Twelve is a logical number. Hours, months, and cylinders seem to be peacefully balanced when measured in dozens. V12 engines fire opposing cylinders at the same time, which makes for a smooth ride and a melodious exhaust. The Aston-Martin DB11 arrived with a twin turbo V12, the first such offering from the brand.
It has 600 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque across a wide powerband. Packaging two big turbos along with intercoolers and plumbing around a 5.2-liter engine was no easy task. You can’t deny the abilities of such a sledgehammer, but it might seem like overkill to some.
Efficiency is not an attribute of twelve-cylinder power, and many countries taxes are based on engine size. So Aston-Martin went to Germany to look for an answer. Mercedes-AMG builds a 4.0 liter twin turbo that can be found in every 63 series AMG model. Reverse flow cylinder heads place the turbos inside the V, making it a compact design with no turbo lag. The V8 DB11 is 253 lbs lighter than its predecessor and it offers 503 horsepower and 497 lb-ft of torque. It will have you at 62 mph in 4 seconds, with a top speed of 187 mph. European fuel economy is rated a 28.5 mpg, which is probably a record for the brand. Enough of the details, you know the car and the engine, so watch them together in the film below, and check out these new DB11s from our dealers. Stay with us for all your Aston-Martin news
