Show-stopping styling is just part of the DB12 Super Tourer’s appeal – Aston’s new twin-turbo V8 coupe is even better when you get behind the wheel
- How much does the Aston Martin DB12 cost?
- What equipment comes with the Aston Martin DB12?
- How safe is the Aston Martin DB12?
- What technology does the Aston Martin DB12 feature?
- What powers the Aston Martin DB12?
- What is the Aston Martin DB12 like to drive?
- What is the Aston Martin DB12 like inside?
- Should I buy an Aston Martin DB12?
Aston Martin is kicking goals, and not just on the F1 track. In the Aston Martin DB12, the British ultra-luxury brand has sought to raise the bar in the high-end, high-performance 2+2 coupe marketplace and succeeded. Building on the decent foundations that were the DB11, Aston says the new car is not grand tourer but rather a Super Tourer. Yet the 500kW newcomer is more than just a muscled-up replacement Bond car – it is a thoroughly more refined, more competent icon which broadens the appeal of the storied DB badge to edge into the Vantage’s sports car territory on one end and the DBS’ over-the-top super-coupe domain on the other. The first of three updates and one all-new mid-engined Aston Martin between now and 2025, the DB12 is a bellwether for the brand’s newfound commitment to competence, character and quality.
How much does the Aston Martin DB12 cost?
There’s significant speculation as to exactly when the identity of the next James Bond will be revealed. Less so regards the car he will almost certainly drive. Bond’s next car must surely be the tougher, much faster and all-round just much better 2023 Aston Martin DB12 which goes on sale globally late in 2023 (with first deliveries expected Down Under by the end of Q1 2024).
What isn’t so clear is pricing – and not just because the on-sale date is some time away. There’s also rampant inflation in Britain to factor in, and whether Aston will make any adjustments with the free-trade agreement between Australia and the UK now up and running.
The outgoing DB11 starts at around $380K, before on-road costs. The Aston Marton DB12 will cost – well, a shedload… Indeed, by the time you tick a few options, don’t expect much change out of $500,000.
There’s just one biturbo V8 drivetrain offering – gone is the V12 (set to reappear in the next DBS) – but you will be spoiled for choice in terms of those options. As expected, there’ll be myriad ways to tailor the trim, cabin, colours and materials but you’ll also be able to choose from three different types of seat and even specify performance options such as carbon-ceramic brakes (CCB).
That CCB option gives a clue to the extra bandwidth Aston Martin has gifted the new DB12. The DB11 may have been a solid grand tourer, but Aston’s propaganda on the DB12 labels it a Super Tourer.
The new DB12 is a far more polished and dynamically competent icon. As such, it broadens the appeal of the storied DB badge (celebrating its 75th anniversary) to edge into the Aston Marton Vantage’s sports car territory on one end and the Aston Martin DBS’ over-the-top super-coupe domain on the other.
What equipment comes with the Aston Martin DB12?
The expected mid-$400K price tag puts the 2023 Aston Martin DB12 firmly within firing range of a whole bunch of fancy machinery, including the Ferrari Roma, McLaren GT, Bentley Continental GT, top-end Porsche 911 variants and even BMW M’s 8 Series and some Mercedes-AMG models.
Befitting this positioning, the DB12 lacks for little. This is a much better equipped, better finished and more mature offering than the DB11 it replaces.
There were some significant omissions from the last car’s ‘Table of Contents’ including de rigueur driver aids/amenities such as lane assistance, active cruise control and autonomous braking. In this new generation of Aston, such glaring errors are remedied.
Ultra-luxury is the target and it’s delivered. Full equipment details will need to wait for final Australian market pricing, but take it as read that most if not all mod-cons will be available or offered.
A full custom build will be available via Aston Martin’s Q department. At a less bespoke level, there’s choice of materials finishes, contrasting paint and carbon-fibre roof options, three 21-inch wheel options, etc, etc…
Standard brakes are cast-iron 400/360mm discs (front/rear) but tick the above-mentioned CCB option and your DB12 will benefit from a 27kg reduction in unsprung mass. Comparable to the weight loss from your wallet, no doubt.
Not oft mentioned in equipment lists are tyres. In this case, the first bespoke rubber created for an Aston Martin (Valkyrie aside), Michelin Pilot Sport 5 tyres debut on the DB12.
That such aggressive rubber debuts on an Aston 2+2 also speaks volumes for the car’s bandwidth.
How safe is the Aston Martin DB12?
Don’t expect to see a crash test result for the 2023 Aston Martin DB12 – such an undertaking would be criminal. We’ll need to assume these things crash okay – there’s plenty of supercomputer time spent on ensuring that’s the case.
The DB11’s alloy spaceframe structure is carried over into the DB12, but with significant beefing up. There’s been a near 140 per cent increase in torsional rigidity across the front structure and 30 per cent on the rear.
While that’s aimed at providing a more stable platform for the new Bilstein DTX adaptive damper suspension, it’s worth mentioning – after all, a better handling, more responsive car is a safer car.
The biggest steps forward in safety relate to the new Aston Martin DB12’s driver assistance suite. As noted above, this was a glaring omission from the 11.
