LONDON: Even before I got behind the wheel of a DB11, one fact had already sold me on the new Aston Martin super car: the leather chosen for the interior upholstery was from one specific herd of Scottish long haired cattle grazing on land not enclosed by barbed wire.
As designer Marek Reichman explained at the Aston headquarters in Gaydon, UK, the manufacturer is so concerned about even the most seemingly trivial detail on the DB11, that it sought to avoid any pits and pockmarks that might disfigure the seat leather.
The Aston long hairs don’t get their hide caught on the barbs, nor get bitten by mosquitos, so there are no blemishes on the finished article.
If the designer pays so much attention to the smallest detail, you can be sure the finished product is pretty close to motoring perfection.
And so it was as I put the car through its paces on the winding lanes and country roads of Warwickshire. I’m no petrol head, but even I know a superb piece of motor engineering when I drive one. I’ve tested many of the Aston range in the past, and the DB11 is a few gear-changes up from the others.
It’s sporty, but not really a sports car. It’s a grand tourer (GT), and therefore rather bigger than traditional two-seaters. But the body lines — designed on the geometrical proportions of a Nautilus shell, as Reichman had also explained — make it look as elegant as any of its bigger luxury rivals like Bentley.
Powerful too, although less gas-guzzling than its predecessors. A 5.2 liter V-12 twin-turbo engine delivers acceleration of 0 to 100km in 3.9 seconds and a top speed of 320km per hour. Fast enough to lose your license, if you’re not careful.
But as I say, I’m not really into the torque talk, so other things impressed me on the DB11 more than just performance. The interior is spacious for a GT, with rear seats conformable enough to accommodate passengers on a long journey without the risk of rigor mortis — a definite improvement on predecessors.
And it’s stacked with hi-tech gadgetry, much of it courtesy of Daimler-Mercedes, which has a 5 percent stake in Aston. Windscreen display, 360 degree radar and cameras, and self-parking function are rounded off with a Bang 7 Olufsen sound system to blast out those hard-core road tracks.
It handled and performed as well on congested British motorways as on the country roads. But I can’t wait to open it up on the Middle East’s wide open highways.
Aston Martin DB11 super car: Sporty, but not really a sports car
Aston Martin DB11 super car: Sporty, but not really a sports car
Closing Bell: Saudi main index closes in green at 11,382
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Tadawul All Share Index rose on Tuesday, gaining 111.21 points, or 0.99 percent, to close at 11,381.83.
The total trading turnover of the benchmark index was SR6.37 billion ($1.70 billion), as 204 of the listed stocks advanced, while 56 retreated.
The MSCI Tadawul Index also rose, adding 13.85 points, or 0.91 percent, to close at 1,533.33.
The Kingdom’s parallel market Nomu gained 8.39 points, or 0.04 percent, to close at 23,749.38. This came as 30 of the listed stocks advanced, while 45 retreated.
The best-performing stock was East Pipes Integrated Co. for Industry, with its share price surging 9.94 percent to SR146.
Other top performers included Tourism Enterprise Co., which saw its share price rise by 9.93 percent to SR14.17, and Thob Al Aseel Co., which saw a 7.84 percent increase to SR3.99.
On the downside, Saudi Arabian Mining Co. was among the weaker performers, with its share price falling 2.64 percent to SR77.40.
Saudi Paper Manufacturing Co. saw its shares fall 2.54 percent to SR57.50, while Yamama Cement Co. declined 2.07 percent to SR27.40.
On the announcements front, Future Vision for Health Training Co. signed a two-year cooperation agreement with King Saud University aimed at strengthening links between academia and professional readiness.
According to a Tadawul statement, the partnership focuses on the joint development and execution of specialized training programs for university students, aiming to enhance their practical skills and employability.
The initiative includes coordinated efforts in training design, academic supervision, and program evaluation, with the goal of better preparing graduates for the labor market.
The agreement, which is renewable by mutual consent, is expected to start generating a positive financial impact in the second half of 2026. The company said no related parties are involved in the deal.
The company’s share price closed at SR7.30 on Nomu, marking a 1.39 percent decrease.
