By: Dave Abrahams
Geneva Motor Show - Aston Martin underscores the importance of the new DB11 by calling it "the first car in the company's 'Second Century' plan".
And it is 'all new', built on a lighter, stronger and more space-efficient bonded aluminium structure with a distinctive design language and an in-house designed 5.2-litre twin turbo V12. Rated at 448kW and 700Nm, it drives the rear wheels via an eight-speed ZF paddle-shift transmission, launching the DB11 off the line to 100km/h in 3.9 seconds and topping out at 322km/h.
As you move up through the drive modes - GT, Sport and Sport Plus - throttle response gets quicker, the transmission's shift points move up the rev range, the adaptive damping becomes firmer and the electric power steering tightens up.
An Aston Martin has to be beautiful (it's in the specifications!) but this one is more than just a pretty face. Gill-like ducts inside the redesigned side-strakes release high-pressure air from inside the front wheel-arches to control front-end lift, while rear downforce is provided by the AeroBlade - a virtual spoiler that ducts high-pressure air from discreet slots at the base of the A pillars through the body to vents in the bootlid.
The interior is all about satin-chrome trim and switchgear, swathed in layers of two-tone leather with lots of fine detailing. The virtual instrument panel is displayed on a 12 inch liquid-crystal screen, with a second, eight inch screen on the centre stack, operated by a rotary controller with an optional touchpad that can recognise fingertip characters, multitouch and gestures.
Upgraded satellite navigation and surround sound audio are included, as are a new auto-parking function and a 360 degree birds-eye view camera.
Customer deliveries worldwide are scheduled to begin during the fourth quarter of 2016, with indicative pricing in South Africa at about R4.5 million.