How the Autoblog staff would configure the 2017 Aston Martin DB11
Mar 6, 2016
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- Image Credit: Drew Phillips
Making the Aston Martin DB11 our own
There's quite a lot of excitement around these parts about the new Aston Martin DB11. The look is certainly polarizing, but we'd also argue it's much more exciting than the DB9. And most importantly, it's got power. A lot of power.
That makes it a vehicle we're very much looking forward to driving. But since that date is still quite a long way off in the distance, we're stuck doing nothing more than playing with the newly launched configurator. Like the majority of exotic car configurators, the options are extensive and the pricing isn't listed, but we were able to gain some insights based on how the AB staff designed its cars.
For example, of the six editors that turned in cars, all but one took advantage of Aston's blacked-out roof option. With a few clicks, the DB11's floating roof is gone. And most of us went with more low-key color options. While the Autoblog staff is hardly representative of the DB11's future customers, it will be interesting to see how these selections, especially the floating-roof delete, play out when actual orders start rolling in. And if you want to go design your perfect DB11, check out the configurator. -
- Image Credit: Aston Martin
Alex Kierstein
I actually struggled to find a color I really liked on the DB11. Maybe I wouldn't like it in person, but Madagascar Orange seemed best online. I set it off with a black roof and pillars, and restrained wheels and calipers. I'm not a huge fan of all the strakes and blades and vents, so those got blacked out to remove their visual emphasis. British cars always seem best to me with rich, warm leather tones, so I've buttered up the cabin with tan and brown. But the lighter leather didn't suit the wheel, so thankfully I had the option to put soft black leather on there. I like the darkest open pore wood a lot for accent. -
- Image Credit: Aston Martin
Brandon Turkus
A British GT should be a subtle, low-key shade, so that you don't even realize it was coming until it roars past you. I struggled between two excellent shades of silver for my DB11 – Skyfall Silver and Silver Fox – before settling on the latter and lighter shade. Brightwork disrupts the DB11's lines, so I chose to black out the grille, exhaust, side grilles, and hood "blades." And because I'm still not crazy about the floating roof – I need to see it in person to make a final judgment – I opted for a black roof and black roof rails.
I strongly believe black and tan should be the only interior option for a British GT, so naturally, that's what I went with. I paired it with carbon-fiber trim, satin dark chrome jewelry, and the interior black pack. I also made some interesting choices on the seats, but since there's only one interior view on Aston's configurator, I can't really talk about their impact on the cabin. -
- Image Credit: Aston Martin
Chris Bruce
I'm really digging the look of the new DB11, especially from the rear three quarters. The way the roof flows to the back reminds me of the DB7, which I prefer aesthetically to the DB9.
For my car, I wanted it to look mean on the outside but welcoming inside. I chose Marron Black, which despite the name is a deep brown, and I selected dark trim wherever possible to keep it menacing. I kept the roof body color, though, because I thought it looked better that way. For the interior, Kestral Tan for the upper portion and Sandstorm on the lower part created a comfy look. I made sure the seats, pillars, and steering wheel matched that motif, too. I also selected the auto parking, garage door opener, and glass key options because this was pure fantasy anyway.
I think the DB9 aged gracefully over the years, but the DB11 is a worthy successor. The shape is still unequivocally an Aston Martin, but the sleeker roof compared to its predecessor is the perfect touch to modernize the design. -
- Image Credit: Aston Martin
David Gluckman
Hardly green paint, because Hardly Green is my favorite color name ever, and Astons should wear a silvery color of some sort. The gloss black wheels, because they blend in nicely. Yellow brake calipers, because I wanted to undo what I did with the wheels. Black roof strake to match the wheels, and a black roof panel to match that. I left the other exterior trim bits bright so they don't get lost. Obviously it needs gold trim under the bonnet.
Inside it's a darker tan over a lighter tan, two-tone seats, and mint green contrast stitching to carry in the exterior theme. I chose the power seat bolsters and seat heating/cooling, because this is a long-distance GT, not a sports car, so to heck with the extra weight. You're flying blind on the brogueing and headliner options, but I chose Sandstorm brogueing and went with an Alcantara roof for fun. High-gloss chopped carbon trim, because there isn't too much trim to make it look silly, and I left the "Interior Jewellery Pack" set to Satin Silver to give the cabin some bright spots. I went with heavy-pile floor carpets even though those really only belong in the back seat of something stretched. (I figure I'll have the dealer throw in some slush mats for the winter.) Additional options: matched leather luggage set, rechargeable flashlight, winter wheel and tyre kit, all of the car covers, the glass key, auto parking, and the garage door opener. That took a while. -
- Image Credit: Aston Martin
Greg Migliore
Mine's a little gaudy, but I love the teal shade and snazzy wheels. I also selected the travel pack and the flashlight options. That seems like what James Bond would do. Inside, I like British cars with a simple tan color scheme. It feels proper and dignified. -
- Image Credit: Aston Martin
Jeremy Korzeniewski
If I can't get a proper British Racing Green, I guess I'll dip into Aston's own racing catalog and play with the Gulf livery a bit. The color is called Frosted Glass Blue. I can't add orange accents to the exterior, but I can do orange-ish contrast stitching inside, setting off dark blue and bronze leather. I blacked out all the exterior trim and the wheels, but kept the roof in body color.
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- Image Credit: Aston Martin
Steven J. Ewing
I have a strong belief that British sports cars should be British Racing Green. Aston Martin doesn't offer that color on the DB11 (what the hell?), so I'm instead choosing Arden Green, with dark, 20-inch wheels, and every possible black-out option for the exterior. Black grille, black vents, black roof, and so on. I like the understated look, and think, as configured, this thing will look absolutely stunning, if a bit under the radar, out on the road. -
- Image Credit: AOL On
2017 Aston Martin DB11 | 2016 Geneva Motor Show | Beauty-Roll
Autoblog brings you original footage of the 2017 Aston Martin DB11 from every angle at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show in Switzerland. Check back for more Autoblog Beauty-Roll videos from auto shows around the world.
