Aston Martin DB11 Review 2024

Introduced in 2016 the Aston Martin DB11 is a beautiful ‘Grand Touring’ (GT) car that harks back to an era where wealthy owners would pack lightly and drive briskly to glamorous foreign locations for fun. The Aston Martin DB11 retains that spirit, so under its bonnet is a choice of effortlessly powerful V8 or V12 engines, mated to a chassis that’s more agile and sporting than many of the GT cars it rivals. 

That competition includes rarefied models like Bentley’s Continental GT, Ferrari GTC4 Lusso and Portofino line ups as well as McLaren’s GT and Porsche 911 Turbo. Higher volume premium manufacturers like BMW’s 8 Series and the - soon to be discontinued - Mercedes-Benz S-Class Coupe also offer compelling alternatives to the DB11.

Incredible, easy performance, a luxurious interior and an enjoyable drive wrapped in the sort of knee-tremblingly shape makes cars like Aston Martin’s DB11 enduringly appealing for those who’ve worked hard enough to afford to buy them.

While the romantic idea of a Grand Touring car might now be outdated in a world of inexpensive air travel, the qualities that make for a good GT car do still make sense today. And when it comes to looks, Aston Martin has always been among the most desirable among its contemporaries, the DB11 a sensational looking car. 

Drive a DB11 and you’ll get used to the many admiring glances, the British brand apparently appealing to everyone - something that can’t be said of many of its more overt, divisive rivals. Even in this exclusive marketplace buyers aren’t completely ignorant to running costs, so Aston Martin offers a choice of either a 503PS V8 or a 630PS V12 engine in the range-topping AMR model.

Both drive through automatic transmissions which offer the option of manual control via wheel-mounted paddle-shifters. Aston Martin is a small company compared to the majority of its rivals, so its V8 engines are sourced from Mercedes-Benz’s AMG performance division, though the company is developing its own new in-line six cylinder which could come with electric hybrid assist for future models. 

Either engine offers superb performance, Aston Martin’s take on the GT theme erring more towards the sporting end of the spectrum. As a result the chassis is more alert and agile than some of its softer, more comfort-focussed rivals, but the trade-off for that engaging, entertaining drive, is the expense of some long-distance comfort. 

Outwardly it’s beautiful, and inside, too, the DB11 feels luxurious, and offers an extensive, and expensive range of options to personalise to your own tastes.

Soft touch leather in almost any colour you like, contrasting or matching stitching throughout, even things like the headlining (inside roof fabric trim) can be personalised to your tastes.

Likewise, there is aluminium, carbon fibre or wood trims, a choice of excellent, upmarket, HIFI choices and plenty more options that means each DB11 really is unique to their first owner. Aston Martin occasionally releases special edition model series, like the Classic Driver, or Shadow Edition, these built in low numbers 

That personalisation and choice is true of the DB11’s rivals, too, and while initially the big Aston Martin impresses, there is some evidence of the company buying in parts from other manufacturers to save costs.

The infotainment system is a lightly re-programmed lift from Mercedes-Benz’s stock parts, and things like the air vents feel cheap to touch in the otherwise beautifully finished interior. Those do jar slightly in a car costing as upwards of £150,000, but it’s not actually that unusual in this segment, though most other manufacturers do manage to hide any parts sharing a bit more successfully. 

There are a pair of ‘seats’ in the rear, but the DB11 is very much a 2+2, so long as those +2 are either very small (children ideally) or incredibly flexible. Occasional use only, then, and if you need a true four-seat Aston Martin the company offers cars with more accommodating passenger compartments.

On the right road, it’ll rival sports and supercars for agility, making it a talented all-rounder. It’s just a shame that some of the interior trim doesn’t feel befitting to a car which commands such a sizeable price tag, even before you’ve been busy adding expensive options. 

There might be a pair of small seats in the rear, but the DB11 is best thought of an indulgent two-seater rather than a genuine four-seat proposition. They’re not entirely unusable, but think small children, or teenagers at a push – for short trips – or as supplementary space to the boot, for luggage.

