{"id":1919777,"date":"2026-05-05T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-05-04T21:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1919777"},"modified":"2026-05-05T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2026-05-04T21:00:00","slug":"aston-martin-db12-s-review-more-power-more-aggression-more-noise-more-intent","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1919777","title":{"rendered":"Aston Martin DB12 S review: \u201cMore power, more aggression, more noise, more intent\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Aston Martin DB12 S? What\u2019s with all the Ss? Didn\u2019t Bentley just release a Continental GT S too?<\/h3>\n

You\u2019re right \u2013 S is very much the letter of the month when it comes to fast, luxurious cars. But what does the S suffix mean to Aston? More, basically. More power, more aggression, more noise, more intent. More good things.<\/p>\n

And yes, Bentley did just tweak the Conti GT S<\/a>, Porsche has brought out the new Turbo S <\/a>and Ferrari is preparing for people to splash the cash on the new Amalfi<\/a>. So Aston has sharpened the DB12<\/a>, following in the footsteps of the DBX S<\/a> and Vantage S<\/a>, to keep its \u2018world\u2019s first Super Tourer\u2019 fresh and relevant. Especially as people with a three-year old DB12 might be tempted to chop it in for a rival.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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So has Aston just found an S badge in a drawer?<\/h3>\n

Not entirely. Aston\u2019s S thing goes back to the DB3S road racer of 1953, so there is some heritage here rather than just a meeting room, a badge and someone from marketing saying \u201csporty\u201d. More recently you may remember there have been Vanquish S<\/a>, Vantage S and Rapide S <\/a>models, so the DB12 S is at least wearing an old family signet ring more than anything.\u00a0<\/p>\n

What\u2019s different?<\/h3>\n

The DB12 S is now the fastest and most powerful version of the DB12, thanks to a 19bhp boost from the 4.0-litre AMG-sourced V8 under that enormous bonnet. Aston quotes it as 700PS, which is the headline-friendly way of saying 690bhp. The normal DB12 \u2013 which is normal in the same way that a hand-built speedboat is normal \u2013 produces 671bhp. Torque stays the same at 590lb ft.<\/p>\n

19bhp! Does that actually make any difference?<\/h3>\n

On its own? Not really. Thanks to powertrain tweaks, plus revisions to the launch control and gearshift software, 0-60mph now takes 3.4 seconds, a mighty 0.1 seconds than before. Top speed remains 202mph.<\/p>\n

But the numbers are not really the point. Aston says gearshift times have been reduced by more than 50 per cent, which is more interesting than the tenth knocked off the sprint time. The DB12 S is about small changes adding up: sharper throttle response, quicker shifts, standard carbon ceramic brakes, damper revisions, E-diff tweaks and more assertive chassis settings.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Have they played with the design too?<\/h3>\n

Of course they have. This is still a brutally handsome car, but with more presence and more muscle. The rear is where you notice the biggest change thanks to those new stacked quad exhausts that sit high and proud. As every child knows, the more exhaust pipes a car has, the faster it is. Stack them vertically and you unlock another layer of cool.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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As every child knows, the more exhaust pipes a car has, the faster it is<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

To house them, Aston has pulled the teardrop taper of the DB12\u2019s rear bodywork downwards, which makes the car look wider and more planted. There\u2019s a trace of old Aston V600<\/a> about it, and some of that \u201cnoble rogue\u201d language that marketing departments like because it sounds expensive. In plain English, it looks mean. Properly mean.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s also a new rear diffuser with carbon accents and a fixed carbon lip spoiler, replacing the retractable air wall that used to pop up on the standard car. Down the sides you get gloss black sill extensions and S badging. Up front, there\u2019s a more technical dual-element splitter arrangement that visually lowers and widens the car. You can have that splitter in carbon too, which is perfect if you enjoy turning low-speed kerbing incidents into conversations with your bank manager.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Is the aero actually doing anything, or is it just expensive jewellery?<\/h3>\n

