VIDEO: Aston unleashes DB11 on film

Aston has released a short film of its all-new DB11 being driven out in the wild following its public debut at the Geneva motor show last week.

After it revealed full details, along with the actual car, at the Swiss show we now know the firm’s all-new turbocharged 5.2-litre V12 will produce 447kW/700Nm.

Aston Martin also announced its new engine will feature selective cylinder-deactivation that can shut down one bank of cylinders under gentle use to turn the motor into a fuel-sipping 2.6-litre straight-six.

The banks are then switched over every 20 seconds or so to stop the catalysts from losing heat, and fire instantly back into life if there’s a throttle demand.

Beneath the DB11, the V12 coupe sits on a new aluminium architecture that will underpin all the brand’s future models.

Transmission duties, meanwhile, are handled by the same eight-speed ZF transaxle that’s fitted to the DB9 and Vanquish, although with a limited-slip differential that now features torque vectoring.

Aston claims a 3.9-second 0-100km/h time and a top speed of 322km/h; exactly 200mph in the old money.

Size-wise the new coupe is similar dimensionally to the DB9 it replaces. The DB11 is 40mm longer, 77mm wider, 28mm lower and sits on a wheelbase 58mm longer. Weight is nearly identical, with 1770kg being a reduction of just 15kg, but the new engine is heavier and therefore the bodyshell’s mass reduction is partially disguised.

It’s noticeably bigger inside, with more interior room and almost-usable rear seats in place of the DB9’s extended baggage space.

The new platform also incorporates new multi-link rear suspension and – in an Aston first – electric power steering. The aerodynamics are smarter too, with the idea being to create downforce without any wings or active aero systems.

The star feature is the so-called Aeroblade, which uses pipework to take airflow from the side of the car to the trailing edge of the tailgate where it is directed upwards, delivering most of the benefits of a fixed wing without disrupting the car’s lines. This works at speeds of up to about 145km/h, with a small Gurney Flap rising at higher velocities to lend assistance.

Inside, the arrival of Daimler electrical architecture introduces the same touch-sensitive control panel as top-end Mercs and with the same single control stalk for both indicators and windscreen wipers.

There are TFT instruments and an 8.0-inch central display screen, with options including a powered arm rest, a 360-degree camera system and auto parking.

Prices are yet to be confirmed, but a price hike to about $430,000 is expected.

Deliveries will start in the fourth quarter of 2016. After years of stagnant sales Aston is in need of a hero; the DB11 could well be that car.