The Great British Grand Tour: Aston Martin DB11 vs Bentley Continental GT vs McLaren 570 GT

You remember that incredible scene in Skyfall, where Bond and M have to escape from London to Scotland, they walk down a side street, the garage doors open revealing an original DB5 and they accelerate into the night that brought us here. Auto Trader had a little idea and on this particular side street there is something as exciting as the DB5 waiting for me behind these closed doors at the FM James says they are going to travel back in time but we are going to do the same thing. Exactly the opposite, starting in the past at Nicholas Me's glorious Heritage Workshop here in West London and exploring the future of Aston Martin through the prism of its latest and arguably

great

est model, the

db11

, this car represents the beginning of a new era for the company in every sense, a bold modern design backed by an all-new chassis, the latest technology from new partner Mercedes and, most importantly, a new 5.2L twin-turbo V12 under the hood, except in our trip to Scotland, instead of having Dame Judy Dench sitting next to me in the passenger seat complaining.

On the trip, I will be accompanied by John Quirk and Ivan Asop and, as in our previous adventures, we are looking to get under the skin of the people who actually buy cars like this, we will give you an idea of ​​how to buy and own one of these cars and unfortunately that will involve a bit of decorum, which may well be our biggest challenge, but obviously we all know that the best way to evaluate a GT is to take it on a very long drive. Sure we're going to fit in here, not to drive across the country anyway, but in the books 007 didn't actually drive a Bentley 4 and a half, yes he did, and I know our budget guy Isa gets so far. and Ivan, you'll probably end up dying of hypothermia in an open car in Scotland, so maybe we should consider something a little more luxurious, yes, something a little more exclusive, living on Street.

I'd say I actually know a good place to buy something fancy in West London I think it's time to go SHO shopping, guys. Westfield may seem like a strange place to go car shopping, but it's also home to the new Bentley Studio London, a modern take on a dealership that allows owners to personalize it. a car based on your own tastes, even making suggestions based on your facial expressions and emotional responses. We used it to choose the perfect options for our Continental GT. I think we're done, yeah, I think that's the one that yeah, you're glad you pressed that button. ok let's do it real good let's order press the button I love them now it's going to be a 3 month wait I think we'll need it a lot sooner yes Aston AR will let us keep the

db11

for 3 months be nice yes what are they going to drive?

Oh guys, I have a gift for you. Come on, I'll show you how to add some flavor to the mix. We have taken the short hop from west London to Woking. For a rather different and more exciting version of the classic British GT, the McLaren 570 GT McLaren Automotive might be more than the wood on the dashboard of a Bentley, but don't rule it out just yet, the company has been going from strength to strength, but it's kind of fingers. -sports series seats were cut with two plus two Blue Bloods like the DB1 and the Conti, while John picked up the McLaren, we drove 80 Mi North to Gayden to try the VIP experience at Aston Martin.

London, the factory is a thoughtful mix of Old World luxury and modern elegance with an impressive atrium that greets you as you walk through the surrounding moat and quiet rooms to discuss your preferred color and specification when we arrive at the Bentley home with the team completing our Whistle Stop

tour

of the different venues. from Britain's most exclusive car companies, our Conti GT V was ready and waiting with the usual driving and Premier spec we ordered in London, plus all the usual refinements, given that the V is not the fastest version of the Continental, but thanks to its lower weight. and a sweeter sound is possibly best, so here's our trio of hand-crafted British GTSs, all with a very individual take on exactly the right formula for traveling in style, speed and luxury.

With that in mind, it's time to find out if these three cars can carry us. all in complete comfort from here at the crew near Bentley's home north of the border with the Scottish capital and our first stop on our arrival in Edinburgh, we stopped for a quick discussion about which of our cars had worked best on our Long distance comfort. exam and what better place to do it than Fetty's College, the school where, according to chapter 21 of You Only Live Twice, James Bond himself spent his formative years. It was a lot of fun, it was really good.

Still I'm pretty relaxed, although I have to be. Honestly, I feel fresh, what about you guys? I am absolutely happy. I got a nice little massage in my seat. The cruise controls were on. The shirt is a little wrinkled, but other than that, well, this thing also has heated seats. Do you know? I've been cool as a daisy in that thing. Comfort test, a three way tie, the only thing is that I used a lot of fuel in that thing, so if you guys have any ideas how we can earn some extra fuel money. I had actually thought about that, but I don't think you're going to like it, oh Paul, you know when he says this?

No, no, that's a good idea, come on guys, everything will be fine, follow me now, we might know a lot. about cars on Auto Trader, but we don't really know anything about luxury or style, so we thought it would probably be best to talk to some people who do, which is why we hired ourselves as VIP chauffeurs at night to get our high-class clientele. Alta realizes what these cars are like. It's interesting that you ordered three cars, yes, one for each of you. Oh, I know the family, so who's your partner? John, so, uh, guy I work with. level, yes it's cool, I know what you're thinking, you're thinking this is just a subtle variation of the McLaren 570, why do you ask?

