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Though this Aston Martin DB12 isn't the brand's core model in terms of sales, it's absolutely fundamental in defining what one of this famous marque's modern day sportscars should be. A huge step forward over the DB11, this coupe version is that combination of track car and GT that many have long sought.
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Driving experience
So what do we have here? Well much more of an Aston Martin than its DB11 predecessor certainly. Yes, there still a Mercedes-sourced 4.0-litre V8 up-front, but it's apparently now much more bespoke to Aston and gets 680PS - considerably more power than any DB11 ever had. It's mated to a rear-mounted 8-speed ZF automatic transmission with a short final drive ratio that helps the uber-rapid acceleration; 0-62mph occupies just 3.6s en route to 202mph. There are 'GT', 'Sport' and 'Sport+' drive modes, plus an 'Individual' option to set your own parameters - and a 911-style 'Wet' setting for when the road's sodden and you're concerned about deploying all that power through the rear wheels.
This is the first Aston Martin DB to get an electronic rear differential. And also the first to be offered with ceramic brakes. Plus the bonded aluminium platform is 7% more torsionally rigid than it was in the DB11, there's a state-of-the-art ESP system and there's a bespoke-developed set of Michelin Pilot Sport tyres. The spring rates are about 5% stiffer and the engineers claim a 12% reduction in understeer, helped by phenomenal levels of grip. Plus the cam profiles and compression ratios have been enhanced to better support the V8's two larger-diameter turbos. The result of all this takes Aston Martin closer to Ferrari than Bentley in terms of this DB12's roadgoing repertoire. Which was precisely the objective.
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Design and build
Initial impressions that this DB12's design might be merely a mild update of the DB11 melt away a little in the metal, where this Aston Martin looks strikingly handsome - perhaps the car the DB11 should have been. It's available in both Coupe and convertible Volante forms and in both cases is subtly wider and visually closer to the ground than its predecessor, sitting on larger 21-inch wheels. The deep front grille and strong sill line balance the shape, which is set off by frameless wing mirrors.
Where you really notice the investment that's gone into this car though, is when you take a seat inside. The cabin is a seismic step forwards from the cluttered out-of-date design of its predecessor and is no longer so obviously littered with borrowed Mercedes bits. Aston has finally developed its own centre touchscreen (not before time), a 10.25-inch monitor that sits in a redesigned raised console and is as good as anything you'll find elsewhere. The old gearshift fascia buttons are gone (good), replaced by a Porsche-style gearshift toggle. There's also a superb binnacle display which, like the centre screen, now runs the brand's own software. Not everything is perfect (the chunky steering wheel has too many buttons on it), but the quality of build and finish sets a new standard for Aston.
You'll need some familiarisation though; it's still a wide car that sits you low, so it's difficult to see the bonnet - which makes tight space manoeuvring challenging. As with the DB11, you get two tiny rear seats for small children (or more likely jackets or designer shopping bags). And out back, there's a 262-litre boot.
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Market and model
You'll need around £185,000 to get yourself this DB12 Coupe. The alternative Volante convertible version of this car costs a cool £202,000 or so. You'll need to add a fair bit onto those figures once you've allowed for various essential extras. This pricing positions the DB12 between Ferrari's Roma and Bentley's Continental GT V8 S. And potential customers looking at a super sports car around this price point will also be considering the Maserati GranTurismo Trofeo and the Mercedes-AMG GT 63.
Standard equipment includes 21-inch forged wheels, LED headlamps with auto high beam, Adaptive Damping, a 360-degree camera system, ambient lighting, automatic 2-zone climate control, heated seats, a wireless charging mat and a 10.25-inch TFT Driver Information Display is the binnacle. Media connectivity is taken care of by a Touchscreen Central Display, also 10.25-inches in size, complete with 'Apple CarPlay' and 'Android Auto', a built-in 390-watt 11-speaker Aston Martin audio system, navigation and natural voice control.
Camera safety kit is on a different level to previous generation Astons. You get Auto Emergency Braking, Forward Collision Warning, Lane Keep Assist, Lane Departure Warning, Lane Change Assist, Lane Centring, Front and Rear Cross-Traffic Assist, Door Open Assist, Traffic Sign Recognition, Matrix High Beam Control, Driver Drowsiness Detection and an E-call system which alerts the emergency services if either the front or the side curtain airbags go off in an accident.
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Cost of ownership
We normally start this section with a review of economy and emissions, but of course anyone comfortable with blowing a quarter of a million on a super sportscar is unlikely to be overly concerned with trifling issues of that sort. The big ticket cost with cars at this kind of exalted price point isn't frugality but depreciation, so if you like the idea of a DB12, you'll be pleased to hear that this Aston Martin fares reasonably here.
If for some reason you are interested in the fuel and emissions stats, we'll tell you that in Coupe form, this car manages a 23.2mpg combined cycle WLTP figure, with emissions of 276g/km.
In terms of eco-friendliness, you might think that you could hardly annoy the Greenpeace set more if your choice of car had a whale-harpooning gun strapped to the bonnet. Yet should you be inveigled into conversation with a bearded type, you could point out that in some ways, this DB12 is very green indeed. There's no wasteful recycling needed here because due to its build, no recycling is needed. There's nothing to rust and nothing to decay. Look after your Aston and it will still be thrilling people in fifty years' time.
Insurance is predictably a top-of-the-shop group 50E. And servicing will be needed every year or every 10,000 miles, whichever comes first. Dealership visits of course won't be cheap, but there shouldn't be a need for unnecessary ones these days. The old Aston adage that customers could find out what was wrong (saving the brand a lot of development time, bother and expense) has thankfully long been abandoned. There's a three year unlimited mileage warranty. And these days, the asking price includes five years of maintenance too.
Obviously, hard use will result in heavy brake and tyre wear. And on the subject of tyres, the bespoke Michelin Pilot Sport rubber will be fearsomely expensive to replace, so bear that in mind before you go track day showboating.
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Summary
We still can't help thinking that a DB12 should have 12 cylinders, but such a configuration would doubtless be appropriate to the new era that Aston finds itself in. To be frank, you had to be a fan of the brand to choose this car's DB11 predecessor, which was a product of an under-funded era. The DB12, in contrast, is a super sports car you might conceivably choose over a Ferrari or a Bentley on merit.
In character, it's been moved a little further away from a GT Bentley-style contender but remains day-to-day and long-distance usable in a way that a Ferrari (or for that matter a Lamborghini or a McLaren) just isn't. So this is, as Aston promises, great combination of those two Sportscar extremes. Which just about justifies a new sub-niche classification. 'Super Tourer'? It's as good as any. And this DB12 is too.
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