Aston Martin DB12: The Car That Invented Its Own Category to Belong To

Aston Martin didn't just launch a new DB-series grand tourer — it declared an entirely new class of car, the "Super Tourer," positioned deliberately between traditional GT comfort and genuine supercar dynamics.

Illustration for editorial purposes

A New Label for an Old Idea, Backed by Real Engineering

Car makers invent marketing terms all the time, and skepticism is usually warranted. Reviewers keep noting that in this case, the underlying engineering changes actually back up the bold new label Aston Martin gave it.

Why Lawrence Stroll Wanted the DB11 Fixed, Not Replaced

Launched in 2023 for the 2024 model year as the successor to the DB11, the DB12 retains its predecessor's basic chassis and twin-turbo V8 architecture — but overhauls the execution comprehensively enough that reviewers describe it as a genuinely different car to drive rather than a mild facelift. It arrived under the direct influence of chairman Lawrence Stroll, reportedly frustrated that the outgoing DB11 rode too softly and steered too vaguely to justify its price against sharper German and Italian rivals. Rather than a clean-sheet replacement, Aston's engineers spent the DB12 programme specifically eliminating those two complaints, and a further 2026 "S" variant has since pushed the resulting formula harder still.

Generations at a Glance

What Actually Changed Under the Skin

Power comes from a 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8, sourced from Mercedes-AMG, producing 671bhp in standard form and rising to 690bhp in DB12 S guise, with 0-60mph in as little as 3.3 seconds and a 202mph top speed. Torsional rigidity increased 7% over the DB11 thanks to a revised underbody, engine cross-brace and rear bulkhead, paired with new-generation adaptive dampers, a stiffer anti-roll bar and an electronic differential — the specific combination reviewers credit with transforming a car once criticised for vague, over-soft handling into something genuinely precise through a corner. The interior dropped the old Mercedes-sourced switchgear entirely for Aston's own next-generation infotainment system and a Bowers & Wilkins audio partnership, closing off what had been one of the DB11's most consistently criticised weak points.

DB12 vs Bentley Continental GT vs Ferrari Roma

The DB12 arrives as the sole V8 model in a bloodline that traditionally carried a V12, with emissions regulations pushing the twelve-cylinder engine exclusively upmarket to the pricier Vanquish. Positioned directly against the Bentley Continental GT, Ferrari Roma and Porsche 911 Turbo, reviewers have widely credited it with finally giving Aston Martin a genuinely convincing, fully rounded alternative to those established rivals rather than a car sold mainly on badge and heritage — sharper to drive than the Bentley, more usable day-to-day than the harder-edged Ferrari, and priced to sit squarely between both.

How Much Does an Aston Martin DB12 Cost?

UK pricing starts from around £190,000 and climbs well past £240,000 with typical options specified, placing the DB12 between the smaller Vantage and the larger, V12-powered Vanquish in Aston's current lineup. As a relatively recent model still in production, it isn't a classic collector's piece yet, though its status as the car that genuinely fixed the DB11's shortcomings — rather than simply papering over them with a new name — makes it a significant enough step that specialists expect early, well-optioned cars to hold value better than most contemporary grand tourers once depreciation properly sets in.

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Sources: Top Gear, On: Yorkshire Magazine, duPont Registry, Autoweb.