Well he has my daughter Vanessa in the car there and she gets very excited on nights like this when we go to a function I think it's good for maybe as a couple yeah obviously the backrest is a little small you know , you like a bigger back seat, your family, yes, of course, doesn't want Pi. in the back seat, what time do you think we'll be there? I think we should get there pretty soon, but I'll put it there in a sports mod. We can get there a little faster. In reality, you are sitting on a carbon. monel fiber which is actually very stiff and strong so it's

great

for the St on this car.

I don't know what it is, it's like a gentlemen's club on wheels. That is. I'm thinking about the rits, but you're right, it's more. Like a gentlemen's club, isn't it? Is there anything you don't like? The only thing I've noticed is that the saav isn't particularly as modern as I think you're right about that, okay? And then I don't do it. I don't think my husband would ever drive like that. No no. Do you think your daughter will be okay? So Claren, she scars easily, but I'm sure she'll love it. Sorry, sorry, she has no parking sense. no, I like something a little different than your normal taxi, yes, here we are by the water, oh, it's okay, oh, it's a shame he's having fun, I feel like it all ended a little quickly, no, it was, it I said, I think that's all.

Okay, sorry, it was nice meeting you, what a pain, what was your last name? Is it Bond? Look, that wasn't as bad as you thought it was going to be Paul, come on, it was pretty weird. I had fun, but in terms of the test. I see where you were going, it's all about making the ultimate statement on how to arrive in the best style and I honestly thought McLaren would have this contest dominated, but as soon as those dihedral doors appear, any kind of sense of sartorial decorum At night, especially, it disappears. out the window, which is a shame because it's bright purple and looks great when that happens, but wasn't the Bentley objectively just very, very good at this kind of service?

You think again you'd think the Bentley would ace this test. it has the best low speed gear, yes, the quietest, the most spacious, the nicest interior, EAS to get in, it's easier to get in and out, so you know it as the best passenger car, but the problem is that It's an old car and people recognize it and the other two are brand spangers so they have a lot more drama and you know that's what the Bentley is missing and when it comes to arriving in style it's important that there's no nothing like the impact of the new and that kind of completely new bold shape of an Eston Martin still with some of those elegant lines of the old DB9 cars, it's a good combination, I mean, it looks a lot on the road and it turned a lot of eyes on dogs When you live in uncertain and politically volatile times, putting your money in the right place becomes even more important, which is why we bought our shiny GTS here at the Royal Bank of Scotland headquarters to see which of these The cars are the soundest investment now, you don't exactly need the deductive powers of DCI taget to realize that these cars are the preserve of the fabulously rich, of course, if you can afford to buy one of these cars, then chances are that can afford it. buy them all and you probably will if you feel like that kind of money.

These cars not only compete with each other or even other cars, but they also compete with other major luxury investments. A chalet in Shamon A. sharing a racehorse or even the first step on the property ladder, for your eldest son in the world of the rich could be literally anything, of course, if you are rich enough to afford one , then he's probably rich enough to go crazy. The extensive options lists too, but we think you need to set a size of at least 15 thousand dollars as a minimum. There are common points between the three. Each allows you to specify carbon ceramic brakes.

Sports exhaust and a dream stereo with audio files while you're inside. Cabin upgrades run the gamut, from traditional woods and leathers with names like Strath Moore and Bal Moral to high-gloss broken carbon. However, there are some crazy surprises for the most demanding customers, for example, Aston Martin will let you put in the engine. Gold finish oil cap and dipstick if you so choose, with the Bentley it's Muller Driving Spec Diamond Turn wheels, which also includes padded leather seats and alloy pedals as must-haves, and with the McLaren if you choose talk to your Special Operations MSO. equipment, you can have all the gray surfaces you see on the exterior covered in carbon fiber, from the front splitter to the side skirts and even the entire rear panel, of course, it's also true that even the richest people don't stay rich for a lot of time if you just throw away your money, that's what separates the halves from the Moes, so it's essential that the running costs are not too high.

Now we're not talking about all those usual things that you and I worry about about insurance costs. equally crazy across the board and the differences in fuel economy will be so small that they will be completely relevant - it's the size of your tank that will determine how far you can go, not the efficiency of your engine for the record, even if it's the Bentley . which has the most unleaded super and therefore has the best Touring range from a Pounds to Pence perspective, although by far the biggest running cost will be depreciation, after all any investment needs protection and, in that sense, the exclusivity of the Aston really makes the difference felt.

