British car manufacturer Aston Martin recently launched the DB11 V8 Coupe to the world media in Catalonia, Spain, hoping to attract younger drivers and expand its customer base toward a sales target of 5,000 cars.
Earlier in the year the company unveiled the V12 version of the DB11, which is now one of the top Aston Martin models in the Gulf region. This is the first time that Aston Martin has introduced two engine variants for the same model.
The V8 version is some 115kg lighter and $17,000 cheaper than the V12. Arab News tested both cars and both have their merits. For sheer power, nothing beats the V12 while the V8 offers lighter handling, more balance and top agility. The ratio of production has been confirmed by the company at about 60 percent for the V8 and 40 percent for the V12. The V12 is likely to be stronger in the US and Middle East markets.
The company took this unpreceden­ted step to avoid punitive taxation for larger engines in some markets, such as China. The new V8 will not reach the regional markets until late 2017, according to Christopher Sheppard, the CEO of Aston Martin in the MENA region.
Sheppard admits that the regional GCC markets have been down by 33 percent while Aston Martin managed to outperform the markets by 44 percent. He is hoping to repeat this success in 2018, especially after launching the company’s own financial services. He confirmed to Arab News that every Aston Martin within the range will use hybrid technology within a decade. His advice for people choosing between the two DB11 versions is to test-drive both and make a decision themselves.
These are the highlights of the interview:

Which AM models are best-sellers in the GCC region?
The new DB11 V12 is proving to be very popular but the interest in this car has created greater sales volumes right across the range.

Which is the largest AM market in the region?
The UAE is our largest market, which equates for about 43 percent of the high luxury sport (HLS) market.

Has the current climate of political tension and economic uncertainty affected Aston Martin’s operations in the region? And how are you dealing with the situation?
The market is down about 33 percent across the GCC in the HLS segment but I’m very pleased to report that Aston Martin is performing 44 percent ahead of the market. We have also just launched Aston Martin Financial Services, so we are now able to arrange tailor-made financial solutions to suit our customers’ requirements and circumstances. I’m optimistic that Aston Martin will now achieve greater growth this year and throughout 2018 and beyond.

Has AM got any plans to introduce alternative energy vehicles to the region in the foreseeable future (such as the electric Aston Martin Rapide)?
Yes, Aston Martin is embracing electric technology with a pledge that every car in its range will use hybrid technology within a decade.

What makes AM cars unique among other sports and super cars from the UK and Italy?
At Aston Martin we create beautiful, hand-built and hand-crafted cars which can be used every day — they’re not just suitable for use at the weekend. Our cars are incredibly comfortable to drive when our customers are in the mood to cruise and relax but they are also fantastic fun to drive when our customers want to put them through their paces. There’s nothing quite like the sound of an Aston Martin exhaust note while cruising downtown or out on the open road. When you purchase an Aston Martin you’re not only buying a beautiful car, you’re also buying into a luxury lifestyle. More and more customers from other competitive brands feel that experience when they visit our showrooms or get behind the wheel of one of our cars.

What segment of consumers in the region is the DB11 V8 targeting? And how well do you expect it to do vs. the V12?
Both the V12 and the V8 drive and handle beautifully, so customers will decide their preference when they get behind the wheel.
Some of our competitors have been very successful with V8 derivatives within their model ranges, so there’s clearly a strong appetite for this size engine within the segment, and we would urge these customers to test-drive both the DB11 V8 and the DB11 V12 to make the decision and assess the Aston Martin difference themselves.

When is DB11 V8 due in the regional markets and what is the regional price in dollars? Have you received any advance orders?
We’ll see the first V8 Coupes arriving from sold orders in late Q4 2017 and V8 Volantes in early 1Q 2018. The RRPs for the V8 Coupe start at $220,000