Would be worth going to a used exotic dealer that has everything under one roof. Any car you were even remotely thinking of could all be driven in one day.

 

I've been drooling over the DB11 too. As an average Joe looking at the numbers (weight to horsepower ratio), the V8 DB11 and the XKR are very similar. The V12 DB11 is an order of magnitude greater than both. Since I don't have an XKR, just an XK, it would be an upgrade in performance for me to go to the V8 DB11. But going from an XKR to a V8 AM is probably not going to impress you performance wise.

 

A friend of mine is a big Aston Martin fan and she has three. She hates the her DB11 V8. To her it's just a Mercedes with a different look. There is no personality that the DB9 or Vantage has. I haven't driven any variant of DB11 yet, but I will trust her opinion.

I am torn between a DB11 and Vanquish S. Both are similar money used and both mark a clear line in the sand. DB11 Launch Editions are already at 50% depreciation, Vanquish S like 65%.

 

The major differences to me, other than the Vanquish is just..... BETTER, is that the DB11 is much upgraded, technology-wise. The Vanquish came out in 2014, and it wasn't the High-End Whoopty brand new as it should have been. The newer DB11s have a much better Screen Interface.
Of course, back in my mind, I'd still love a McLaren 650s, but those are NOT friendly to DIYers. Oil changes are a major pain and very expensive.

 

Funny enough no one has mentioned the Aston virage which is a bargain compared to a DBS on the second hand market

 

Virage is a good value, but it's like a mullet DB9. New in the front, old in the back. I really like the upgraded headlights that the Virage introduced.

 

Yeah, the Virage looks okay, but it's even older, and less in the 'oomph' department. Yes, it's also cheaper and there is a Volante option (convertible) so it is an okay choice.
I don't really want an "okay" choice, I'd much rather not move laterally or even slightly down in actual CAR.

 

I don't think the Virage is a lateral or step down from an XKR. There's a world of difference between an Aston Martin and a Jaguar. It's not all based on performance. Aston Martin was never the fastest in its class.

 

I thought about rephrasing that statement due to "Aston Prestige", but I didn't. I went by Would I be happier driving my XKR or the Virage..... and like when I drive any other vehicle, I get sort of pissed that the GO pedal doesn't...... GO.
Yes, the interior in a Virage is nicer. Yes, the exterior lines on the Virage are more svelte. Yes, it has a pair of wings on the front instead of a mad kitty.
BUT, would I pay $75,000 to have it instead of my XKR???
Nah, I'd not do that. I do admit that it's tempting though. If only it had a bit more power and tech................... or maybe a price tag of $40k or so.

The one I found that got me thinking:

https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-...ckType=listing

 

I find this discussion which has become an Aston vs. Jaguar discussion somewhat interesting. In every single review I have ever read comparing an XKR to a Vantage or DB9, every single one speaks of the more "specialness and sense of occasion" you feel when driving an Aston, BUT, in every case (every single one) the XKR is chosen as the better all around car. Now part of that may be due to the awfulness of the automatic transmission of the Astons but often they're comparing a manual Vantage. i have not seen a single exception to this outcome which is a great testament to how good the 5.0L XKR is and what a bargain it is in comparison to the Aston range. As Cee Jay has pointed out I wouldn't want a lateral move to my next car, I'd either want something clearly superior and even moreso an emotional upgrade. It's got to "sing" to me. The new Vantage is so ugly that it doesn't "sing" to me, it just shouts out how horrible it looks. The DB11 and the Virage are still attractive GTs but I wouldn't go out of my way to ditch my XKR for them I need to have that emotional tie for a car I'm going to keep for a long time. And it's not always the "best" car in its class. My '68 Pontiac GTO came out of the paint booth today, and though it's a pile of crap in comparison to my XKR or Pantera, it's the most excited I've ever been at getting a car back. The emotional component and attachment I don't think can be overlooked.

 

BRAVO!
That's the same as I feel.

