Two different coupes vie for GT dominance
During our 2017 Best Driver’s Car competition, the Aston Martin DB11 finished dead last, behind another grand tourer with less cachet, the Lexus LC 500. On this episode of Head 2 Head, the two cars are back for a rematch, only this time the Aston Martin packs a twin-turbo V-8 instead of the V-12.
Thanks to the technical partnership between Aston Martin and Mercedes-AMG, the DB11 gets a version of AMG’s twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8 as its base engine. The unit pumps out 503 hp and 498 lb-ft of torque, and having four less cylinders means there’s less weight in the nose. The Lexus, on the other hand, makes 471 hp and 398 lb-ft from a naturally aspirated 5.0-liter V-8. Both cars are heavy, but the Lexus has the Aston beat by more than 400 pounds. There’s also the matter of price, as the DB11 starts at more than twice the cost of the LC 500. Despite these differences, how do the two luxury GTs compare on the road? Surprisingly, they’re very close. The Lexus edges out the Aston when it comes to interior quality, engine noise, and comfort, but the Aston emerges as the more engaging car to drive.
To settle the tie, the hosts take both cars to a track, where the Lexus surprises with its surprising agility. The Aston proves to also be fairly good when pushed to the limit. It’s once again almost too close to call, but ultimately only one car can be proclaimed the winner of this Head 2 Head. Find out which one is the superior grand tourer in the full episode below.