Highline Test Drives
Aston Martin’s new DB12 is not so much a new car but a mid-generation change that goes beyond just a facelift. In the Porsche world, this would be called a DB11.2, but because it is an Aston Martin, it is the DB12. Changes to the DB12 from the previous DB11 car include a new face, a better interior, a new name, and a lot more power! The only problem with these changes is now the first question anyone asks when you tell them “it is a DB12”, they assume it has a V12 engine. The 12-cylinder was an option in the old DB11 but is not available in this new car… why? We think the boost in power over the DB11 means this twin-turbo V8 from AMG-Mercedes does not require any more cylinders.
Continuing to correct the design changes and styling of the Aston Martin grille, the DB12 is the best example they have come up with yet. While not the gaping hole first launched on the Aston Martin Vantage released around 2020, the DB12 blends the familiar style of an Aston Martin face with an aggressive front chin to match the increase in performance this model packs behind the front fascia. From the mirrors back, the styling has not changed from the previous DB11. Wide hips and a clever aerodynamic C-pillar smooth out the more aggressive facelift in the front, bringing it back to an elegant GT design. Visible air management, aggressive sharp edges, and bonkers proportions are not the design language of a GT car, and Aston has paired this new body with the classic GT styling well.
Inside the cabin is where DB11 owners are going to feel most envious. Updated styling, switch gear, and layout make the vehicle controls much easier to reach and read than before. Gone is the strange, almost perfectly square steering wheel, flat center console, and afterthought of an infotainment screen integration of the old car. This “new model” has clean and clear buttons, an appropriate infotainment screen, and a completely round steering wheel; where did they come up with such an idea? With the new infotainment comes a whole lot of new tech as well. 360-degree parking sensors and cameras owners will rely on for any sort of normal maneuvering, adaptive cruise, lane centering assist with departure warnings, traffic sign recognition, and Apple Carplay. Of course, if you’re going to be ordering a new Aston Martin DB12, you cannot skip the $10,300 Bowers & Wilkins premium audio option.
One feature the jury is still out on is the new voice command system. The system works a lot like Siri; however, her command to start listening to the occupants’ intrusions is any form of “Aston Martin,” which makes it incredibly hard to talk about the vehicle while in the vehicle. Music or navigation is immediately silenced; drivers have to take their eyes off the road to clear the command screen. The system works fantastic when you want to use it, so it is not such a problem that you want it off permanently, but it was something that got old quickly.
The first 20+ minute-long journey you take in an Aston Martin DB12 will make you understand why someone would spend over $337,000 on this car. Sure, a Lamborghini, Ferrari, or McLaren may be more exciting to drive around town with your loud exhaust, vertical doors, and battle axe styling, but to go out on a “trip” or a “visit,” you are going to want to be in a DB12.
671 hp / 590 lb. ft. of torque from the 4.0 liter twin-turbo V8 from AMG-Mercedes is as wild as you want it to be. Touching triple digits on a couple hundred mile cruise feels like traveling in a private jet. The speed, the effortlessness of destroying mile after mile in complete comfort and style. Sure, if you’d like to hoon around a bit in the lower gears or experience the 3.6 seconds 0-60 mph, she’s as sporty as you like, but the real reason this Aston Martin DB12 exists is to pull a quick 300-500 mile journey off like it was a run down to the mall. With the music on, the suspension in comfort and the drivetrain in sport +, the surrounding traffic and the rest of the world just fade away. However, you’re not going to be completely detached from the act of driving behind the wheel of the DB12; the wide rear hips mean you are either paying attention, or the lane centering/ change/keep assists are all fighting the wheel around to keep you center. There is very little room left in the lane to wander around once you have placed a DB12 between the stripes.
Owning an Aston Martin DB12 would make any Scottsdale resident get up Saturday morning and ask, “where should we go today?” Whether it is up to Sedona, over to Las Vegas, or down to California, the DB12 tells you to just get in and go! Throughout the entire journey you are reminded about a whole different genre of driving, one that doesn’t care about ultimate acceleration or how much attention you receive in the valet. A journey in the Aston Martin DB12 is about luxury, style, and pace.
The Aston Martin DB12 is a heavily updated DB11, featuring a redesigned front, a much-improved interior, and a powerful 671-hp twin-turbo V8 from AMG, replacing the previous V12 option. While the name may cause confusion, the DB12 delivers true grand touring performance with refined luxury, cutting-edge tech, and effortless speed. It’s built not for flash or track days, but for high-speed comfort over long distances—turning every road trip into a stylish, serene experience.
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