 

You guys are kidding yourselves a V12 Aston is definitely not a lateral step I only beg to differ if one owns a xkr-s or gt then I concur , however in terms of performance there really isn't a huge amount of difference from a 5.0 xkr and V12 Virage however if a few 10ths of a second is going to make a world of a difference get a GT-R and have ultimate bragging rights

 

An F-type R or SVR will outperform even a new Vantage V12S and is more comparable to the the Vantage in size and purpose. And to tell the truth if I had to choose between the two I would take the F-type every time. And I would certainly take my XKR over a Vantage as I'm not caught up in the Aston "mystique."

 

"Mystique" equals "More at the Repair Shop"

 

Wow, I guess I am in the minority taking an Aston over a Jaguar. The handling and steering feel are better. Start up the Jag; it's ok. Start up the Aston; it's WOW. Visually, well that's up to the beholder and the lines are similar.

I'd disagree with the transmission being better on the Jag. The paddles are so much more fun on the Aston than any Jag I owned. I read it's improved on the F Type, but XE and XK the transmission was nothing to write home about.

V12 is just a beautiful engine every regard. Sounds wicked and looks the part. Pop the hood on any recent Jag and it's just plastic. I also disagree with "more at the repair shop". They are on par with need of repair (based on 4 JLR cars and 2 AML cars). Parts are more money in general on the Aston, but should be considering the new MSRP price gaps.

 

In every review I have seen regarding the previous Vantage's dual clutch auto, it has been universally been panned and hated by everyone, so much so that the new generation Vantage switched back to a conventional torque converter auto from ZF. Don't get me wrong, I love the sound and fury of an Aston Vantage but for a paltry sum at an exhaust shop you can get that for your XKR if desired, and for about $700 a pulley and tune that will have the 5.0L Jag V8 running circles around the Aston. There are things I don't particularly care for on my XKR. I think the interior is a bit of a letdown. It's boring and not up to the luxurious standards that I think it should have been. I think the exhaust tuning could have been slightly more aggressive without being brash But for me, the perceived value for what I bought my car for is greater than that of the Aston Vantage. An on the new generation, Aston has taken one of the most perfect automotive designs ever and turned it into an ugly duckly (or wide mouth bass with a boring continent sized front hood that just looks silly.

 

You know that the Vantage Sportshift has gone through 3 generations with SSIII having shift times at 70 milliseconds, right? These are not torque converter slush boxes like the DB9 and XK. The Sportshift II had major improvements on the introduction of the Vantage V8 S in 2011. These are transmissions that need to be driving like a manual with the throttle and driving like a sports car. The same can be said about Ferrari's F1 transmission; but no journalist's bitch as much. If you like a manual, but want paddles the Sportshift is fun.

There's no exhaust on the market that is going to make a Jaguar sound like an Aston. In either format of the the Vantage or DB9, you're getting a transaxle with better weight distribution and much nicer brakes. If you want to buy the fastest car; don't look at an Aston Martin. It's a different animal. XK is a great car, but the extra 50-100K on the Aston is not for nothing. Even used at like 50K, I would take a Vantage over an XKR.

I hear the same types of comparisons with Maserati to a Ferrari. Maserati is no Ferrari, regardless of who may have built the engine.

 

I do agree that pretty much every Aston is built with just that little bit more, and all those little bits are noticeable and add up to a better experience, but how MUCH better? I think it's a hoot when I wave bye-bye to a DB9 owner when he postures on the freeway or a stop light. Vantage I just don't like, probably for the same reasons I don't prefer an F-Type; no back seats and more like a miata (yuck) than an actual car.
But boy, those Astons are Pretty.
All THAT is my dilemma..... The prettiness and extra care in manufacture vs the more powerful and nearly as pretty XKR. The main factor dealing with the differences are again, is it worth another $100,000 beyond what my XKR is worth to get a slightly newer Vanquish? Slower, cooler, more expensive, nicer, harder to work (slightly) and a buttload of money.
Dammit, this isn't an easy decision!
Again, maybe I'll wait another year or two and wait for the DB11 to drop another $40k.

 

When they get just under a 100k for the V12, it's tough to say no. Handling is improved over the previous generation, but the Mercedes touches are for the worse.

 

Thing is, Moses, them dang V12s are very hard to find. Tons of the V8s out there, I've not seen any of the V12s even for sale.

EDIT:
Yeah, no V12 Volantes because there AREN'T any V12 Volantes made. Ever. Not YET anyway.