Set to make its running debut at the 2016 Goodwood Festival of Speed, the Aston Martin DB11 is a car of many firsts for the British automaker. Of course, the biggest thrill comes from the belly of the beast.
Production of the all-new, in-house developed engine has started at the company’s engine plant in Cologne, Germany. From here, the 5.2-liter V12 complete with two Mitsubishi Heavy Industry turbochargers will be shipped by road to the Aston Martin factory in Gaydon. Depending on demand, the Ford-filled workforce at Cologne can build 130 units or thereabout per week.
With 608 PS (600 BHP) on tap, this engine is mightier than the AE28 V12 it replaces. Speaking of output, the electric wastegate and twin-scroll feed are crucial to the power developed by the newly-developed AE31. In its ultimate spec for road-going vehicles, the naturally aspirated 5.9-liter V12 produces 576 PS (568 BHP) in the current Aston Martin Vanquish. In the DB9 GT, on the other hand, you’re looking at 547 PS (540 BHP).
To arrive at dealers this fall, the 2017 Aston Martin DB11 will be followed by a Vanquish that’s slated to be motivated by the same 5.2-liter twin-turbo V12, albeit with sizably more power. Speaking to AutoExpress, Aston Martin chief powertrain engineer Brian Fitzsimons tells that the AE31 has been “proven to 820 BHP.”
Just to put that figure into perspective, the 6.0-liter twin-turbo V12 in the Pagani Huarya BC is good for 800 PS (789 BHP). Don’t know about you, but that sounds like a lot for a Vanquish, which is why I’m not keeping my hopes up for an 820 BHP grand tourer. Truth be told, the AE31 uses conventional fuel injection, not the direct injection that is so popular these days. More surprisingly, the brand spanking new AE31 has the same 89 mm bore, 21.5 mm bore offset, and 60-degree V-angle as the AE28, which happens to be 13 years old.
I sure wish that the Aston Martin Vanquish with 820 brake horsepower will someday become real, though.
With 608 PS (600 BHP) on tap, this engine is mightier than the AE28 V12 it replaces. Speaking of output, the electric wastegate and twin-scroll feed are crucial to the power developed by the newly-developed AE31. In its ultimate spec for road-going vehicles, the naturally aspirated 5.9-liter V12 produces 576 PS (568 BHP) in the current Aston Martin Vanquish. In the DB9 GT, on the other hand, you’re looking at 547 PS (540 BHP).
To arrive at dealers this fall, the 2017 Aston Martin DB11 will be followed by a Vanquish that’s slated to be motivated by the same 5.2-liter twin-turbo V12, albeit with sizably more power. Speaking to AutoExpress, Aston Martin chief powertrain engineer Brian Fitzsimons tells that the AE31 has been “proven to 820 BHP.”
Just to put that figure into perspective, the 6.0-liter twin-turbo V12 in the Pagani Huarya BC is good for 800 PS (789 BHP). Don’t know about you, but that sounds like a lot for a Vanquish, which is why I’m not keeping my hopes up for an 820 BHP grand tourer. Truth be told, the AE31 uses conventional fuel injection, not the direct injection that is so popular these days. More surprisingly, the brand spanking new AE31 has the same 89 mm bore, 21.5 mm bore offset, and 60-degree V-angle as the AE28, which happens to be 13 years old.
I sure wish that the Aston Martin Vanquish with 820 brake horsepower will someday become real, though.