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Aston Martin DB11 spied in production sheetmetal

Aston Martin has taken yet another step toward debuting its long-awaited replacement for the DB9, the DB11, ditching the heavy, obstructive plastic cladding for production sheetmetal and stick-on camouflage. The move gives us our best look yet at the automaker's next volume grand tourer. Opinions on whether or not this new car gets its inspiration from the DB10 featured in the James Bond film Spectre are divided. From what we can tell, the profiles are virtually identical between the cinematic machine and this DB11 mule, and it looks like the DB10's thin taillights sit in larger cutouts below a similarly shaped trunk lid. The DB11 does look to get some kind of spoiler, though, and it may even be a pop-up item, neither of which were featured on the Bond car. The biggest differences between the movie coupe and the road car are found on the front end. The headlights are certainly larger and have had their shape tweaked. They now run further up into the fenders, giving just a hint of Ferrari F12. Even so, they're still unmistakably Aston Martin units. That's also true of the grille, which ditches the concept-spec single element on the DB10 for a more conventional upper and lower unit. We have no explanation for one element, though. Look closely at the C-pillar, and you'll notice what looks almost like some kind of vent. Our spies argue that it's an aerodynamic item, like you'd see on the C-pillar of a BMW i8, but we aren't sure. Were it a pure aero aid, we'd expect to be able to see through the other side, like you can with the i8 or something like an Air Curtain. Instead, it could be some kind of air intake for cooling. That's just conjecture, but it's not unreasonable. But what's under the hood? Our spies did some digging and doubt that it's Aston's traditional 6.0-liter V12. Instead, registration data for the prototype shown above lists its engine displacement at 5.2 liters, with our spies claiming forced induction will be used. It's not clear if this engine is a product of of Aston's relationship with Mercedes-AMG – the only V12 you'll get from the Germans is a 6.0-liter twin-turbo, while it also sells a 5.5-liter, twin-turbo V8 – but it seems like a possibility. Check out the spy shots up at the top of the page for the full battery of spy images. Related Video:

Jaguar F-Type squares off against Porsche 911, Aston V8 Vantage with Chris Harris

Chris Harris is back on the job, taking on really really difficult car questions like: Which enormously sexy and good-to-drive, high-performance convertible is the top of the heap? As one of the hottest cars in the luxury space right now, the Jaguar F-Type S is, of course, in on the action. Competition comes in the form of the Aston Martin V8 Vantage Roadster and the Porsche 911 Carrera S Cabriolet. Sun-loving CEOs who despise test-driving need look no further.
Scroll on below for a fully featured (with a running time of more than 20 minutes) comparison video. Harris does his best to entertain - in a typically nitpicky and made-up-British-words fashion - and the moving pictures are lovely to look at. Kick back, pour a pint and get your weekend started off right.

Aston Martin has a second mid-engined car coming

Aston Martin is expanding its exotic car horizons beyond GT cars into the realm of mid-engined sports cars. We're not talking about the upcoming Valkyrie hypercar, though. Instead, we're talking about a more mainstream mid-engined supercar designed to take on the Ferrari 488, Lamborghini Huracan, and McLaren 720S. Andy Palmer, CEO of Aston Martin, stated this specifically when discussing future product plans with Auto Express. According to Auto Express, Palmer said the car will be a competitor the 488, and will launch in 2020 as part of a plan to release a new model every year from now until 2023. Before the mid-engined car will be the rest of Aston's new GT line and the DBX crossover, and following the Ferrari fighter will be a pair of Lagonda models and the DB12. The 2020 launch date is a full year sooner than we were expecting for a sub-Valkyrie mid-engined car. Palmer cites a few reasons for going mid-engined. He explained that it's the segment standard, and that it's ideal for weight distribution. He also noted that going mid-engined will help bridge the gap between the top-tier Vanquish GT car and the Valkyrie. That's a gap with loads of room for another model, too, since the Vanquish will likely be comparable to the Ferrari F12berlinetta, which costs a bit over $300,000. The Valkyrie, on the other hand, will go for $3 million and have performance comparable to the LaFerrari and the Koenigsegg One:1. Related Video: