Aston Martin is priming the DB11 grand tourer for an extensive mechanical and technological overhaul, which will help it to compete more effectively with the newer Mercedes-AMG SL and Ferrari Roma.
New images captured by Autocar’s spy photographers show a heavily camouflaged DB11 undergoing road testing – giving itself away as the updated car with a revised front fascia, which looks to be modelled on the Aston Martin DBR22 speedster shown in August last year.
Despite being a clear continuation of the existing DB11 – which arrived seven years ago – the updated car promises to be a thoroughly modern proposition inside and out.
Company chairman Lawrence Stroll previously said the new version will be more like an “all-new” car, bringing upgraded engines, gearboxes, suspension and, most importantly, an overhauled interior.
“How can you have an Aston Martin that sells for £150,000 with three-year-old technology?” Stroll asked early last year, referring to the ageing Mercedes-Benz-derived trackpad system the DB11 has used since launch.
An agreement with Mercedes-Benz meant Aston Martin could only use the German firm’s technology once it had been used in Mercedes models for three years – “a silly thing the previous management agreed to”, according to Stroll.
He confirmed that the new car will get a touchscreen infotainment system, differentiated from Mercedes’ tech by “our own faces, our own voices – a proper English accent”.
The choice between V8 and V12 models is likely to remain, with both subject to substantial revamps. The latter was recently uprated to 759bhp for the swansong DBS 770 Ultimate, thanks to a 7% bump in turbo pressure and ignition tweaks.
Aston Martin product and marketing boss Alex Long told Autocar the V12 is “synonymous with the brand”, adding it has “a huge emotional connection for the customers”.