We Drove James Bond's Next Car: The New Aston Martin DB11

Under ordinary circumstances , a new Aston Martin DB is a big pot , since it represents the flagship nameplate for one of the not bad Grand Touring marques in the world . Thisis the2017 Aston Martin DB11 , and its premiere is anything but average . It put back the DB9 , which has been around since 2004 , and is only the 2nd young DB to remove the streets in22years .

Aston Martin has a sight ride on this car . It needs to be Julian Bond - desirable ; that 007 will drive it in his next bad adventure is a close foregone conclusion ( the DB10 was a one - off Aston made forSPECTRE , because the 11 was n’t ready yet ) . The engine is a 600hp , duplicate - turbo V12 – AM ’s first all - Modern V12 since 1996 . That , along with the $ 211,995 price tag , put it squarely against theFerrari Californiaand the like .

Say hello to your next poster car … one that , amazingly , is revolutionise by shoes and insects . HowBritishis that ?

2017 Aston Martin DB11

Jeff Jablansky/Thrillist

You really do feel like James Bond

When you ’re behind the bike of the DB11 , all you’re able to do is smile . I link up Aston Martin for several day in the hills of Tuscany get to know the ins and outs of this beautiful auto . A major traffic jam on a main road just outside of Siena , Italy was the double-dyed position to take in the dazed faces of my fellow motorists , return the inevitable thumbs - up they pip me with a knowing nod . I sense like Bond . Out of the corner of my eye , I watch a girl scribble the Good Book " bellisimo"on a slice of theme and hold it against the windowpane of her school bus . Grazie mille ! Non è la mia macchina . It belongs to Q , obviously .

That beautiful shape is inspired by…ants? Yep.

When you call for a designer about the aspiration for a production , the answer is often plant in nature , and DB11 lead interior designer Marek Reichman has a affair for insects . No , really – it has a lot to do with Reichman ’s obsession with all things arthropodal . He line near design as " louse - like , " referencing the precise , innate engineering science of ants – specifically , their power to carry more than their body exercising weight , and jump-start and shine without snap off .

That barely mean that the DB11 is aBugeye Sprite ; it ’s beautiful , with an organic tone . Its design highlight natural human body and proportions , showcasing essence over flash . The end effect is a stunning car that you could identify as an Aston Martin from a mile away , while still sporting a distinctive and remarkable new design .

Inside, it’s basically the world’s most amazing leather shoe

Brogues arein . You see the classic - but - trendy skid style everywhere from the trading trading floor to the crimson rug , but rarely has broguing ( stylized perforation ) been applied to any leather item other than shoes . Nevertheless , Aston Martin gives the DB11 the same eccentric of leather and stitch patterns found on top - quality footgear . Everything from the leather seat surfaces to the splashboard and mall console table are report in the fashionable pattern . Will it wear out well over the lifetime of the DB11 ? Undoubtedly so .

The event is slightly over the top , particularly on the leather - covered headliner , but there ’s no denying the surpassing character of the leather and sewing . If you ’re into a more authoritative leather intervention , Aston Martin blithely has something else to offer you , presumably in any color you want .

It’s fast, alright

No matter how gorgeous it is to ogle , the DB11 is first and foremost a gadget driver ’s car . That ’s why Aston Martin endow it with a potent , brand - young 600hp , 5.2 - liter , twin - turbo V12 – and it ’s technically a mid - front - engined car , meaning the front of the locomotive engine is behind the center of the front wheel to enable better handling . You could harp all day on the fact that this is a turbocharged Aston Martin ( gasp ! ) , but in praxis , the turbos work so seamlessly you do n’t really mark their existence .

Six hundred horsepower is more than enough exponent to dispose it for supercar status , right up there with the Ferraris and McLarens of the world . While those alien beasts are mainly about speed , however , the best part about the DB11 is that you could tug it every day . Step hard on the throttle in Sport modality , and the rear tires will light up . stride lighter , in " GT " mode , and the DB11 will tiptoe around town . When the roads get twisty and scenic , it carry the route more stiffly and steady than the outgoing DB9 can , with mess of way for hooning and letting the rear wheel incline a bit untamed . The DB11 is a carrying out car as much as it is a style leader . Not a bad compounding .

It’s the poster car for anewAston Martin

When the DB11 lead on sale shortly , in a running of few than 2,000 or so in the first year , it will be the first Aston Martin to ride on a new chassis composed hard of aluminum and sophisticated , high - long suit steel . It ’s also the first to feature an splendid navigation system and massively brawny stereo , two touches that bring Aston Martin in full into the 21st hundred .

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