Well, no, not quite. That was the DB10, never intended for public sale, and though 007 may end up at the wheel of this new Aston Martin DB11, so will many others. I say many, but actually I mean the lucky few that can afford to splurge £154,900 or so on a two-door GT coupe.
Oh, so this replaces the DB9?
It certainly does and it's the first new Aston Martin to be launched under the company's 'Second Century' plan so pay close attention to the design language, as you'll be seeing plenty more where this came from.
It does look different, doesn't it?
Indeed, and we wholeheartedly approve of this new edgier direction Aston Martin is taking. There are elements of the limited edition Aston Vulcan in the design of the DB11 and it retains the unmistakeable radiator grille up front, but it's clear that this is a new shape entirely. While the frontal graphics aren't totally alien to DB models past, it has been updated with technical looking LED headlights and a forward hinged clamshell bonnet design, plus surfacing that is all-new. Aft of that it's all more obvious change, starting with the Curlicues.
The curly whats?
That's what Aston Martin is calling the 'hidden' vents in the dramatic strakes behind the front wheels. Silly name aside, they're part of an aerodynamics package targeted with reducing lift at speed without the need for obvious body add-ons. The Curlicues allow air out of the front wheelarches to relieve pressure and, hence, lift. Aerodynamically speaking, this is balanced at the rear by the 'AeroBlade'.
Another new word?
Yes, though were going to let Aston away with this one as it seems like a fiendishly clever idea. Air enters ducts within the bodywork at the base of the C-pillars and exits at the trailing edge of the rear deck through a thin and long slot, acting like a virtual spoiler (Aston's words, admittedly) and reducing rear-end lift, especially at higher speeds.
So how fast is it?
Only the fastest accelerating Aston Martin DB model yet... It does 0-62mph in 3.9 seconds and has a top speed of 200mph. That's thanks to a brand new 5.2-litre V12 petrol engine, but unlike the DB9's naturally aspirated powerplant this one is twin-turbocharged. Peak power is quoted at 608hp (at 6,500rpm), while 700Nm of torque is available all the way from 1,500- to 5,000rpm. That's fed through an eight-speed automatic ZF transmission and a mechanical limited slip differential to the rear wheels. Adaptive damping is included as standard and it, along with other things like the electric power steering, transmission and engine map can be altered between GT, Sport and Sport Plus modes by the driver.
Cripes! Does it still have rear seats?
It does indeed, and Aston reckons there's more space back there than before thanks to the new (and more space efficient) bonded aluminium chassis, plus the doors are longer to ease access and there are Isofix child seat fixings back there. While we're on the subject of practicalities, the boot holds 270 litres of luggage.
Enough of that, what's the rest of the cabin like?
Pretty special looking. Forget about any previous Aston Martin interior you've sat in, as the DB11's is completely new. At its core are a few choice bits and pieces from 'technical partner' Daimler, allowing Aston to offer a thoroughly contemporary suite of infotainment options. The optional touchpad pictured here looks very similar to that in hordes of Mercs, but in fairness, that's about the only item we can spot that doesn't look bespoke to the DB11. A chunky, flattened oval leather wrapped steering wheel hides tactile looking gearchange paddles and behind that is a wonderfully simple instrument panel, made up of a 12-inch TFT LCD screen. The infotainment is viewed on a separate, eight-inch TFT monitor, situated atop the sleekly penned and seemingly symmetrical centre console. The air vents are simple, yet look bespoke to the car, which is a welcome departure for Aston too. Same for the arrow-shaped door handles.
Buyers of the 'standard' DB11 will want for little, but at this price level few leave their cars alone, instead spending tens of thousands on personalisation. Aston is only too willing to accommodate this. Highlights include embroidered or embossed headrests, Caithness or Balmoral leather upholstery and extra touches such as Celestial perforation, Brogue detailing and Nexus quilting. There are six different seatbelt colours and a hell of a lot more besides.
And presumably that big red button is for the ejector seat?
No, it starts and stops the engine. Q hasn't got his hands on the DB11 yet. Aston has made its own film featuring the DB11 though and you can view it here - along with one that walks through the heritage of the DB cars. You're welcome.