The GREAT Debate: If You're Buying A High-end Auto And Its Interior BORROWS From Other Carmakers, Does That RUIN It For YOU?

This weekend I am piloting the all-new Aston Martin DB11 Volante. It's a lovely automobile.

Equipped with a Mercedes-AMG V8 good for just over 500 horsepower, grunt isn't an issue. Nor is its interior trimming, which is on the level of Ferrari and Bentley. There's leather everywhere and it's a rather intoxicating experience.

But if you've ever been in an Aston previously, you know that the company's weak point was its infotainment system. Leveraging a Volvo-based unit, it was one of the worst in the business.

With the all-new DB11 and all-new Vantage, however, the company is leveraging its partnership with Mercedes-Benz. That means it gets COMAND: Controller, touch pad and screen.

When discussing this with Agent 001 the other night, he noted that it's one of those details that essentially takes him out of the game. I, on the other hand, think it's wonderful — Note: I am a fan of the COMAND system.

One could argue a vehicle of this caliber is like a made-to-measure suit and everything should be a one-off. Alternatively, it could be argued that the manufacturers should focus on what they're good at, whether that's performance or luxury and let them leverage reliable, working systems where they can (e.g., infotainment).

THINK: Rolls-Royce uses BMW's iDrive and Bentley leverages Audi's MMI system — the new Continental GT appears to use Porsche's infotainment.

So, I've got to ask: Spies, if you were buying a high-end automobile and its interior BORROWED from other automakers, does that RUIN it for you?

vdiv - 4/29/2018 11:29:51 AM

+4 Boost

Well, fortunately the infotaiment system is not the whole interior :)
These things are hard to produce, integrate, and support so the scale matters. For an exotic low volume manufacturer building their own system would eat up to much time and money, will always be inferior and a disappointment.

malba2367 - 4/29/2018 11:34:46 AM

+3 Boost

Shouldn't bother anyone. The fact of the matter is that a larger automaker will have more software development resources to come up with good software.

cidflekken - 4/29/2018 2:33:45 PM

+3 Boost

It would depend on who is doing the borrowing and who is doing the lending. If Aston Martin started putting interiors from a Subaru FRS, then yes, it wouldn't entice me to purchase. But an Aston-Mercedes barter would make more sense.

EVisNow - 4/29/2018 3:00:26 PM

+2 Boost

I've always admire AM cars from a distance for their look but never got up-close. Based on the picture above, I'd say it's a big disappointment regardless of where the interior comes from.

TheSteve - 4/29/2018 4:20:47 PM

+1 Boost

I don't feel bad about it at all. I just want a great car, with a non-gimmicky dash and interior.

As much as I love Porsche, I really dislike their black glass panels in place of real buttons. Pure gimmick and looks, over function and usability :-(

TomM - 4/30/2018 2:58:25 PM

+2 Boost

I think that as far back as I can remember - the exotic cars always had an outside supplier for their "entertainment" systems (read that stereo) - and having that continue is simply an admission that they are NOT in that business.

If a car is that good and enjoyable to drive - I find myself NOT EVEN turning the radio on to begin with. ANd yes - there are Aston's that fall into that category for me - especially since they are among the few such cars I can actually get into.

THe question is - now that Aston will be featuring AMG engines - at what point would you consider their cars no longer to be a different "brand" - but actually just a "tuner". I assume eventually Aston will use a Mercedes Platform.

Agent001 - 4/29/2018 5:13:26 PM

0 Boost

If I'm spending THAT kind of money, it had better be made to measure and individual. Otherwise, just give me the Mercedes.

001

quizz - 4/30/2018 2:15:05 AM

+1 Boost

In other words, just buy yourself a car made by giant global manufacturers who can afford the upfront R&D and high volume global sales across 15 model lines to amortize the cost of the infotainment system. You understand that Tesla continues to lose billions a year? Yes Aston could follow Tesla into bankruptcy and spend a few hundred million on a great infotainment system only to sell a few thousand cars a year in a vain attempt to recoup those costs.

Agent001 - 4/29/2018 5:15:44 PM

+1 Boost

And EVERYTHING better be BEST of breed. Including the technology. You have to ask the question if Tesla can do it, WHY can't Aston?

001

quizz - 4/30/2018 2:09:44 AM

+2 Boost

LOL, you didn't seriously just ask that question? Tesla is a battery technology company trying to build cars. Land Rover, GM, Ford and Toyota can't do it. Jaguar definitely can't do it. Volvo comes close. Audi and BMW does it very well. Why are you comparing Aston, a small volume manufacturer to a conglomerate with industrial partners like Diamler? Aston had to partner with Mercedes for a new engine and you think it could do this alone when richer companies like Honda and Toyota couldn't?

skytop - 4/29/2018 7:31:34 PM

0 Boost

I would love Ford to borrow the interior of a Rolls Royce or Bentley into my Mustang.

bluebirdjay - 4/29/2018 8:37:17 PM

+1 Boost

The Aston still looks like the one from the 2000s. A Ford-kind

MDarringer - 4/29/2018 9:16:53 PM

-2 Boost

There is a lot of "coincidental styling" between the Mustang and the new Griffith. I'm sure it's just that. TVR would never use off-the-shelf Ford parts like Aston Martin did.

Foncool - 4/29/2018 10:00:40 PM

0 Boost

Here’s a news flash for all the complainers that this part or that part in high end Cars is from a lowly mass market car. It’s always been like that, high end cars are built by primarily lo volume manufacturers where it isn’t financially feasible to build proprietary parts for all of the approximately 15,000 parts that are in the average car.

So they raid the parts bin for items like switches, starters, informant systems, climate control systems etc of larger mass market manufacturers. You’ll find plenty of BMW parts in a Rolls, Lamborghini, Bentley, Bugatti and Porsche are infested with VW parts. There wasn’t a small Italian manufacturer that didn’t have parts from Fiat or Alfa. Hell just about every small volume Italian manufacturer in the 70s used Carello tail lights from an Alfa Berlina.

quizz - 4/30/2018 2:05:11 AM

+2 Boost

Not at all.

How's this even a "GREAT" debate at all? The great debate would be the value of a manual transmission or ICE vs. EV in sports cars.

MDarringer - 4/30/2018 8:15:35 AM

-1 Boost

Have you noticed that "THE" great debate headline here is attached to dozens and dozens of stories?

dstampfer - 4/30/2018 8:22:51 AM

+2 Boost

Would like the leather and other finishes to feel exotic and bespoke, but the most important thing about the infotainment/electronics is that they work and are intuitive and easy to use. Coming from a large volume luxury manufacturer is an asset not a negative.

Foncool - 5/1/2018 9:09:50 AM

+2 Boost

None of the auto manufacturers make these systems, they are developed by subcontractors. Take the much maligned Chrysler UConnect, that is a Garmin unit, most consider Garmin amount the best navigation units built.

Almost all infotainment system now in new cars will have some type of capability with Apple CarPlay. For the most part today everyone builds a safe reliable car, if you look into where the problem areas are on cars across all manufacturers it is related to the infotainment systems