Licensed To Thrill: The All New Aston Martin DB11.
Aston Martin is one of the most celebrated car brands of all time. Their cars are a favorite of James Bond, celebrities, and enthusiasts. Just recently, the DB10 concept featured in the Bond movie, Specter.
It should be remembered that Aston Martin hasn’t produced a brand new car from the ground up for more than 12 years. The last new model we saw from the company was the DB9 all the way back in 2004.
But the DB11 hasn’t arrived on the scene without good reason. It’s designed to go up against the Bentley Continental GT, another grand tourer model. So how does it fare?
Performance
The new car is considered, almost universally, to be a beauty. But underneath the stunning chassis is some rather impressive technology. Aston Martin has spent a lot of time designing a car that has both reduced drag and greater downforce. And there’s no doubt that the car needs it. Under the hood is the company’s new twin-turbocharged 5.2 liter V12. It produces more than 600 bhp, putting the DB11 firmly into supercar territory. The car also accelerates impressively quickly. It’ll rocket you to 62 mph in a smidge under 3.9 seconds according to the company itself.
Handling
But what’s so incredible about the new car is the way that the power is delivered. Even a decade ago, Aston Martin struggled to make cars that actually took advantage of the raw power under the hood. But thanks to modern technology, mainly created by rival companies, Aston Martins now perform on the track too. The car now handles in a way that previous versions can’t match. And it does so in a way that feels effortless, as it should.
Aston Martin’s success here comes from its clever use of supplier kit. The performance car maker has focused on doing what it does best: designing and building beautiful cars. But it’s left the development of all the expensive electronics to other companies, like Mercedes. What that ultimately means is that you get the ride experience of driving a Mercedes with all the flair and passion of an Aston Martin. And the two work together almost flawlessly.
Costs
Running a supercar was never going to be cheap. You’ll need to look into quality car insurance provided by Belairdirect. And you’ll have to accept the fact that the DB11 will probably depreciate faster than your computer.
Then there’s the fact that you’ll be paying regular visits to the petrol station. The car will only do around 24 mpg, despite the fact that it comes with start/stop technology.
Finally, it’s worth noting that the DB11 is a car that is focused on the safety of its occupants. As with any performance car, there’s always a risk that it will go out of control with an inexperienced driver at the wheel. So Aston Martin has included a bunch of new airbags as well as some pretty sophisticated stability control. But even with these additions, this is still a car with a license to thrill. And from a company like Aston Martin, we wouldn’t expect anything less.
