Aston Martin’s engineers were back at the Nürburgring again testing a 6.0-liter V12-powered version of their DB9 successor and our spies were there to capture it.
We’re calling it the DB11 for now and until the British carmaker confirms the name of the production car that should arrive next year, possibly making its first public entrance at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show.
While there’s nothing new on the outside with the heavily camouflaged prototypes, recently, Autocar and Car magazines managed to scoop some shots of their interiors revealing a board with four toggle switches carrying the labels ‘intercooler pumps’ and ‘intercooler fans’.
We already know that all DB11 testers have a 6.0-liter V12 engine, but the toggle switches prove that it will be aided by one or two turbochargers, with the English magazine going one-step further saying that according to insiders, the 12-cylinder mill is sourced from Mercedes-AMG as part of their deepening relationship.
Mercedes-AMG’s only 6.0-liter V12 is found in the S65 sedan and coupe, and G65 AMG models where it produces 612hp (621PS) and 1,000Nm (738 lb-ft) of torque. If it does use this engine, Aston Martin will fine-tune it to make it sound and feel like its own V12s. Evidently, it will also borrow Merc’s 9-speed automatic to drive the rear wheels.
That’s a significant increase in power over the current AM DB9’s 510hp and 620Nm (457 lb-ft) 6.0-liter V12, which nicely fits into the other scenario that wants Aston borrowing Mercedes-AMG’s new 4.0-liter twin-turbo found in the GT and C63 models for a new base version of the DB11 tuned to deliver around 500hp.
Photo Credits: CarPix for CarScoops
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