The boot volume itself isn’t tiny among its competition at 270 litres, but it’s accessed through a relatively small and narrow opening, making things like a golf bag a bit of a struggle. If you want to use all the boot space as effectively as possible you could always buy Aston Martin’s fitted luggage, for a snip under £4,000... 

In the cabin it’s comfortable and spacious in the front, though the steep rake of the windscreen, allied to the low seating position, and the lengthy bonnet ahead of you, does make placing it on the road, and low speed manoeuvring. It’s trickier in that regard than the likes of the Bentley Continental GT, Porsche 911 Turbo or BMW 8 Series. 

As standard it’s lovely, with a lengthy standard equipment list. Optionally you can have everything from brogue or quilting detailing on the leather seats and door inserts, embroidered headrests, personalised sill plaques and optional jewellery packs for the interior trim.

Other choices include picking the colour of your seatbelts and even not just the colour of, but also the depth of the carpet. Should the comprehensive suite of interior option choices not go far enough for you, Q by Aston Martin – a groan-inducing naming nod to the company’s association to the 007 film franchise – can make your dreams come true, so long as you’re not actually after ejector seat or machine guns. They might have managed invisibility, but who’d know?

While that’s all expected, what is disappointing is the obvious parts sharing with other car firms. The central screen for navigation and entertainment is an Aston Martin fronted Mercedes-Benz system is a touch fiddly to operate, and unlike never rivals, not touch screen.

As standard there’s an 8-inch LCD infotainment screen containing sat nav, AM/FM/DAB radio, iPhone and iPod integration and USB playback, Bluetooth audio and streaming a WIFI hub and 400-Watt stereo. Premium audio option upgrades include a 700-Watt Dolby Pro Logic system, or a range-topping 1000-Watt Bang & Olufsen BeoSound system.

Using, essentially, previous-generation infotainment, the DB11 isn’t offered with either Apple CarPlay, or Android Auto presently, either, which, at this level, is disappointing. 

Nobody walks into an Aston Martin dealer with the expectation of ‘good value’, but, likewise, the DB11 does have to compete against some tough GT rivals, so needs to be priced competitively.

The DB11 range comprises the V8 model coupes and Volantes (convertibles) as well as the DB11 AMR, the range-topping model which benefits from a 5.2-litre twin turbo V12, in coupe form only.

Even the entry-level DB11 with the 4.0-litre twin turbo V8 has a starting price of just under £150,000, the expectation being that you’ll add at least 10%, and more likely closer to 20%, to that list price in options. 

If you want your DB11 in Volante form as a cabriolet, then you can add around £10,000 to the price of the coupe, with an entry price just a few pounds shy of £160,000.

The AMR, with its range-topping V12 engine and more focussed nature ups the price to around £175,000, again before options. Those prices compare favourably to Aston Martin’s British rivals, Bentley, with its Continental GT model being within £5,000-£10,000 of those prices.

Go crazy with the personalisation and you can quickly add tens of thousands to the list price of a DB11, even something as simple as an ashtray as part of the ‘smokers pack’ is £700, that said, it’s about the most beautiful ashtray you’ll ever witness, though not worth taking up smoking for (or, indeed, £700).   

Wealthy people don’t get rich by being frivolous with their money, so, of course, Sir or Madam can buy their DB11 on finance, Aston Martin offering a sizeable £20,000 deposit contribution on finance for the DB11 in 2020, as well as a 6.5% representative APR.

Residual values are respectable, but if you’re a serial car swapper you’ll be stung handsomely if you decide to move on your DB11 in the first year or two, there being a lot of nearly new used stock available, with savings of at least 25% over new, if not a lot more.

The official economy figures show economy in the mid-late 20mpg sphere, but if your DB11 drive is from Docklands to City, in traffic, expect less.

