2017 Aston Martin DB11 new car review

The say beauty is more than skin deep. But Aston Martin has been trading on style over performance and personality for decades.

There is no denying the boutique British car maker has created some of the most gorgeous machines ever to grace our roads, from the iconic DB5 made famous in early James Bond flicks right through to recent classics like the Vanquish and DB9. Beyond their striking appearances, however, Astons have generally been a step behind the competition when it comes to outright performance and the latest in conveniences.

That all changes now with this car, the DB11, which sets the foundations for a new era of cutting-edge machines from Aston Martin thanks in part to a technical tie-up with Mercedes-Benz's parent company, Daimler.

What do you get?

First things first, the DB11 is not an affordable car. With a starting price of $395,000 (plus on-road costs) before you even tick an option box, it is an extravagant statement to make. But it is a car that is also nothing less than extravagant in the way it looks from both outside and inside the cabin.

As you'd expect at this level, the DB11 is virtually tailor made with the kind of craftsmanship that can only be offered by boutique car makers. Like all previous Astons, every tactile surface is beautifully finished, whether it is the seats, dash, doors and roof that are lathered in the finest, brogued leathers or the switchgear that is hewn from solid alloy and burled on the outer edges.

The front seats are, of course, electronically adjusted and heated, there's dual-zone climate, cruise control, tyre pressure monitoring and Bluetooth connectivity.

But the Benz deal genuinely brings the DB11 into the 21st century with modern conveniences such as a tablet-style multi media screen with digital radio, sat nav and a 360-degree camera, haptic controls for the audio volume, simpler air con functionality and a fully-digital instrument cluster.

As for safety, the DB11 has a comprehensive suite of electronic driver aids as well as seven airbags.    

However, it's got a bigger list of options so customers can personalise their car, with our particular example - which is an limited-run Launch Edition that costs $428,032 in standard trim - featuring more than $30k worth of extras including bespoke 20-inch alloys, a high-grade 1000w Bang & Olufsen audio system and numerous exterior and interior highlights.

What's inside?

The DB11's exterior styling has polarized pundits, with some admiring its more aggressive stance while others claiming it is too fussy and has lost some of Aston's purity. I'm in the former.

But none of them can deny the DB11's cabin is anything but gorgeous. And sumptuous. And theatrical. And hand made, like it's been crafted by a Park Lane cobbler.

There's still some signature Aston cues, such as the row of buttons on the dash that not only fire the engine into life but also select between Park, Drive, Neutral and Reverse for the transmission. But the DB11 finally comes with a proximity key so you can simply press the starter button rather than inserting the crystal-like key of its predecessors.

The key isn't just the only modern convenience to come from Mercedes-Benz though as the sat nav is now up-to-date and easy to use, the seat adjusters are laid out like a Benz but on the inside of the centre console and the digital dash is just as dramatic as the reverse-swinging tacho of previous Astons but has extra information and is more intuitive to read. All the switchgear has come from the German car maker too but, unlike previous Astons when the company was tied into Ford's Premier Automotive Group, they come with a degree of quality and design that befits the brand.

The rest is as you'd expect. The 2+2 layout is best suited for front-seat occupants as the rear buckets are useless, with little in the way of legroom and virtually no headroom due to the steep rake of the rear windscreen, and the boot is big enough to carry a small luggage set for a weekend getaway.

Otherwise, it is a comfortable long distance cruiser with supportive front seats, a low-slung driving position and a beautiful squared-off steering wheel. It's a beautiful place to sit.

Under the bonnet

Aston's move into the 21st century runs deeper that just its stylish new exterior, as the DB11 is powered by an all-new, smaller-capacity, turbo charged V12 engine that not only has more power than before but also features the latest in fuel-saving technology to reduce consumption.

The 5.2-litre twin-turbo powerplant generates 447kW of power at 6500rpm and 700Nm of torque across a band of revs from as low as 1500rpm. Driving the rear wheels through a rear-mounted eight-speed automatic, the DB11 can slingshot from 0-100km/h in 3.9seconds and on to a top speed of 322km/h.

While its claimed average fuel consumption of 11.4L/100km is still alarming, it is a significant reduction over the previous 6.0-litre naturally-aspirated V12 thanks in part to the engine's cylinder deactivation functionality that shut downs one bank of six cylinders at low-throttle cruising speeds.

On the road

The DB11 has a unique character among sports cars. Its traditional front-engined layout immediately positions it more as a graceful grand tourer than a razor sharp race track warrior, which makes it a much more comfortable proposition to drive around town everyday.

It's still a sports car at its core and will bomb along fast and flowing country roads with ease. Point it at a tight and twisty section and ultimately it isn't as agile as others, even though the well-weighted steering has good feel while the engine's low-rev power is harnessed well and delivered to the road with excellent traction.

The three-mode suspension set-up is well damped in the default setting to suppress most road irregularities, but the stiffer Sport and Sport+ settings are best suited to smooth roads.

The DB11 is a big car and it can be intimidating to manoeuvre in heavy traffic, particularly considering vision is compromised by the low seating position and high window line, as well as the narrow aperture through the rear glass.

It is, however, a comfortable alternative to a private jet or a helicopter for short haul trips, as it laps up long distances with ease - not to forget in ultimate style and luxury.

Verdict

The DB11 is the first Aston Martin in generations that has genuine all-round substance and not just a car you desire purely for its looks. It still isn't the fastest or sharpest driving sports car in its segment, nor is it the most technically advanced or the most accessible, but very few cars feel as special from behind the wheel as the DB11.

It still oozes the kind of artisan charm as though it has been hand crafted by cobblers and jewellers, but it also brings Aston Martin up to date with its contemporaries in the digital world. Ultimately, it's a pretty convincing statement of status and style.

2017 Aston Martin DB11 pricing and specifications

Price: From $395,000 (plus on-road costs)

Engine: 5.2-litre V12 twin-turbo petrol

Power: 447kW at 6500rpm

Torque: 700Nm at 15000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed automatic, RWD

Fuel use: 11.4L/100km