Hi, everyone!

Aston Martin has invited a handful of journalists to experience the DB11 next week. Looks like we'll get to drive it on a nice long route in SoCal.

If there's anything in particular you'd like me to cover/focus on, drop me a note! I'll be posting photos of the event on 6Speed's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/6spdonline/

You can brush up on some of DB11's tech here: https://www.6speedonline.com/article...-test-session/

 

Honestly, back seat legroom! Seriously, we have a DB9 that our 4 year old fits in the back, but I'm thinking in 4 or 5 years based on current growth rate, they aren't going to fit anymore which would be a great reason to upgrade if the DB11 is more spacious!

I have heard it actually is, but haven't seen any hard numbers or descriptions. My 5'4 SO cannot fit in the back seat of a DB9 Volante even with the front seat all the way forward. I think 5'0 would be the max possible in our DB9, and that is with no comfort.

We also have a Rapide which obviously solves this problem, but I'm thinking forward for an excuse to trade the DB9. LOL

 

I got to drive one around for about an hour, very competitively. I was very disappointed to say the least. The car just doesn't feel exclusive anymore. They only thing I did like about it was the acceleration because of the turbos but that's it. I was very excited and yet so disappointed. :/

 

I'm 6 ft. tall, and will definitely hop in the back seat for you!

 

Where did you feel that it lacked "exclusivity"? The interior? The fact that it feels more "polished" because of the technical partnerships with Mercedes and such?

Curious about your thoughts so I can focus more on those aspects when I'm driving it.

Thanks!

 

Well, I'm not expecting 6'0 to fit, but any info would help!

One other thing I'm curious about is the dash electronics. The DB9 and Rapide don't have the best ergonomics or intuitive interface, but at least there are a lot of real, physical, buttons for most HVAC and audio functions. That's important for a driver to be able to select various things while keeping their eyes on the road.

Touch screen dashes or electronic interfaces are cool, and they are great for things like entering nav destinations, but they suck for simple things like selecting a radio preset because you have to look rather than feel.

Anyway, I think these sort of things matter to buyers. Of course the thing is going to drive like a bat out of hell, and that's cool to hear about it, but for people actually in the market, info about ergonomics, electronics, luggage/back seat space, etc. can really make a difference in the purchasing decision.

 

You nailed it on the head. I wouldn't say the interior was polished but i would describe it as more of a production car feel. I felt that i was sitting in something more of an SL then Aston. I loved the new electronics but the way they were integrated in to the interior seemed like an after thought. Almost like the dash and center stack were designed first and then they decided to put the MBZ nav parts in to it. Everything else about the interior was a bit over the top for me, it didn't flow. The current interior is a lot more classy and elegant. The current car is like a business suit the DB11 is like a bad *** tracksuit if that makes any sense.

One other major disappointment is the car did not feel insync with itself. As we romped around the local roads I could feel the "flex" between the front and read of the car as we took on turns and corners in an aggressive manner. I was expecting the current vanquish and even DBS feel to the ride and handling but I didn't at all.

Again guys I was very excited about this new Aston and really spent the day convincing myself that I liked it but as a few days passed and I got over the twin turbo pull it all became pretty clear. Its all my personal opinion but I know that the Vanquish S will be my last Aston for a while and Im never getting rid of my DBS.

 

Which area were you driving it? What max speed did you reach?


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driver start

 

Palm Springs CA. Through the hills and plenty of freeway. I got up to around 120mph

 

I'm back from my first drive in the DB11, and managed to hop into the back seat before I finished for the day.



I sat in the front passenger seat and moved it as far forward as I could while still remaining comfortable. Then I climbed into the back seat and locked the front passenger seat into place.

My butt, knees, and feet fit, but there's not enough headroom for me to sit upright. I'm 6' tall, but I think a petite lady or a 10-year old could easily fit back there. And honestly, if I had to be in the back for a quick trip down the road because my other friends left me behind, it wouldn't be the end of the world.



HVAC controls are physical switches (up/down) and are located just below PRND buttons. A scroll wheel near your left thumb on the steering wheel controls audio volume. You might be able to press it to cycle through presets, but I had the radio off the entire time to listen to the V12, so I didn't get a chance to try. Scroll wheel under right thumb controls instrument cluster menu for vehicle info.

Audio/Nav source buttons are touch-sensitive, so if you're not wanting to take your eyes off the road, you'll need to use voice command. The entire surface is smooth so there's no tactile feedback for which button you're touching or not touching.

But once you're on the desired source, say Radio, a physical command wheel on the center console can be used to change stations or access other options -- it can move in cardinal directions and be pressed down to select items. A touch pad positioned above the wheel acts as a wrist rest and offers redundant control options if you'd rather swipe and click through menus.

Other ergonomics include thumb molds on the steering wheel to comfortably accommodate both 10 & 2 or 9 & 3 grip styles. No molds if you're cruising like a chauffeur with a 4 & 8 grip. Haha.

Hope this helps!

 

So ordinary looking, unfortunately. Aston's interior is both special and unique in the current gen cars; this, not so much.

 

I just can't get over how awful that console and nav unit are... my god

 

My wife and I saw a pre-release - without coaching she thought the interior was a mish-mash of too many different design themes - she used the word 'awful' and interestingly she thought the wheels looked too small in the wheel wells. And I hope Aston Martin monitors this blog - note that when a wife does not like the design sales will not be as great as they could be so please don't ruin the Vantage interior like y'all did with the DB 11!!!

 

I'm very impressed with the amount of room -- thank you for the trouble!

 

I try. I let time go by and look again. It just isn't happening. I truly dislike that interior. In my opinion it's just ugly. The 0-60 is probably pretty nice, but that isn't enough. This could doom the company. But my bet is they keep this for a few years and change it as fast as they can. This car will be the red headed step child in the decade coming.