Well, we saw this coming a mile off. Fresh from the DBX and Vantage gaining a series of subtle enhancements and a new ‘S’ badge to go along with them, the Aston Martin DB12 has been given the same treatment, bringing a new range-topping model to Aston’s V8-powered 2+2 grand tourer.
The big news is that an extra 20bhp has been unleashed from its 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8, bringing the output up to 691bhp, although torque is unchanged at 590lb ft. To make the most of this, the launch control system has been fettled, the eight-speed automatic now firing out changes over 50 per cent quicker with it active and helping drop the 0-60mph run by a tenth to 3.4 seconds.
Aston Martin DB12 S – side
Top speed remains 202mph, but the DB12 S should feel more natural on the way there, as Aston has also given the drive-by-wire throttle a new, ‘more progressive’ calibration. Other software tweaks include changes to steering calibration, rear e-diff and corner braking control system. The adaptive Bilstein DTX dampers have been fettled too, which, together with a stiffened rear anti-roll bar and geometry tweaks, leads to a pointier front end and more overall agility, according to Aston.
Most importantly for a car with a thumping V8 under the bonnet, attention has been given to the noise. The standard steel exhaust system has been tuned to sound more V8-ish, and there’s now an optional titanium system that saves 11.7kg and ups the noise levels by 1.5dB.
Aston Martin DB12 S – rear
That’s not the only weight-saving measure. While they’re an option on the regular DB12, the S includes carbon ceramic brakes as standard, which, in addition to the usual extra bite and resistance to fade, shed an impressive 27kg of unsprung mass compared to steel items.
You’ll be able to tell the S apart from a standard DB12 by its new aero and cooling package. There’s a front splitter, bonnet louvres, enlarged side skirts, a chunky diffuser and a fixed carbon lip spoiler. Inside, meanwhile, it gets a similar treatment to the Vantage S, with various flashes of red dotted throughout the cabin, most notably on the rotary surround for the start/stop button.
Aston Martin DB12 S – interior
On sale now, the DB12 S comes as a coupe or drop-top Volante. Pricing is unconfirmed, but it’ll likely hover somewhere around the £200k mark before you start getting giddy with options. Get your name down quickly, and you should get your car in the first quarter of 2026.
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