The DB12 now boasts essentially a full advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) line-up, kicking off with forward collision warning and autonomous emergency braking (AEB), adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go function, blind spot and lane departure assistance, auto headlights, traffic sign monitoring, even rear cross traffic assist.
There’s also drowsy driver detection and a proper 360-degree camera.
The style council will be pleased Aston Martin has managed to facilitate all of these aids without needing to bastardise that trademark grille – which is even bigger and bolder in the DB12.
Although it was flagged as a challenge in the DB11, the radar integration at the pointy end of the DB12 is reasonably seamless.
What technology does the Aston Martin DB12 feature?
The 2023 Aston Martin DB12 is a landmark for the brand in terms of the introduction of Aston’s next-generation infotainment. Entirely bespoke, designed and developed by Aston Martin, it is the marque’s first in-house system and will feature on all future models.
Naturally, it supports wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and serious connectivity.
Aston says it’s worked hard to balance touch-screens and traditional tactile buttons and scroll wheels, and I reckon they’ve got it spot on. The scroll wheels in the centre console have a wonderful feel and weighting to them – like a top-end camera or watch.
The system’s centre and instrument panel screens are clear, fast and the human-machine interface overall is logical and easy to use. Aston says the latest smartphones are the benchmark for the execution, and if that’s the case – mission accomplished.
Important, too, is that the overall execution of this crucial interface with owners has moved away from the Mercedes-AMG parts bin that was the DB11 generation of infotainment.
The DB12 uses physical controls for gear selection (those tacky DB11 buttons have gone), drive mode selection, heating and ventilation, and there are also override switches for chassis, stability control, active exhaust and Lane Assist and Park Distance Control.
And yes, now, the iconography is bespoke. You won’t recognise the symbol from your A 45 AMG in this $500K cool cruiser…
There’s plenty of amenity via the multifunction controls on the steering wheel. The only thing I’d pick in the cabin as not entirely up to snuff was a Benz-sourced indicator stalk.
The infotainment system is more connected than ever with a new navigation system that interfaces with the web. This works with a new Aston Martin App which allows a range of connected car features and the ability to enter destination and other info from smartphone direct to the car.
This is a first for the brand and delivers the convenience of over-the-air (OTA) updates as well as yet-to-be-defined “products, services and support for vehicles”. The initial rollout of services includes a stolen vehicle tracking option.
In the audio tech space, the new DB12 features an option of 15-speaker, double-amplified 1170W Bowers & Wilkins surround sound system. The standard set-up makes do with ‘just’ 11 speakers and 390W.
What powers the Aston Martin DB12?
The 2023 Aston Martin DB12’s most important soundtrack, however, is delivered by the 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 created on behalf of the British brand by Mercedes-AMG.
Top-level numbers are an even 500kW and 800Nm but even more impressive is the seamless characteristics of this engine and the bespoke engine note Aston has created.
The engine does sound significantly different from the C 63 applications it once fulfilled – and of course is very different to the flat-plane crank versions of the engine in AMG’s GT models. Aston could soon be the biggest user of the 4.0-litre as Benz moves to electrified fours which is giving the marque the ability to modify the mill even further.
The power curves are pretty impressive – even when compared to the DB11. The DB12 has substantially more power than the 11 from 2000rpm, with an entirely linear increase from 3000-6000rpm. Search ‘mesa’ and that’s what the torque curve looks like: table-top flat from 2750-6000rpm and an increase of 34 per cent compared with the outgoing DB11.
The changes have been wrought with modified cam profiles, optimised compression ratios, larger-diameter turbochargers and better cooling (an extra two auxiliary coolers added to the existing central main radiator). The intercooler and oil cooler systems have also been uprated.
A rear-mounted eight-speed automatic is incorporated into a transaxle with, for the first time in a DB (but not Aston Martin), a smart electronically controlled limited-slip diff.
The DB12 grows in track (+6/22mm front/rear), but thanks to new frameless wing mirrors it’s actually narrower overall. It doesn’t look it – there’s been serious pumping of the front and rear guards and as noted above, the very traditionally profile grille is DBS-huge. But oh, so handsome…
What is the Aston Martin DB12 like to drive?
The new 2023 Aston Martin DB12 “heralds a new era” for the brand, according to the car-maker. It’s the first model produced under the tutelage of Aston’s high-profile billionaire owner, Lawrence Stroll, who has stewarded the brand’s F1 resurgence.
It’s clear the desire to excel extends to the road, and that even before you turn a wheel it’s a step-change from existing Aston product.
Our French Riviera test drive was probably as thorough as a single-day launch drive can be. Around 550km, great variety of roads (many quite tight with only average surfaces) and a real mix of conditions – from bright sunshine to torrential rain.
And to be 100 per cent frank, I’m finding it hard to be anything other than complimentary.
The DB12 is not a new car in terms of hardware, but it’s a very new car in terms of how much better it drives.
Yes, it’s better looking but more importantly there’s substance to the engineering updates. There’s been particular focus on the interaction between power output, final drive ratio and gearbox calibration on one hand, and a thorough reworking of the body-in-white and suspension on the other.