A bit of both. The splitter helps manage airflow around the front wheelarches, stabilise the front end and reduce lift. The fixed rear spoiler and new diffuser also help reduce lift and increase high-speed stability, while creating the necessary room for those stacked tailpipes. There\u2019s some F1-derived thinking in there, hence why it looks quite fiddly and not especially grand touring.<\/p>\n

And inside?<\/h3>\n

Not much has changed. You get a red knurled drive mode selector, some S badges and broadly the same cabin as before. That\u2019s no bad thing, because the DB12 interior is one of Aston\u2019s great recent victories. It has proper materials, proper tactility and a pleasing sense that someone has actually thought about how things feel. It now has Apple CarPlay Ultra, too, although it crashed on us during the test. The screen also remains difficult to read in bright sunlight. Progress, then, but not perfection.<\/p>\n

<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Our advice? Spec the carbon interior elements. They lift the cabin enormously and feel much more special than the standard gloss black trim, which is shiny, flimsy and permanently covered in fingerprints.<\/p>\n

Can you feel the S-ness behind the wheel?<\/h3>\n

Ironically, that\u2019s the easiest way to feel the difference between a normal DB12 and a DB12 S.<\/p>\n

Aston\u2019s dynamic boffins have played with the DB12\u2019s camber \u2013 more negative at the rear for a stancier look, but also better agility \u2013 plus the toe and castor geometry settings. The idea is to change the hysteresis, which is the nerdy car dynamics term for the lag or difference between steering input and the resulting vehicle action.<\/p>\n

The result is that the already quick steering wants to self-centre more, adding weight and attitude. It\u2019s great when driving quickly, giving you more feel, engagement and understanding of what\u2019s happening with those front wheels far down that long bonnet. But it also adds more weight when steering at normal speeds, almost as if you\u2019re fighting it, which isn\u2019t especially GT-ish.<\/p>\n

But the S leans harder into the DB12\u2019s wonderful duplicity of being able to swap from being a leather-wrapped torpedo to being able to absorb mileage with effortless grace and style, only now it\u2019s been sharpened for when you\u2019re really attacking. But then you need to play with the big red knob.<\/p>\n

\"Aston<\/p>\n

What does the big red knob do?<\/h3>\n

Twist your red knob and put the Aston into Sport or Sport+, then press and hold the traction control button, and the knob becomes something else entirely \u2013 a selector for the ten-stage TC system. It\u2019s still counter-intuitive to know whether \u20181\u2019 means lots of intervention or none, so be mindful. But as you slacken the system off, you move from subtly steering the rear with the throttle to allowing greater slip angles before it reins you in. Or wind it off entirely and you\u2019re on your own, with a tasty bill potentially waiting at the other end. But you also have a car that\u2019s free and wants to get places. Fast.<\/p>\n

The DB12 S and its bespoke 325-section Michelin tyres have so much grip. The Merc-derived \u2018hot-V\u2019 V8 is still a fabulous engine, full of spirit and torque. To me, it has more character than its bigger brother Vanquish\u2019s V12. It makes fantastic noises throughout the rev range, from a slight supercharger-ish whine low down (caused by the excessive exhaust rush through the system) to a hearty, hard-edged V8 bark in the middle, where the turbo torque hits you, before pulling hard at the top end.<\/p>\n

Back off, go through the new, quicker and rather impressive eight-speed ZF gearbox, and the stainless steel exhaust whip-cracks and burbles. This can now be doubled down with the optional titanium exhaust, which saves an impressive 11.7kg too. And if you want more noise, you can spec the Volante, which chops the roof off, but undoes all of Aston\u2019s weight-saving work by piling on another 100kg.<\/p>\n

Is it genuinely sporty, though?<\/h3>\n

Considering it is a long, 1,820kg land yacht, it feels even more agile thanks to the reworked E-diff, which hooks up and slingshots you out of corners with immense traction. The adjustable Bilstein DTX dampers have been modified to improve roll and pitch control, while a stiffer rear anti-roll bar, revised camber and extra torque help the car pivot in a way a luxo GT really shouldn\u2019t.<\/p>\n

