A cushy ride with a powerful roar

Good news from Aston Martin. You can save $20,000 on a new DB11 if you opt for the V-8 model instead of the range-topping V-12.

That's a savings of $5,136 per engine cylinder. Bargain! Except for the fact that even this entry-level Aston Martin DB11 still costs $233,650 before optional extras such as a brogued leather headliner and contrast-stitching colour-matched to your labradoodle.

Who are these penny-pinching members of the aristocracy looking to save $20,000 on their next Aston Martin? Spread over a few years of lease payments, the difference amounts to pocket change for your average one-per-center, just one less long weekend in Majorca.

So why should you bother with the V-8? Why not go all-in on the V-12? This is a dream car, so dream big, right?

Well, it's a tad more complicated than that. From the first few corners, you can feel the V-8 is the better-handling car. With four cylinders chopped off the front of the engine, the DB11 becomes more nimble. In hindsight, it's like the DB11 was carrying around an anchor before, but now it has been thrown overboard. The car charges into corners with the confidence of a greyhound. Mid-corner, it feels like it's not working as hard as the V-12 to hold a line. The steering is more precise, too, with a wonderful mechanical feel.

If all you want to do with your beautiful $233,000 Aston Martin is stomp on the accelerator – you philistine – the DB11 will indulge that, too. You'll get an earful of V-8 roar and all the rear-wheel-drive theatrics you could want. Even with traction control on, you can feel the rear Bridgestone tires struggle and fail to put the V-8's power to the road.

Matt Becker, the ex-Lotus engineer responsible for fine-tuning all Aston Martins, says the reason for the handling improvement is mostly down to weight. The V-8 model is 115 kilograms lighter than the V-12. The rear suspension is also stiffer laterally which, he says, explains why the steering feels more precise. And yet, the ride is somehow just as cushy as it is on the V-12. Chassis-tuning is a dark and mysterious art and Becker is its Lord Voldemort. No other grand-tourer strikes such a perfect balance between handling and comfort.

What's the catch then? Surely the V-12 is faster than the V-8? On paper, yes, but you're not going to feel the difference in the real world. The 4.0-litre twin-turbo V-8 engine is sourced from Mercedes-AMG – the first evidence of a new agreement between the two companies – and puts down 503 horsepower (versus 600 from the bigger motor). It's not as happy revving to high rpm as the V-12, but the V-8's official 0-100 km/h time is only 0.1 seconds slower, clocking in at four seconds flat. On the road the V-8 feels just as quick at any legal speed.

Ask Becker which one he'd put in his driveway and he won't hesitate: the V-8.

The V-8 makes more sense, yes. It's $20,000 cheaper, just as quick and handles better. But no car this expensive makes sense. Either DB11 costs a monstrous amount of money by any normal standard. An Aston Martin is not a car you buy with your head; you buy it with your heart. And as irrational as it may be, the heart still wants the V-12 because it's more special. Dream big.

Tech Specs

• Base Price: $233,650
• Engine: 4.0-litre twin-turbo V-8
• Transmission/Drive: Eight-speed automatic/Rear-wheel drive
• Fuel economy (litres/100 km): TBD
• Alternatives: Aston Martin DB11 V-12, Bentley Continental GT V-8, Audi R8 V-10 Plus, Porsche 911 Turbo S, Ferrari Portofino, Mercedes-AMG S 65 Coupe

Looks

Is this the most beautiful car on sale right now? Yes. McLaren, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Bentley, Porsche: sorry, but you'll have to try harder. And the DB11 is just the first taste of an all-new lineup from Aston. Later this year there will be a DB11 Volante convertible. And 2018 will bring a smaller, more affordable Vantage. In 2019, there will be a range-topping Vanquish. After that, Aston Martin is going to make a mid-engine sports car to rival the Ferrari 488. Yes, please.

Interior

It's identical to the V-12 model from the driver's seat, which is a good thing. The leather is so buttery soft. The open-pore wood or chopped carbonfibre trim looks suitably expensive. Based on feedback from customers on the first DB11s, there are fewer colours and materials in the cabin, but this change is not exclusive to the V-8. It will roll out across all DB11 models going forward. Of course, if you must have a certain shade of pink on the seats, Aston Martin's Q Division will oblige, for a price.

Performance

Despite its handling prowess, don't mistake this DB11 for a true sports car. Ferrari needn't worry just yet. This is no canyon-carver, as Aston Martin tried to pitch it. It's still too big and heavy to slice up Mulholland Drive. If you were hoping the V-8 would be a hard-edged Aston, sorry, you'll have to wait until 2018 when all-new Vantage arrives.

Technology

British car, German engine. This is the first time an AMG engine has found its way under the hood of an Aston Martin. The twin-turbo V-12 is Aston Martin's design, but the V-8 is AMG. This may dilute the Aston brand for some, but not for us. Aston has done a good job tweaking the engine. Most obviously, this V-8 no longer sounds like an AMG motor. There's no deep burble; it's more refined. AMG and Aston Martin is a match made in gearhead heaven.

Cargo

The DB11 is a 2+2. Technically there are four seats, but the rear two are best used for luggage. Combined with the generous trunk space, there's enough cargo room here even for those who cannot pack light.

The Verdict

9.0

Objectively, it's the best new Aston Martin, but not the one we'd pick.

The writer was a guest of the auto maker. Content was not subject to approval.

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