Aston Martin DB11 to come out swinging at Goodwood hill climb

By Andrew Hard June 17, 2016

The Goodwood Festival of Speed in West Sussex, England, is an annual treat for gearheads and racing enthusiasts alike, but if you have a thing for British metal, 2016 will be extra special. Along with tons of other stars from the U.K., Aston Martin will showcase four vehicles that are equally at home on a bedroom poster as they are on the racetrack.

The Vantage GT8, V12 Vantage S, Vulcan hypercar, and all-new DB11 will participate in Goodwood’s famous hill climb, and one of them will have a very distinguished driver. Aston Martin President and CEO Dr. Andy Palmer will pilot the DB11 up the legendary incline, where he will take full advantage of the grand tourer’s 5.2-liter, 600-horsepower twin-turbo V12.

“The Goodwood Festival of Speed is one of the best events of the summer season and Lord March’s beautiful estate has become a place of pilgrimage for car enthusiasts,” said Palmer. “Being the first person to drive the new DB11 up the famous hill climb at Goodwood is a great honour on behalf of all our employees.”

Aston Martin Vulcan — Aston Martin Vulcan Image used with permission by copyright holder

Making its second appearance at Goodwood will be the track-only Vulcan. It should be a fitting return to form for the hypercar as the Vulcan made its world debut at the event last year, and Aston says it should reach speeds of 100 mph as its 820-hp V12 pushes it to the top. Unfortunately for the rest of us, all 24 of the carbon-fiber-laden beauties are sold out.

Read more: Aston Martin’s 12-cylinder opus reaches its crescendo in the last-ever DB9

As if the brand needed any more presence, two variants of the long-standing Vantage will wow the crowd with speed and sound. The Vantage GT8 — heavily inspired by the V8 Vantage GTE race car — will participate in the Supercar Shootout portion of Goodwood with a 440-hp V8 as its primary weapon. Finally, the V12 Vantage S will appeal to purists with a seven-speed manual transmission and a dog-leg first gear.

The 2016 Goodwood Festival of Speed kicks off on June 23.

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