Aston Martin has launched its newest model, the DB11 in India. The DB11 supercar is priced at Rs 4.27 crore (ex-showroom). The successor to the DB9, the DB11 becomes the first series production Aston to use a twin-turbocharged engine and in fact, it’s the first model of the new-generation line-up from the British marque.
The biggest talking point about the new Aston is the engine. The all-new 5.2-litre twin-turbo V12 was developed in-house by the company and pumps out 608hp and 700Nm of torque making it the most powerful unit to be fitted to a DB road car. Power is channeled to the rear wheels via an eight-speed automatic gearbox with steering mounted paddle shifters. The car also comes equipped with a mechanical limited slip differential with active torque vectoring – a first for an Aston Martin.
The new DB11 is longer, wider and lower than the DB9, at 4,739mm long, 2,060mm wide and 1,279mm tall. Additionally, the wheelbase is 65mm longer, with Aston emphasising the car’s capabilities as a true 2+2 grand tourer. The increased wheelbase has allowed Aston to position the engine further behind the front axle to provide 51:49 front and rear weight distribution.
The DB11 features the company’s new design language that was introduced in the DB10 used in the James Bond movie Spectre. Highlights of the new design include a bigger, bolder interpretation of Aston’s iconic grille and the pressed aluminium, forward-hinging clamshell bonnet, shrink-wrapped to the engine bay. The car also gets all-LED head and tail-lamps.
The DB11 borrows aerodynamic elements from the Vulcan racecar. The car features vents in the front wheel arches called "curlicue" that releases high-pressure air to decrease lift. Another borrowed element is "AeroBlade". The system uses high-speed ducted air to increase downforce over the rear end. Additionally, the car gets a deployable rear spoiler that deploys at high speeds to increase downforce.
Inside, the cabin is more spacious than its predecessor thanks to the car’s increased length, width and wheelbase. The car retains certain Aston Martin design cues such as the flowing centre console but gets a host of new technology. The instrument cluster is an all-digital affair with a 12.0-inch TFT display in place of analogue dials. The centre console also houses an 8.0-inch infotainment display with the option of a touchpad controller with character recognition, multi-touch and gesture support.
Though the DB11 was revealed in India only this month, Aston Martin dealers have been accepting orders soon after the car’s global debut earlier this year. “We’ve got quite a few orders from customers who hadn’t even seen the car” said a salesman from the Aston Martin dealership in Mumbai. The first lot of DB11s for India will be delivered in January 2017. However, if you book now, don't expect delivery before March 2017.
But, considering the price tag of Rs. 4.27 crore (ex-showroom Delhi), that wait might actually work in your favour; the value of the British pound is on a downward trend right now, so if it keeps dropping, the price tag of the DB11 will shrink in proportion. If nothing else, Brexit will make your DB11 a bit more "affordable".