Big evolution for Aston Martin. The DB11 goes to a new generation and changes its name for the occasion. The DB12 keeps a very close body envelope but radically changes on board to enter the modern era. It was time !
Presented in the spring of 2016, the Aston Martin DB11 has not yet aged. This explains why for its renewal, the designers of the British brand did not stray too far from the previous iteration. However, it is indeed a “new” DB12 that we discover near London in preview. The engineers present on site during our meeting also claim that 80% of the body parts are new.
The overall dimensions of the coupé are almost identical (4.73 m for 2.06 m wide and 1.30 m high), with 22 mm widened tracks at the rear giving a little more presence to the English . The most striking is at the front with a much more imposing grille, as if stretched downwards. The enlargement of the grille brings it a little closer to its big sister DBS. The shield is also reworked with new air intakes and a prominent blade.
The hood is still as sculpted, while the headlights are redesigned and adopt new projectors. They inaugurate an unprecedented light signature with three small cubes instead of a C-shaped hook. framework giving an impression of increased modernity.
A leap forward in the cabin
But it’s actually on board that the Aston tumbles into the 21st century. The DB11, despite its qualities, suffered from a rather dated interior, especially for its multimedia system. Shared with Mercedes, it was piloted through a touchpad at the bottom of the center console. From now on, Aston Martin has made a clean sweep of the past, and offers itself a much more modern looking dashboard.
The central console is more airy, with a large element between the passengers which brings together many physical controls: audio volume, air conditioning and ventilation, shortcuts to driving assistance or suspension settings. In the center comes a 10.25-inch touch screen, which responds to an identical panel for digital counters. The central screen is placed under aerators, and could force you to take your eyes off the road. Aston Martin points out that the in-house system was developed at Gaydon, and that it is very efficient. It also allows connection to your smartphone.
The steering wheel is stolen from Mercedes with its branches integrating physical buttons and small touchpads. Behind the hoop, large paddles for manual gear management. The automatic transmission is controlled by a selector (taken from the DBX) on the central console instead of the four buttons P, R, N and D previously placed near the start control.
The V8 pushed to 680 horsepower!
Under its long hood, the DB12 contains the original Mercedes 4.0 biturbo V8. Further reworked, it reaches 680 hp, when the DB11 stopped at 535 hp in the V8 version. Admittedly, the DB11 could also release 639 hp from its fabulous 5.2-litre V12… But this block seems to have been set aside for the moment. Consider ourselves lucky to still have the right to an eight-cylinder! Especially since this block is already developing very good performance, with 800 Nm of torque, a 0 to 100 km/h in 3.6 seconds and a top speed pushed to 325 km/h. The chassis also benefits from new features, such as an “E-Diff” electronic rear differential inaugurated by the DBX or an adaptive suspension equipped with new Bilstein DTX shock absorbers and suspension springs.
Still produced by hand in England, the new DB12 is presented on the sidelines of the Cannes Film Festival. Like the movie star she could become, possibly starring in the next James Bond? For the moment, the firm of Gaydon kicks in touch. Genuine customers of the coupe will be able to take possession of it at the end of 2023, at an unknown price for the moment.
Photos : DR.
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