11.10.2025

The DB12 S: Aston Martin’s most seductive bloodline heir yet

Discover the new Aston Martin DB12 S - a breathtaking fusion of heritage, performance, and elegance.

Photos courtesy of Aston Martin.

Words: Ned, Motoring Writer

 

There's a particular voltage that runs through certain machines. A quality that transcends mere horsepower and torque figures to touch something more primal. The new Aston Martin DB12 S possesses this in abundance. As the latest inheritor of a bloodline stretching back seventy-two years to the legendary DB3S, it arrives not merely as an upgrade, but as a statement of intent.

This is ultra-luxury performance distilled to its essence: 700 horses coursing through a 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8, wrapped in coachwork that makes grown men pause mid-stride. The 'S' suffix has always meant something at Gaydon - a promise kept since 1953 that this derivative will be the one that stirs the soul most deeply.

What strikes you first isn't the technical prowess, though it's formidable. Zero to sixty in 3.4 seconds. A 202mph maximum velocity. Carbon ceramic brakes shaving 27 kilograms of unsprung weight. Rather, it's the aesthetic conviction. The DB12 S announces itself with a dual-element front splitter and bonnet louvres that manage the neat trick of being both functional and beautiful—extracting heat, generating downforce, but more importantly, lending the car an unmistakable presence.

At the rear, quad exhaust tailpipes frame a new diffuser beneath a fixed spoiler. This isn't merely styling theatre; it's the visual signature of a car that sounds as magnificent as it looks. The standard stainless steel system has been tuned to accentuate the V8's voice throughout its range, while an optional titanium arrangement amplifies that symphony by 1.5 decibels whilst shedding nearly twelve kilograms.

Step inside and the cabin reveals Aston Martin's understanding that true luxury lies in the details. The red-anodised drive mode controller becomes a jewel-like focal point, echoed in the seatbelt colour, contrast stitching, and headrest embroidery. Choose from three interior environments, each featuring 'S' herringbone quilting with micro-perforations and Alcantara headlining - the kind of tactile richness that reminds you this is craftsmanship, not mere manufacturing.

The DB12 S joins the DBX S and Vantage S in reviving Aston Martin's performance heritage, yet it occupies its own territory. Where others might prioritise raw aggression, this remains fundamentally a Super Tourer - refined enough for transcontinental journeys, yet capable of genuine dynamic theatre when the road opens up before you.

Available in both Coupe and Volante configurations, with deliveries commencing early next year, the DB12 S represents something increasingly rare: a car built not to tick specification boxes, but to quicken the pulse.

In an age of algorithmic efficiency, that's the most seductive luxury of all.

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