2020 Aston Martin DB11 Review: GT Driving Refined

2020 Aston Martin DB11 Review: GT Driving Refined

Spotting an Aston Martin on the road is always a special occasion. Rare, exotic, and beautiful, few other carmakers have such an automotive-celebrity status - at least the desirable kind. Within AM’s product line, the DB11 best represents the British car company’s uncanny proficiency to blend design, luxury and performance.


The 2020 Aston Martin DB11 is the grand touring performance car by which all others should be measured. No matter the rationale behind taking the car for a drive, its boundless talents infuse every journey with passion and smiles. For one, the hand-built AMG-sourced twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 is a masterpiece of power and refinement.


With 503 horsepower and 498 lb.-ft. of torque, the V8 is perfectly suited to complement the big GT’s multiple personalities. If speed is on the menu, it’s still plenty capable of sending the DB11 to 100 km/h in a mere 4 seconds. If comfortable long-distance cruising is the objective, this car’s ample torque and perfectly suited 8-speed automatic transmission will take you farther than you had probably planned.


Aston Martin engineers understand that owners and drivers want to do exactly that – drive. This is why the DB11 features an “automatic manual mode”. What this means is that the moment a paddle shifter for the transmission is activated, it hands over control to the driver. Unless the driver pulls and holds the upshift paddle to set the ‘box back in automatic, the driver is responsible for shifting. This is nothing more than a detail but true drivers will appreciate.


Another key element of the car’s broad spectrum of abilities are the drive modes. All three operate independently from the damper settings, and they are “GT”, “Sport” and “Sport+”. The GT mode is self-explanatory and is the one that best suits the car. However, should you feel the itch to push the DB11 closer to your limits (I promise you are unlikely to reach the DB11’s) on your favorite country road or at a track meet, Sport and Sport+ will allow you to explore the car’s highly skilled chassis. Here, the various damper settings will increase responsiveness levels, and there’s never a catch.


Many performance cars, other GTs included, with adaptive and adjustable dampers tend to needlessly compromise civilised on-road behaviour in exchange for all-out handling. The 2020 Aston Martin DB11 is always refined, even in its most aggressive settings.


This demeanour is very much in line with the DB11’s proud manifestation and elegance. While there might be a more regal appearing grand touring automobile, there’s no doubt that the DB11 is a special car. Draped in Sunburst Yellow, the tested DB11 traded some of its maturity for some playfulness which, in my opinion, was a brilliant idea on behalf of those supplying the press car. Such a sophisticated automobile doesn’t need to be taken entirely too seriously.


The cabin however, where owners will spend much of their time, is all business. And the business is opulent luxury and craftsmanship, all of it in a setting that encourages driving and enjoying life. Truly, the attention to detail and selected materials are second to none. The interior’s presentation and ergonomics, unique to Aston Martin, complement the DB11’s standing as an ultra-premium high-performance GT.


Aston Martin has built a reputation around designing and hand-assembling some of the most breathtaking cars ever to grace our roads. The 2020 DB11 is only the latest in a long and storied line of DB cars that were conceived for the driving enthusiast.

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