Aston Martin is ready to pump up its already serious DB11, taking the street-legal grand tourer and given it some serious track capabilities.
Long rumored, the 2019 Aston Martin DB11 Grand Tourer is making its official debut today – not entirely a surprise after some initial details accidentally leaked out over the last few days.
The automaker boasts that the AMR edition not only replaces the V-12-powered DB11 as the flagship of the nameplate’s expanding range, but that it delivers “a new dimension of race-inspired dynamism and performance to the DB11 family.”
Visually, the AMR and V-12 versions of the DB11 might be difficult to tell apart from a distance, but as you get closer you’ll notice a number of revisions, starting with “a coordinated palette of exposed carbon fibre and gloss black detailing,” both inside and out.
(Aston Martin goes extreme with electric Lagonda concept, Valkyrie AMR Pro. Click Here for the story.)
All of the standard DB11 brightwork now gets a monochrome treatment, including the dark headlight surrounds, smoked tail lamps and darkened front grille and tailpipes. The roof is dark black and, with the side sills and splitter, it offers a sharp contrast to the exposed weave of the hood blades and side strakes.
Inside, the black-and-carbon-fiber theme is carried on, with monotone leather and Alcantara upholstery offset by other weave details and the central lime stripe on the seats.
AMR, of course, is shorthand for Aston Martin Racing, and first debuted at the 2017 Geneva Motor Show on the outgoing Vantage.
As you’d expect, the DB11 AMR is more than just an appearance package. At its heart, the flagship 2+2 features a twin-turbo 5.2-liter V-12 making 630 horsepower – a 30 hp boost over the current V-12 and 127 more than the DB11 V-8 model. Torque remains 512 pound-feet.
The AMR is rated to launch from 0 to 60 in just 3.7 seconds, or 0.2 seconds faster than the V-12, and with a top speed of 208 miles per hour, it will not only become the fastest model in Aston’s current line-up, but also, the British marque claims, one of the fastest GT models in the world.
(Click Here for details about Aston Martin recalling its entire run of DB11 coupes.)
As with the existing V-12, the new AMR relies on a mid-mounted eight-speed automatic gearbox, but its shift points have been recalibrated. Meanwhile, the already aggressive DB11 exhaust note has been amped up a few notches.
“A slightly more vocal exhaust note ensures the DB11 AMR expresses its character more explicitly when Sport mode is engaged,” the automaker said.
Chassis and suspension dynamics have also been revised to deliver crisper and more precise handling, for what Aston bills as a “greater connection” with the road. But the engineering team was also charged with ensuring the AMR’s ride wasn’t track-harsh.
“Since its initial launch back in 2016 the DB11 range has matured rapidly and intelligently,” said Aston Martin President & Chief Executive Officer Andy Palmer. With the AMR, he added, “we felt the V12 could reveal more of its sporting potential, while remaining the consummate GT.”
(To check out the all-new Aston Martin Vantage, Click Here.)
The 2019 Aston Martin DB11 AMR will be offered in a variety of configurations, including an AMR Signature Edition in Stirling Green and lime. The base price for the U.S. market is $241,000 plus delivery fees and the first cars are expected to reach American showrooms this coming summer.
