RE: Aston Martin DB11 V8: Driven

[Vee12V]

Let's be honest. The only reason you'd pick the V8 over the V12 is because of tax reasons or that you can't afford the latter. Just like with the GTC4 Lusso.

[Paddy78]

davea18h said:

Can someone tell me why you would choose an AM with your heart and not your head? They produce beautiful cars that go well and handle well. Does it matter that they are not as fast as or handle (we're talking extremes and subtle differences here, not donkey's) as well as their counterparts? I love speed and am fascinated by all cars and the likes if the Chiron and others are technical masterpieces, but is the fact that something is half a second or less to 60 or a 100, or the handling is great but not as good as this that or the other, a game changer? Not for me, and I think this arms race (of BHP and outright speed and acceleration figures, as fantastic and interesting as it is) is not the be all and end all?

The perception that it will be less reliable, cost more to run, depreciate more... than say a 911 Turbo... if this is what we would call the head purchase in this situation.

[Mosdef]

sidesauce said:

So so tempting...

I'm waiting for Speedraser to come along and say 'it's not a proper Aston Martin as it's not an Aston Martin engine' but frankly I don't, nor I suspect many others will, care.

Only thing is, what of the forthcoming V8 Vantage? Unless it's significantly cheaper I think I'd prefer the DB11 if only for the added practicality of the 2 rear seats!

Sadly, you’re probably right about Speedraser. He has a unique Aston, one with bits sourced from Ford and Jaguar don’t you know. It doesn’t matter that it’s been put together with a parts bin raid approach, its unique and no other car has been cobbled together in the same way. AM is, after all, renowned for its long history of engine development...oh, hang on!!

The evolution behind this car is what would convince me to finally buy an AM and is also what will guarantee any chance of its survival. Glad they’ve done the sensible thing in this downsized, turbocharged era.

[JohnGoodridge]

TooMany2cvs said:

anonymous said:

[redacted]

At a time when AMG are down-sizing like everybody else, there's a good point here...

I credit Andy Palmer with at least as much contractual savvy as Horacio Pagani when it comes to securing his supply of AMG engines.

[Chris Stott]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

They already own 5% of AM.

[SpeckledJim]

AmosMoses said:

Lovely car, i think this makes more sense over the V12.

Re the interior, Aston are known on their test and press cars to use any leathers etc that aren't in demand. So some sheik maybe ordered barney purple on a Vantage in the 90s and now they have hides left over that no one else will buy, rather than using up say black that gets ordered a lot.

This doesn't make much sense.

PR demo fleet cars will eventually be sold into the dealers, so there's some commercial pressure to keep them within the realms of retail-friendly specs.

Whilst they want to show what can be done, they also want to show cars that someone might conceivably want to own.

Just building a demo car out of any old stuff they've got lying around in weird colours, when it's going to be seen by millions, is not really a feasible idea. The cost of the leather is not very high in comparison to the cost of actually building the car.

They have come out with some odd Ted-Baker suit-lining spec choices, but that's surely not the reason why.

[GingerNinja]

Vee12V said:

Let's be honest. The only reason you'd pick the V8 over the V12 is because of tax reasons or that you can't afford the latter. Just like with the GTC4 Lusso.

I don't think that's true at all. I prefer the soundtrack from a V8, and then there's the weight and weight distribution advantages the lighter engine brings too.

[Plate spinner]

Vee12V said:

Let's be honest. The only reason you'd pick the V8 over the V12 is because of tax reasons or that you can't afford the latter. Just like with the GTC4 Lusso.

Maybe, maybe not.

A lighter nose / better handling balance is more important for some drivers than ultimate power. And it's not as if the V8 would be left panting. Just look at the reviews for the V8S Bentley GTC, its rated as the better drive and with more character than the W12. Ditto the V6S F-Type vs the V8.

But yes, a certain type that needs to demonstrate their wealth to others will always go for the most expensive version, regardless of any other factors involved.

[casesensitive]

Aaaand, at 230g/km, that's the top rate of tax, so where's the benefit?
That'll be €2350 a year please sir. If you can afford that in one lump, €2652 if you pay quarterly.

http://www.carzone.ie/news/motoringadvice/Motor-an...

