The Aston Martin DB12 is dizzyingly hot

In 1913, the company considered the predecessor of Aston Martin was founded by Lionel Martin and Robert Bamford, who initially sold cars from the British Singer Motors Limited at their premises. Since Lionel Martin often raced at Aston Hill near Aston Clinton, the cars they produced were already called Aston Martin. From 1947, David Brown took over the management of the company, which soon became famous for its sporty touring machines in addition to racing cars. This tradition is continued by the DB12, which takes Aston Martin to a new level.

The company will celebrate its 110th anniversary in 2023, and the DB series has been a defining element of Aston Martin for 75 years.

In addition to the engineering-oriented Porsche and the temperamental Ferrari, the Aston Martin is a great spot, serving the pleasure of driving and the experience of acceleration in a manner worthy of a gentleman. Just like the 911, the design of Aston Martins does not change dramatically from generation to generation, the designers only refine the classic details. And evolution is defined by new technologies and discrete aerodynamic elements.

Cooling air reaches the engine by bypassing the chrome lamellas on its huge radiator grille, and behind the front wheel arches, the Aston Martin logo is proudly decorated in the gills. The lines of the DB12 are endlessly elegant and delicate, the muscular rear fenders stand out spectacularly from the waist-slim body. Its roofline is quite flat and dynamic, and its silhouette is not broken by any wings. The biggest aerodynamic trick is clearly the air channel starting in the rear roof pillar.

The door handles are flush with the door, and the rear-view mirrors are smaller and frameless, which also plays a role in the airflow around the car. The headlights are LED at the front, and the driving light is provided by six strips, but at the back, the lamp shape familiar from the DB11 echoes.

The passenger compartment of the DB12 is luxurious and modern, but still primarily driver-oriented.

There are also seat belts in the back, but the interior of the Aston Martin DB12 is clearly comfortable for two people, and the driver can enjoy the journey the most. The sports steering wheel is vertical, just like in a racing car, and the cabin tightly surrounds the passengers, whose shoulders fall below the window line.

The use of direction selector switches located on the top of the center console has been abandoned, the DB12’s Start button is in the middle, and the shifter is in the traditional place. In front of the armrest are the buttons for driving programs and climate control, and below the vents is the 10.25-inch touch display. Its on-board system is up-to-date with over the air (OTA) updates, supports Android Auto and Apple CarPlay phone mirroring, and has an online navigation system, so it can plan a route based on real traffic data.

Genuine Alcantara and hand-stitched Bridge of Weir leather are used for its upholstery, and the seats can be optionally carbon-framed shells, if someone prefers to use the power of the biturbo V8 on the race tracks instead of the serpentines of the Riviera.

Mercedes-AMG supplies its eight-cylinder biturbo engine to Aston Martin.

The DB12 is a true sports car, at least in the sense that the gasoline engine was not supplemented with a plug-in hybrid drive, nor even with a 48-volt mild hybrid system. The great-sounding 4.0-liter biturbo V8 produces 680 horsepower at 6,000, and its maximum torque is 800 Nm between 2,750 and 6,000. This destructive force is sent to the rear wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission and an electronically controlled differential.

The Aston Martin DB12 accelerates to 100 km/h in 3.6 seconds, and its top speed is 325 km/h. This pace requires serious brakes, which is why they are equipped with drilled and milled high-temperature steel discs with a diameter of 400 mm at the front and 360 mm at the rear. An optional carbon-ceramic system can be ordered, which reduces the unsprung weight by 27 kg. The rims are fitted with Michelin Pilot Sport 5S tires, but with a compound developed for Aston Martin.

Compared to its predecessor, the torsional rigidity of the aluminum body has improved by seven percent, as most of the reinforcements, such as the engine cross brace and the mounting points of the chassis, have been revised. Its intelligent adaptive shock absorbers and direct steering (2.4 turns from impact to impact) with the more massive bodywork improve feedback and driving experience, which is perhaps even more important than comfort in an Aston Martin.

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