The bare numbers show this is a significantly faster car than the DB11. The 0-100km/h time of 3.6 seconds is 12 per cent faster, but that tells only part of the story. The measure from 0-200km/h is just over 10sec – fully 20 per cent faster than the 11. Top speed is around 200mph – 320km/h or thereabouts.
Beyond the stats, the DB12 feels muscular always and markedly more urgent thanks to a significantly shorter final drive ratio (from 2.70 in the DB11 to 3.08 – shorter even than the Vantage) and changes to the fly-by-wire throttle response and shift change characteristics. Both are markedly sharper.
In these aspects – as well as others – the DB12 lives up to its Super Tourer label and feels even more responsive than the existing Vantage sports car, which augurs well for the updated version of the latter…
On the chassis side, big plaudits to the team for capitalising on the potential of the new-generation Bilstein adaptive dampers. These units offer five times the damping adjustment range of the units on the DB11. This means the range of chassis tune across the drive modes delivers appreciable differences.
At its most comfortable, the DB12’s ride is very good – indeed, far better than any car on low-profile rubber and 21-inch rims can usually hope to be. Dare I say it, the Aston engineers appear to have cracked the code Porsche’s 911 boffins have kept locked away.
At the other end of the spectrum, it feels like body control and precision should make the DB12 reasonably happy at even track levels of commitment. This is certainly something you could not suggest of the DB11.
There’s less understeer and real precision to the faster steering. Stiffer springs and uprated anti-roll bars mean the car sits flatter and is significantly better balanced.
The engine is a peach. There’s torque everywhere and the volume levels are just right with a proper blend of V8 burble and high tech.
That soundtrack announces the car, but the styling is what cements the stares from onlookers. There’s more tradition in the wider, more sculptured front-end of the DB12 than in the previous Aston GT line up. At first glance it could be mistaken for the outgoing DBS, but that’s no bad thing.
The morphing translucent green of our test car was stunning in the sunlight, but I have to admit also being taken by a white/black/carbon example that was on the launch fleet. There are not many colours in Aston’s palette that this car doesn’t rock.
What is the Aston Martin DB12 like inside?
As impressive as the exterior styling is, the cabin of the 2023 Aston Martin DB12 tells an even bigger story. It’s more refined, more luxurious and, most importantly, has evolved from ‘parts bin’ to bespoke.
A full redesign from the DB11, the 12 is a step-change in terms of materials too. As noted above, the weighting and feel of the controls are exquisite. A choice of real metal, wood or carbon-fibre sets the theme for highlights and the Bridge of Weir hides are great to touch and smell like proper leather.
The dash is quite high and the H-point properly low, but I didn’t feel the car was hard to place (on the road) – that had been a concern for me when first driving the DB11. I can’t quite put my finger on why; perhaps the more fluted bonnet gives you better references subconsciously?
The redesigned interior has clean horizontal lines emphasising the width. It’s driver-focused, but the passenger is not shortchanged. Although conventional, the centre stack looks classy and there’s more storage space for incidentals than in the DB11.
The obvious carry-over parts from technology partner Daimler are gone (as noted above) and there’s a choice of three types of seat, with the most extreme being carbon-shelled sports buckets. We experienced the mid-spec sport seat and have no complaints. As this is labelled a Super Tourer and not an out-and-out sports car, they’re probably the smart choice.
The DB12 retains a 2+2 configuration but let’s not kid ourselves… You need to be a masochist to sit in the back or indeed inflict the back seats on anything other than expensive handbags or designer (read: small) dogs. Put your kids in there and you’ll end up in jail.
The boot on cars like this is usually fairly compact, and while the opening is slim, you can fit up to 262 litres of gear in there. Plenty for a weekend.
One cool little detail: check out the shape of the boot mouth. It’s similar to the shape of the grille, with a distinctive pout. That’s in part because you’ve got ducting on either side as part of the rear aerodynamics.
Should I buy an Aston Martin DB12?
There’s no rational reason anyone spends $500K on a car – wildly affluent investment-grade classic car fans with self-managed super funds aside. So, don’t expect a rational answer to that question.
There’s little doubt in my mind the 2023 Aston Martin DB12 is a step-change in Aston GTs. It’s dynamically as capable (if not more so) than any of the 2+2 GTs on the road today but trumps all of them in wow factor.
Perhaps the Porsche 911 Turbo is better in extremis, but if you want to make an entrance it’s Aston Martin and then daylight as far as the Zuffenhausen coupe’s street cred goes. No one notices you when you turn up in a 911.
I’m a big Aston Martin fan – I like what the brand stands for and I’m extremely optimistic of what the team there can achieve with the assistance of Lawrence Stroll’s chequebook.
With that in mind, the DB12 gets a big thumbs up from me…
2023 Aston Martin DB12 at a glance:
Price: $450,000 estimated (plus on-road costs)
Available: Early 2024
Powertrain: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbo petrol
Output: 500kW/800Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic via transaxle
Fuel economy: To be confirmed
CO2: To be confirmed
Safety rating: Not tested
Keyword: Aston Martin DB12 2023 Review – International