With so much power and torque, a lollop along a motorway at legal speeds should see that rise, but you’ll get used to filling the DB11 up. Servicing the DB11 is covered by a 5 year service plan from new.

Insurance won’t be inexpensive, but the likelihood is you’ll have several other cars and a policy to suit, and, frankly, in this sphere such things don’t really impact on the desirability.

What might do so is reliability, Aston Martin is a small manufacturer making hand-built cars, and reliability might be a touch less impressive than you might ideally wish for. More likely it’ll be niggly things than catastrophic mechanical maladies, that also arguably true of most of Aston Martin’s rivals.   

Yes, it’ll do continent-covering mileages with relative ease, even if there is a fair bit of wind noise at speed.

It’s the clichéd drive up the mountainous, or around the coastal road at the end of that continent-swallowing drive where the DB11 will shine brighter against more comfort-orientated GT rivals.

That’s true of the V8 models in coupe or Volante forms, and particularly so of the AMR V12 model, which is more overtly sporting in its focus, with its double wishbone front, and multi-link rear suspension set up being lower and more stiffly set-up than that of the V8 models. 

Ride comfort in all is decent, if not exemplary, there are active dampers, which allows you the choice between modes (GT, Sport and Sport+) but the DB11’s more sporting ability, allied to large 20-inch alloy wheels, with thin side walled tyres, does mean it can be unsettled by poorer, rougher surfaces.

The trade-off for that is its engagement behind the wheel, the steering is quick, the nose eager to turn in, while torque vectoring and stability and traction control help with the DB11’s ability in the bends when you’re really enjoying it.

The differing driver modes play their part with the engine and gearbox response, the engine and gearbox mapping changing to more eager responses as you go up the driving modes, similarly, it’s possible to partially, or fully disable the stability systems if you want to.

Either engine is magnificent, Aston Martin’s own twin turbo V12 having masses of power, with 630bhp and a thumping 700Nm of torque. That’s enough for the AMR to reach 62mph in 3.7 seconds and on to a top speed of 208mph.

The V8 really is no poor relation, with its 503bhp and 675Nm of torque allowing a 0-62mph time of 3.9 seconds, and a top speed of 187mph. Being turbocharged, both engines have loads of low-rev urgency, though there’s still reward and huge performance when revving them to their redlines.

The weightier Volante adds a couple of tenths to that 0-62mph time for 4.1 seconds, but retains the same 187mph top speed of the coupe. Either engine not only produces prodigious performance, but sounds superb, too, the V12, in particular sounding sensational, and will keep up with sports and supercars with ease, even when the roads are a bit more challenging. 

Undoubtedly a GT with a more sporting focus than some, the DB11 actually proves a fine balance between traditional GTs and sports cars, with a blend of talents that makes it very rounded.

However its scale, along with the low seating position, long bonnet and the high scuttle (bottom of the windscreen) does make placing it on the road trickier than some.

For all the headline-grabbing and aural appeal of the AMR, its weightier V12 up front under the bonnet nstead of the lighter, not significantly less powerful, V8 does mean that for most drivers the V8’s actually the more appealing, more balanced car to drive. 

Cars like the DB11 are rarely independently crash tested, but the inherently stiff structure they require, as well as things like huge brakes and sophisticated chassis control systems should help you avoid an accident in the first place. There’s none of the predictive driver aids of more mainstream cars here, that tech some way off for Aston Martin.

Towing? Use your Range Rover…

The Aston Martin DB11 V8 Coupe is the entry model in the range, and arguably all the DB11 you could need or want, unless you prefer your DB11 with the option to burn your penalty spot, or mess up your expensive hair, if that’s the case then the Volante is every bit as good as the coupe, and more so when the weather’s fine, in which case go for the Aston Martin DB11 V8 Volante.

If you’re going to be a bear, be a grizzly, right? If so, you need the AMR. It adds a V12, a more focussed chassis and the option of some questionable graphics outside. We’d avoid those, in truth.