DB11 facelift/update?
Discussion
Saw a DB11 go past earlier and it made me think - it was launched in 2017 and there have been no significant updates since the V8/Volante/AMR of 2018.
Surely there must be a facelift due this year for the DB11? I must say, as beautiful as it is, i find the front end a little dull now.
I'm intrigued to see what they do with it, given the redone Vanteg nose and the DBSS frontage. I'm sure many from this forum will now lambast anything Aston could do, before they've done it...
Surely there must be a facelift due this year for the DB11? I must say, as beautiful as it is, i find the front end a little dull now.
I'm intrigued to see what they do with it, given the redone Vanteg nose and the DBSS frontage. I'm sure many from this forum will now lambast anything Aston could do, before they've done it...
LTP said:
I agree that at four years old you'd expect a mid-life refresh. The problem with the front end it they've painted themselves into a corner a bit with that enormous aluminium pressing for the clamshell - modifying that and the headlights are going to cost an absolute fortune, as you'd need to retool it completely - you still need the old parts for service.. Happy to be proven wrong but I doubt they have the cash.
Indeed, I can't see that changing. But the front and rear bumpers, along with light internals could be changed. You could do a lot while retaining the leading top edge of the grille.They've certainly got their money's worth out of the front bumper, it didn't even change for the AMR.
NFC 85 Vette said:
You're quite right, but times have changed and the current cars need to be seen to meet or exceed more criteria than the cars they replace. Regardless of whether infotainment would ever be used, they're expected to use the latest, best stuff, even though the last gen cars got away with packaging some archaic Volvo / Garmin based kit and nobody batted an eyelid at the time.
I suspect the logic goes something like:
"If it doesn't work very well, it's fine if it looks pretty".
"If it works fine, but doesn't look pretty, it's rubbish".
Android Auto and Apple Carplay can be retrofitted to the current cars just as it can the last gen, so that should deal with the problem of usability. The real problem is what the installation looks like though. If the latest, greatest MBUX tech found its way into a DB11 that still had the infotainment screen where it is, it'll be branded hideous, despite it operating faultlessly.
To flip the script, if the refreshed DB11 had a new interior, with a fancy folding screen, but the infotainment was from 15 years ago, it would be alright, because the screen folds away...
That's something of a provocative statement, but after all these years of hearing how the infotainment system in my car is rubbish (when it isn't), I've come to the conclusion that AML need only focus on making it look pretty, because that matters more than how it functions.
The paradox here, is that for all the complaints made about the DB11 infotainment screen integration not being seamless, the Ferrari Roma's system apparently looks sensational, and that's a portrait screen wedged into the centre console with a Ferrari badge stuck to it. If the same rules apply, it would be called all sorts of unkind things, so it's all rather strange IMO.
Well no, there's quite a substantial difference between the two. The DB11 screen sticks straight up, proud of the dash, with the leather trim making it look like it is literally perched atop a dash tray like an old TomTom or iPad:I suspect the logic goes something like:
"If it doesn't work very well, it's fine if it looks pretty".
"If it works fine, but doesn't look pretty, it's rubbish".
Android Auto and Apple Carplay can be retrofitted to the current cars just as it can the last gen, so that should deal with the problem of usability. The real problem is what the installation looks like though. If the latest, greatest MBUX tech found its way into a DB11 that still had the infotainment screen where it is, it'll be branded hideous, despite it operating faultlessly.
To flip the script, if the refreshed DB11 had a new interior, with a fancy folding screen, but the infotainment was from 15 years ago, it would be alright, because the screen folds away...
That's something of a provocative statement, but after all these years of hearing how the infotainment system in my car is rubbish (when it isn't), I've come to the conclusion that AML need only focus on making it look pretty, because that matters more than how it functions.
The paradox here, is that for all the complaints made about the DB11 infotainment screen integration not being seamless, the Ferrari Roma's system apparently looks sensational, and that's a portrait screen wedged into the centre console with a Ferrari badge stuck to it. If the same rules apply, it would be called all sorts of unkind things, so it's all rather strange IMO.
The Roma screen follows the lines of the lower dash at an angle, and doesn't protrude higher than the top of the dash from line of sight:
It's a far more elegant approach and is much more modern. You still probably pay £2500 for CarPlay though
Neil1300r said:
RMDB9 said:
...until Apple decides to replace Car Pay with a new "ecosystem".
But why would they? Apple IOS has a significantly lower market share vs Android. They need to grow market share. Yes I know they kept changing the connector type, but that was a low cost (but annoying) option to buyers. Changing eco system would kill Apple.Or just buy Android and use Android Auto in the first place
In the 40+ affluent demographic (Income over £75k/yr) , Apple outsells Android 2 to 1. It's a lifestyle product.
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