We were in warm Spain, on tight, twisty mountain roads where you\u2019d expect it to understeer like a dog, but the crispness and front-end grip are deeply impressive. What is more of a challenge are the now-standard carbon ceramic brakes. They never fully inspire confidence. Cold, they offer all the reassurance of a soggy custard cream \u2013 no bite, no feel.<\/p>\n

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What is more of a challenge are the now-standard carbon ceramic brakes\u2026. cold, they offer all the reassurance of a soggy custard cream<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

As they warmed up, things improved, but even with their broadsheet-sized 410mm discs at the front and 360mm discs at the rear, they never quite delivered the powerful initial bite you want. They do, however, lop 27kg off the unsprung mass, which helps agility, and their mirrored gunmetal finish looks marvellous behind the alloys.<\/p>\n

And what\u2019s it like when you\u2019re not trying to exploit nearly 700bhp?<\/h3>\n

Brilliant. If you remember how haphazard the DB11<\/a>\u2019s handling and chassis could be, the DB12 was a huge improvement \u2013 and the S is better again.<\/p>\n

Driving around at C\u00f4te d\u2019Azur harbour speeds, the suspension soaks up the day-to-day. It has a lovely sense of control. It compresses cleanly, rebounds neatly and keeps the body in check without becoming harsh. It doesn\u2019t thump, it doesn\u2019t wallow and it doesn\u2019t constantly remind you that you chose the more serious version.<\/p>\n

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It doesn\u2019t thump, it doesn\u2019t wallow and it doesn\u2019t constantly remind you that you chose the more serious version<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

In fact, the DB12 relishes the urban environment. The engine is docile, the gearbox subdued and the looks turn heads. Hit the motorway, autostrada, autobahn or whatever European main artery you fancy, and the engine isn\u2019t stressed either, the cabin is quiet and life is good.<\/p>\n

Can my kids come too?<\/h3>\n

Umm. Well, it still has back seats. But they\u2019re more useful for storing things than people, mind, as the boot remains annoying to use. You have to post everything through an awkward angle, and it only offers a wide, shallow 262-litre space. The Volante is tighter still, with 206 litres roof-up. We still yearn for the Vantage\u2019s incredible and usable hatch on a DB12.<\/p>\n

How much is it?<\/h3>\n

Prices start at \u00a3205,000 \u2013 not far off the standard DB12, which remains on sale. Given that carbon ceramics are included, and the S feels newer, sharper and broader in its abilities, that doesn\u2019t seem outrageous.<\/p>\n

Will the options hurt?<\/h3>\n

Yes. Deeply. Aston\u2019s configurator is vast, seductive and financially dangerous. A little carbon here, a bit of trim there, some heroic paintwork, a few interior flourishes, and suddenly your sensible \u00a3200k GT has become a small Kensington flat with quad exhausts.<\/p>\n

So what\u2019s the verdict?<\/h3>\n

The DB12 S is not a revolution. It doesn\u2019t suddenly turn Aston\u2019s Super Tourer into a track rat, and nor should it. What it does is give the DB12 more edge, more voice and more intent, without completely corrupting the long-legged grace that makes the car appealing in the first place. But it feels like it\u2019s time for another group test to see what is best. One with a lot of Ss in it.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Aston Martin DB12 S? What\u2019s with all the Ss? Didn\u2019t Bentley just release a Continental GT S too? You\u2019re right \u2013 S is very much the letter of the month when it comes to fast, luxurious cars. But what does the S suffix mean to Aston? More, basically. More power, more aggression, more noise, more […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[226,237],"class_list":["post-1919777","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-crawlmanager","tag-topgear-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1919777","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1919777"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1919777\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1919777"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1919777"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1919777"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}