After just 3 years, the Bentley will be worth just over 40% of its 150k list price, which is a similar drop in value to a top-spec 911 Turbo S, but nowhere near nearly 60%. of db11, the result is an extra. 16,640 in your pocket or in other words, a shiny watch and a Hermes Birkin bag, it's much harder to determine how much you'll end up with if you buy the McLaren, but with so much customization available, it will really depend on the spec you choose. but expect it to feel closer to the Aston than the Bentley For a detailed breakdown of the other running costs, stop the video right now, after knowing the luxury value of our car and its cruising ability, we head towards the North over the fourth bridge, leaving Edinburgh behind and we headed.

Looking for quieter roads and epic landscapes worthy of any Bond film, the truth is that you don't have to travel to the ends of the Earth to find world-class driving RADS. Here they are just around the corner, you might recognize one or two of them as Well, because it was here near Glenco in the Western Highlands that much of Skyfall was filmed and these are roads that our cars They really need to impress. Yes, a good GT needs the handling and refinement to get you to your destination withcomfort, plus the glamor to deliver in style, but what's the point if you don't enjoy every moment of every mile along the way?

The Glen Co and Glen Valleys offer vast stretches of open, winding road that were created for cars like these, but the best way to discover it. More about our own cars, of course, was to trade them in and compare them with the other two, so trade-ins and fights over the keys were frequent. I drive a new Aston Martin and those are words I've been wanting to say for a long time. Recent models may not have been any less brilliant or beautiful than their iconic forebears, but dynamically at least the Astons have stood still while the rest of the world has moved on with the DB11, although it's a whole new chapter in a whole new novel, a car that simply has to be successful for this company, this is a 200mph Bonafide GT with 600 brake horsepower and it will take you from 0 to 60 in 3.7 seconds and on the road it feels allAs fast and furious as those figures suggest, it growls melodiously at low speeds, but then joins this full-chested Bellow in the higher reaches of the rev range, all that performance and rear-wheel drive makes it a bit tricky and because there's such a wall of torque from the turbochargers in the mid range can break traction pretty much at will, sometimes unintentionally, it's a little intimidating at first but after a while you start to find your rhythm, the chassis stiffer and lighter and surprisingly it feels somewhat fast.

Electromechanical steering means you can stay aware of most of the waywood's behavior. It also takes a while to really get used to the controls, but eventually everything starts working and you learn to time the throttle steadily so as not to throw the rear end around. ends all the way though, it's not perfect and the main thing is that when you're not driving like your hair is on fire, the ride is hard and brittle for a GT, we'd probably stay away from the stiffer settings on those adaptive dampers bste unless you're on the smoothest of surfaces and while the technology on board makes the Aston feel like a Macbook laptop compared to the Bentley ZF Spectrum, some of the plastics that have also been borrowed from that brands steal this cabin from the specialty you expect and take for granted at this price, still, if you love your GT cars to be exciting, edgy and a little raw then you'll love the db11, by rights the Bentley shouldn't be nowhere in this test, while the other two cars are an incredible brand, this vehicle has already been on sale for over a decade, quite simply, the Conti feels as fresh and solid as ever, especially in its leading role As a

grand

tour

er like a High Miler, this vehicle has its two Rivals here are absolutely unlucky and those attributes, plus the fact that it has the most luxurious interior, the best access, the most cabin space and the most large, they also mean that this is by far your best option of the three if you're looking.

Most impressive for the daily driver, however, is the fact that the Continental GT can still hold its own on roads like these, as it's By far the largest and heaviest car here and you can certainly feel that, especially on narrower roads. in corners and when you brake hard, after all, physics always wins in the end, but although it will never be as agile as the other two cars, it still changes direction with incredible precision and poise for such a big car, the conformity in that air. The suspension helps keep the tires in contact with the road and the body control is really impressive, however, what's really crucial is the grip and traction you get from the Bentley's all-wheel drive.

Yes, the two rear-drive rivals feel a little like they're dancing along the road on tiptoe, being all delicate and adjustable, meanwhile, the Bentley feels like it's marching with its boots on its toes, without missing a beat. , without getting nervous, without feeling anything less than completely and absolutely safe thanks to an absolute load. of torque and a highly effective 8-speed automatic gearbox, you'll rocket down the road at a pace that will surprise and delight in equal measure. You feel really unpleasant. You can turn this engine into an absolute nutcase. Keep those revs up. 4,000 RPM and then lift off the throttle, you will hear one of the noises anywhere in the engine.