Whoever this engine is designed for, I suspect it's not Powerfully Built Director types in Ireland anyway.

[E65Ross]

casesensitive said:

Aaaand, at 230g/km, that's the top rate of tax, so where's the benefit?
That'll be €2350 a year please sir. If you can afford that in one lump, €2652 if you pay quarterly.

http://www.carzone.ie/news/motoringadvice/Motor-an...

Whoever this engine is designed for, I suspect it's not Powerfully Built Director types in Ireland anyway.

I don't think the target audience is Ireland, to be fair.

[Cold]

casesensitive said:

Aaaand, at 230g/km, that's the top rate of tax, so where's the benefit?
That'll be €2350 a year please sir. If you can afford that in one lump, €2652 if you pay quarterly.

http://www.carzone.ie/news/motoringadvice/Motor-an...

Whoever this engine is designed for, I suspect it's not Powerfully Built Director types in Ireland anyway.

Due to the local taxes it's some £70k cheaper in China than the V12.

[SpeckledJim]

E65Ross said:

casesensitive said:

Aaaand, at 230g/km, that's the top rate of tax, so where's the benefit?
That'll be €2350 a year please sir. If you can afford that in one lump, €2652 if you pay quarterly.

http://www.carzone.ie/news/motoringadvice/Motor-an...

Whoever this engine is designed for, I suspect it's not Powerfully Built Director types in Ireland anyway.

I don't think the target audience is Ireland, to be fair.

I don't think the target audience is Ireland, to be fair sure, to be sure.

[Raudus42]

Apart from the wheels, I like that spec. I do like blue leather interiors...I find them soothing. And red too, especially in a silver or black car.

My usual favourite colour combo is pale metallic blue with mid to dark blue leather like this (not my car BTW just an example courtesy of JD Classics);



And I'd drive V12 and V8 back to back before making a decision, but think I'd prefer the V8 if it handles sharper.

[cayman-black]

I absolutely love that interior. Lovely car.

[Chris Stott]

More restrained interiors are available for the DB11...

[simon clarke]

They should have left the AMG badge on the engine cover and said it stands for "Aston Martin Gaydon"

[kambites]

I just admit the exterior colour offends me more than the interior...

Overall it seems like they've done a good job though. The AMG is a lovely unit as turbocharged V8s go and the fact that it's lopped 100kg off the nose of the car was always going to help its agility and balance. It certainly doesn't sound like the V8 version is a poor cousin.

[RSchneider]

Taking a fat man off the bonnet must make the V8 the better car. That V12 is bloddy too heavy! Aside from that, with that turbocharged - slushbox combination they should make lovely GTs, but sportscars they are not.

[myhandle]

It will be a good car. Not as pretty as some of the predecessors, but that's ok, they needed a new design language. What bothers me about this car, and the new Continental GT, is the dreadful ASTON MARTIN and BENTLEY writing on the back of the cars. It wasn't on the V12 DB11 at launch. The Bentley and Aston Martin badges are surely enough without that dozy writing all over them. I remember in the early 2000s when Renault said that its badge was well known enough to dispense with the writing, and then they reversed this decision a few years later.

[Chris Stott]

RSchneider said:

Taking a fat man off the bonnet must make the V8 the better car. That V12 is bloddy too heavy! Aside from that, with that turbocharged - slushbox combination they should make lovely GTs, but sportscars they are not.

I've only driven the V12, but my BIL has driven both the V8 and V12. He said you'd be hard pushed to notice any handling/ride difference unless you were driving the wheels off them, and with 600bhp/516ftlb, opportunities to do that are somewhat limited.

As for the 'sportscar' comment... it's certainly no GT3 (the car his DB11 has replaced), but it doesn't feel at all soft once you put the suspension in GT or Sport. Plenty of front end grip and very little roll on turn in, feels lovey mid corner... you do need to be sensitive getting on the gas though. I had the traction kick in in 3rd gear at c.30mph exiting a roundabout on bone dry tarmac. Gearbox isn't as fast a DC, but it's a world away from slushboxes of old... nice snappy changes in manual mode.

It's a proper GT - capable of taking you to the South of France in perfect comfort, and then not feeling out of place running up the Col du Turini... fuel bill would be a bit eye watering though.