New Zealand, the Aston Martin DB11 has landed

4 August, 2016

Following the driving debut of the Aston Martin DB11 at the 2016 Goodwood Festival of Speed in late July, luxury British brand Aston Martin has now unveiled the DB11 on New Zealand soil at Cibo in Parnell, Auckland.

As the first product launched under the company’s ‘Second Century’ plan, the DB11 is the new figurehead of the ‘DB’ bloodline, a bloodline with a very prestigious history.

During the DB11’s unveiling, Patrik Nilsson, president of Aston Martin in Asia Pacific, said, “We are excited to unveil DB11 in New Zealand. As the first ‘DB’ since the introduction of the DB9, we are already experiencing significant demand for DB11, demonstrating the strong affinity for Aston Martin in this market.”

The DB11 features a distinctive design, including refined aerodynamics, and is powered by a newly designed 5.2-litre twin-turbocharged V12 engine. Utilizing a new lighter, stronger, and more space-efficient bonded aluminium construction, the DB11 is the most powerful and most efficient DB model in Aston Martin’s history. As such, Aston Martin are claiming the car as “the most significant new Aston Martin since the introduction of the DB9 in 2003”. 

The in-house-designed engines are rated at 600BHP and 700Nm of torque, making the DB11 the most powerful production DB model ever. Those performance figures are good enough to push the car to a top speed of 322kph and a 0–100kph time of just 3.9 seconds.

Patrik Nilsson added, “Aston Martin has a proud, 103-year heritage in the luxury automotive market, and the DB11 embodies every aspect of the brand with absolute elegance and indulgence, combining the very latest technology and finest quality hand craftsmanship.”

The DB11’s RRP starts from NZ$365K plus on-road costs, and the first local deliveries are scheduled to begin at the end of 2016.

NZ Classic Car magazine, July August 2025 issue 400, on sale now

Good for the soul, a dose of Hemi Orange – Chrysler’s champion Charger
The Australian-developed Chrysler Charger was a game changer for the company in 1971, as it faced a faltering start introducing its new VH range. The stylish big coupe signalled a massive change of direction and emphasis for Chrysler.
Auckland racing driver Rod Coppins raced successfully in Australia and New Zealand. Rod found success behind the wheel of a couple of Chargers, and it is a special E49 R/T in the custody of Mike Todd for some years, that is our feature car.
A full restoration of this car has been completed at Auto Restorations (AR) in Christchurch. We recently sampled the car, ready to be shipped back to Mike and spoke to AR’s Harry Dawber, leading the team who completed the superb restoration of this rare piece of NZ motor racing history.
I mentioned that Chrysler Chargers were never built to this standard as we walked around the gleaming Charger in its Hemi Orange colour scheme.
“We took a lot of time getting those shut lines exactly right. It’s been a great car to work on, and the paint and trim have been very well done by the team here.”

Britannia rules the roads – Royal Tour Cars – part 2

Royal rollers and fancy Fords
Ford Zodiacs had transported the Queen Mother during her tour in 1958 but five years on, their glitz had perhaps faded a bit too much for an actual monarch. As there was no longer a convertible version of Britain’s Zephyr or Zodiac on offer, Ford looked to their American arm for a replacement, finding it in the huge Ford Galaxie. The Public Service Garage purchased the car at around £3000 for royal tour work and VIP transport.