It's hard to know where to start when evaluating the dynamic capabilities of the McLaren 570 GT, so let's start with that nickname: the numbers 570 represent 570 PS or in our world 562 brake horsepower and GT means Grand Tor now, of course, if While this may be McLaren's most luxurious and road-oriented model to date, you can be sure that its DNA is still tied to Motorsport Heritage, so in this competition it is, by far, in a way. the most intense and engaging driving experience: The 3.8L twin-turbo V8 engine may lack a bit of AAL character at low speeds, but as soon as you start chasing the 8,000+ RPM redline, it picks up speed like no other. ridiculous way and sounds like a Formula One. car, unlike most turbocharged engines, this unit seems to get increasingly ferocious as the revs increase, so on roads like this it encourages you to try harder than ever. way that the other two cars simply don't.

The visibility here is incredible and the steering also plays an important role in that absolute pace, not only because it is so direct but because it offers the most wonderful clarity. This steering wheel moves permanently in your hands very subtly, giving you the texture of the road ahead and letting you know right away. immediately how the front tires are doing what the grip levels are like so you can be very confident going into a corner knowing that you will also grip the ride quality is just sensational and I don't use that word casually, it is firm but compliant and never crashes, it which, given the speeds we're talking about, is quite surprising, it's more comfortable and composed than the Aston Martin, but not as CED as the Bentle because on steeper bumps, this carbon fiber Tu can tend to hit on occasions.

I know this may seem like that. It's a bit of a wild card in this contest, but you'll be surprised at how user-friendly and usable this thing is as an everyday proposition. Alright, guys. I think it looks like we have a pretty close test on our hands. We have come a long way and I know we are here in an appropriate environment. I don't want to fight about it, but we have to reach a verdict the moment it looks like we almost have a three-way tie. I mean, we call it the Side by Side Comfort Test, but really that has to be for the Bentley and I think you all know why then the VIPs certainly seemed impressed with the Aston Martin off the yacht, but on those roads where we just drove, that McLaren just feels like something else so Time to make a decision, yes they all offer so many different things to the party.

I mean, I really loved the Bentley, I felt like I was driving a fast library. You know, he's really serene, but he can be wild at that. The breaks in the power delivery are really good and it is so comfortable that in fact I would put the McLaren as the second best

grand

tour of our competition in the traditional sense because it is also very comfortable and I mean driving on those roads that we have, yes, but even on a cruise. above, I mean the road noise isn't that bad, it's a unique pain, the other two have double glazing but it doesn't transmit too much through the cabin and for a sports car with carbon fiber tubes that has mid engine, it's incredibly comfortable, I think it's enormously Awesome, actually, all of that is true and for me that makes Aston's job probably the most difficult here because the other two are specialists.

You have the Bentley, which is the most comfortable. The McLaren, that is the sports car, but the Aon needs to fall somewhere. medium and fulfill both roles to an acceptable degree for me, what absolutely dominates the experience in that car is that V12 engine, oh my goodness, I mean, it's so fast, so relentless in the way it revs and sounds, it's really very exciting. I remember being in some of the other cars and hearing that V12 whale just when you were behind it, like it was gently passing through the windshield, just think that whoever is driving that car is having a good time and is pretty busy behind the wheel dynamically.

Aston demands too much from you, while McLaren simply offers it to me in pl. I like to be challenged when I drive, but I like to be challenged by the road, not my car. I think it kind of forces you to do it. You look for the perfect settings somewhere in the suspension and gearbox and you never feel like you get to the point where it works exactly, not like the McLaren where it's instantaneous, you're like you're in the zone. with a car it's more like you learn it and you get your way and eventually you start to feel more comfortable, but you never trust it 100%, but if this were a real big Tor test, I don't think we would have any doubts . that the winner of this competition would be the Bentley, right, there's no argument at all, yeah, I mean, it's the most refined, it's the most comfortable, it has a kind of lovely ability to float, we didn't really need to drive to Scotland to I know that the Bentley was the best GT, it's obvious that I think we should name the winner of this test as the best car and for me that is the car that represents the best engineering feat, yes, and I think on that basis.

There is probably only one clear winner. If you want a GT car that's raw and visceral and a little scary, then you'll love the Aston Martin. The db11 is a great start to the company's new era, but they still need to smooth out some of its issues. If your priorities are comfort, refinement and luxury or you simply need a car that fits perfectly into your everyday life, then without a doubt the Bentley is the car for you, for We the McLaren 570 GT has been the standout car of this test, although it won't be perfect for all GT buyers, but it offers excellent handling, a comfortable ride, decent refinement and a driving environment like no other.

If you want a car that focuses more on the drive than the destination, then this is where you should put your hard-earned thanks for watching our epic Grand Tour. We hope you enjoyed it as much as we had fun making it. If you want to see more of our great videos, including the hot hatch Mega test, you can click on these. buttons on the right here, if you would like to let us know what you think of our winner or what cars and locations you would like to see in future large group test videos, please leave us a comment and of course a like. and a subscription wouldn't hurt either