Aston Martin’s DB lineup of vehicles has become an iconic symbol of the company’s long yet complex history. Through the highs and the lows, the DB name persisted and it was always about delivering the best blend of luxury and performance to buyers looking for a distinct flavor in their GT purchase.
The Aston Martin DB12 is the latest in this long line of GT coupes and Aston Martin says that this DB is the best yet even as the company made some tough changes to help the DB shine in an era where tightening fuel economy standards and changing consumer needs are forcing many automakers to re-evaluate their long-term game plans.
Sportiness thy name is DB12
The DB12’s exterior styling feels like you stepped into a fashion magazine but at first glance, you might not see much of a difference with the core shape and some of the base profile being carried over from the DB11. However, many of the body panels are either new or have been heavily altered with the doors being carried over while the roof is borrowed from the DBS.
Look past that and some of the finer details begin to emerge. The front fascia gets a larger front grille, new headlights, and a more prominent front splitter with the reworked door mirrors being mounted on new arms. It has a minimalist flavor but not to the point where the Aston blends into traffic. The side profile swoops into the sensibly designed rear with the reworked taillights and dual exhaust tips provide a purposeful flair to it. The Aston’s good looks helped draw plenty of stares when out and about and its super model-ready looks even helped it co-star in a video for my TikTok creator cousin Rott_n_chugs.
The emerald green paint on our tester also helped contribute to the car’s good looks with the metallic flake in it helping the car pop when sunlight hit it from certain angles with 21-inch forged alloy wheels providing a hint of sharpness to the visual presentation.
DB12’s interior doesn’t skimp on comfort
Slip inside the DB12 and you’ll find a cabin that still delivers opulent comfort. The DB12 has three different seats to choose from with our tester having the mid-range Sport Plus seats. The side-mounted controls for their adjustment are a bit too fiddly for our tastes, but once your nestled in, they become comfortable thrones for long road trips or even sluggish turtle crawls up Woodward Avenue. The rear seats continue to exist for style purposes but they can hold a child or several pieces of cargo in a pinch.
The rest of the interior also benefits from some other revisions that the company has done to improve the DB12’s usability. The dashboard is slimmer than before and the digital instrument cluster has been updated with improved graphics. Carbon fiber accents provided contrast to the Bridge of Weir leather trim in our tester and is only the tip of the iceberg as far as choices go with Aston and their in-house customizer Q offering a vast library of color and trim choices.
Meanwhile, the old Mercedes-Benz sourced infotainment system has been pitched and is replaced with an all-new system that was designed in-house by the company. The 10.3-inch screen may seem small when compared to some rivals but Aston designers had a method to their madness with the screen being artfully integrated into the ramp-like sweep that defines the rest of the center console. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard and the home screen is improved and shows various menus in a logical manner. The system is also capable of Over The Air updates and unlike some of its rivals, Aston chose restraint and didn’t bury all the controls in a sea of haptic screens with the company instead preserving a large number of analog controls to promote familiarity.
Less cylinders means more performance
The biggest change that Aston Martin engineers made was removing the V12 entirely from the DB12 with all models being powered by a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8. The V12 has been a mainstay in the DB for the bulk of its recent history with the DB11 offering a V12 alongside the V8 when that model was in production.
In the case of the DB12, fewer cylinders doesn’t mean less fun with the engine capable of producing 671 horsepower and 590 lb-ft of torque. An eight-speed automatic is the lone transmission available but the pairing allows the DB12 to rocket its way to 60 mph in 3.3 seconds before topping out at 202 mph. These figures are not only higher than the outgoing V8, but are also better than the axed V12 with our tester proving to be a very eager steed in freeway driving. The steering is very crisp and the transmission does a good job of delivering what the driver wants most of the time. Sport + is the lone exception to the rule and while the mode allows the DB12 to perform at its full potential, the hyper-aggressive throttle mapping is not fit for most driving situations.
Instead, we kept our tester in either the default GT mode or Sport to help improve urban usability. Our tester’s Carbon Ceramic brakes are a new option for buyers to choose from and they helped provide plenty of stopping power.
Value Quotient
Pricing for the DB12 starts at $248,086, but the bulk of DB12’s that will be entering dealer inventory will not have a price tag like that with many of them coming with their fair share of optional extras. Our tester is a classic example of this in action with numerous optional extras and Q-infused custom touches causing the final as-tested price to swell over $310,000. That figure is a lofty chunk of change but is a drop in the bucket for many DB12 buyers and the amount of style and performance you get is a potent selling point. It also doesn’t hurt either that the DB12 is less expensive than the Bentley Continental GT, Ferrari Roma, and the Porsche 911.
Carl Malek has been an automotive journalist for over 10 years. First starting out as a freelance photographer before making the transition to writing during college, his work has appeared on numerous automotive forums as well as websites such as Autoshopper.com.
Carl is also a big fan of British vehicles with the bulk of his devotion going to the Morgan Motor Company as well as offerings from Lotus, MG, and Caterham. When he is not writing about automobiles, Carl enjoys spending time with his family and friends in the Metro Detroit area, as well as spending time with his adorable pets.