SPORTS-LUXURY GT, Aston Martin DB11 V8

SPORTS-LUXURY GT, Aston Martin DB11 V8. If this page stirs a sense of déjà vu, the Aston Martin DB11 did indeed appear in last year’s Robb Report Car of the Year. With an important distinction: that was the traditional V12 version. What we had for 2018 is an alternative V8 engine that exchanges voluminous displacement for a pair of turbochargers. It is the first installation in an Aston of Mercedes-AMG’s 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8, as part of a technical collaboration between the British brand and Mercedes’ parent company, Daimler. The engine, tailored specifically for the DB11, surrenders 72kW and 25Nm to the 5.2-litre V12 – yet neither this fact, nor the V8’s non-English origin would discourage a barrage of enthusiastic comments from judges.

“I loved the sound and power of the V8,” said HR recruitment specialist Greg Madden. Nathan Robinson, founder and managing director of retail environment specialist Box Retail and whose eclectic garage extends from a Series II Land Rover to a BMW E46 M3 race car, also praised the V8. “The AMG engine is awesome, with a fantastic note. It also ensured the Aston didn’t feel its weight under acceleration.” Richard Whitehead, group managing director and founder of the RILOW property group, appreciated the engine’s “great response”, while declaring the DB11 was “a great-looking GT”.

It’s worth noting the V8 variant, which can account for the 0-100km/h sprint in four seconds, cedes only a tenth of a second to the bigger-engined DB11, while bringing noticeable advantages to dynamics. The V8 pares 115kg from the Aston’s front end, shifting the weight distribution bias from front to rear and bringing a greater eagerness to point into corners. Judges invariably found it beneficial to switch the DB11’s settings from Comfort to Sport Plus in order to gain more confidence from the tauter suspension (and, naturally, to extract the most from the drivetrain). Our particular Aston’s lavender interior might have been a visual metaphor for the company’s purple passage of new product (and even a rare profit), though judges were able to look beyond the controversial hue to appreciate an effectively executed GT cabin graced with superb seats and quality detailing.

A few just felt the interior lacked a bit of specialness, perhaps mindful that some of the switchgear is also borrowed from Mercedes (which is still rather a step up from Aston’s raiding the parts bin of former owner, Ford). Others suggested some extra space in the front portion of the cabin wouldn’t go amiss. Overall, there was a clear sense – and consensus – that the V8-powered DB11 retained the comfortable grand touring credentials and elegantly sporty design of the V12, while successfully injecting a livelier dose of athleticism. – JEZ SPINKS

Engine
4.0-litre V8 twin-turbo
Power/torque
375kW/650Nm
Transmission
Eight-speed automatic; rear-wheel drive
Weight
1760kg
Performance
0-100km/h in 4.0 sec; Maximum speed 301km/h
Price
$368,000 (as tested $436,750)

Sources: Robb Report Australia, July 2018

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