
boosting high-speed stability without requiring a
garish rear wing.
Aston’s debut of twin turbochargers dramatically
boosts horsepower and torque, paired with a 5.2-litre V12
engine. Its path buttered by an eight-speed, paddle-shifted
automatic transmission, the aluminium-skinned DB11 blurs
the hedgerows: 60 mph is dispatched in 3. 9 seconds. And
purists can rest easy—the engine still emits a lovely
whisky-throated roar, despite the mu;ing tendencies of
the new turbos. An adaptive Bilstein suspension soaks up
pavement imperfections in Aston’s clotted-cream style,
but firms up at the driver’s push-button command.
If it sounds like the best of both worlds, old-guard and
future-forward, that’s precisely what Aston had in mind.
The new twin-turbocharged 5.2-litre V12
engine makes this the most powerful
DB model in Aston Martin’s history.
The DB11’s interior features the highest
level of craftsmanship and state-of-the-art
climate control technology.
The roof strake arches over the cockpit
and drops down behind the rear roof
pillars, harnessing airflow for stability.
BOND MOBILE
It’s a fitting supercar
for a secret agent:
James Bond’s latest
ride sold at auction
in 2016 for USD 3. 5
million. The Aston
Martin DB10—one
of 10 made for the
film Spectre—can hit
speeds of 190 mph.
