Automotive

The replacement for the Aston Martin DB11 is almost ready for launch and the initial photos certainly look good …

That even so obscured, it already looks better than the DB11 which I've always found somewhat fussy in both exterior and interior design. Hopefully, they've cleaned it up aesthetically, and returned to a more timeless visual language that has made most of Aston's sports cars so beloved regardless of how old they are, and especially those really old designs........ Thanks Cap, eagerly looking forward to this reveal! Cheers, Filip

But somehow I really found the Fisker and Callum designs to be more classic. Yes, Marek's designs are definitely a great modern interpretation of the Aston Martin design aesthetics; very modern and yet still elegant. But call me old fashioned, the Fisker/Callum designs are just too good to beat.

From my understanding of having read AML history on a number of occasions, Callum was the one who was first brought in to design the DB9, which he did to 95+% completion. Then Fisker came in to replace him, and simply added the sleek taillamp cover design to the DB9, and derived the V8 Vantage design from that. This isn't of course me trying to devalue Fisker's work at AML, but simply to point out that Callum is factually the rightful 'father' of that line of cars.... They still remain thoroughly contemporary in their aesthetic, yet they are more cohesive and timeless than their subsequent counterparts in my opinion.... Cheers, Filip

Then again, I'm not qualified to be an expert witness in a design showdown about Aston Martin. Thanks for sharing this detail! I still like the Marek Reichmann cars. And I'm certain the Reichmann cars generally drive better - I haven't driven the new DB11, but I'm certain it drives much easier than the DB9 - as it is a much newer machine. Although the new Vantage not being a true dry sump worries me - a true dry sump is necessary for my driving style on the race track. I was in Beverly Glen and the windy road caught me unexpected in a turn I wasn't prepared for, so I took the turn much more aggressively than I would normally - and I could smell the burnt smell coming from the car - and that burnt smell is partially from the lack of lubrication in the engine. Ugh. Poor car. Of course, rare occurrences for short moments won't damage the car. But do it multiple times, and then you'll really score/scratch the engine internals.

The new Aston seems to look great.