2026 Aston Martin DB12 S debuts
Aggressive new Bondmobile will arrive next year with more power and sharper dynamicsThe News
The 2026 Aston Martin DB12 S has broken cover in the UK and will arrive Down Under in the first quarter of next year priced from $495,000 plus on-road costs; a premium of $40,000 over the standard DB12.
The Key Details
- 515kW/800Nm twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8
- Zero-100km/h in 3.4 seconds, 325km/h v-max
- Sharper design, powertrain and chassis
- Extra power paired with less unsprung weight
The Finer Details
Aston Martin has applied its iconic ‘S’ badge to its premier V8 coupe, meaning a plethora of performance-minded enhancements and some extra capability.
For starters, the AMG-derived V8 has been retuned for an extra 15kW in tandem with more aggressive transmission and throttle mappings to make the DB12 S both faster and more responsive than the standard car.
A new stainless exhaust system adds some extra drama to the package in tandem with the new dual-element front splitter, carbon bonnet louvres, fixed rear wing and rear diffuser.
Behind the 21-inch wheels are carbon ceramic brakes that save 27kg of unsprung mass all on their own and hint at the other, less obvious chassis enhancements: retuned Bilstein DTX dampers, a stiffer rear anti-roll bar and optimised front suspension geometry.
The power steering and rear differential have also been revised in the name of agility and composure, complemented by Aston Martin’s next-generation corner braking control system.
Inside the cabin you’ll find an S-spec interior headlined by a red knurled metal drive mode controller, seatbelts, contrast seat welts, contrast stitching and headrest embroidery.
Other highlights include 16-way powered Sport Plus seats and the choice of three interior trim ‘environments’: Accelerate leather and Alcantara, Inspire S semi-aniline leather and Alcantara and Inspire S full semi-aniline leather, the latter two featuring ‘S Herringbone’ quilting with micro-perforations and an Alcantara headliner.
The Road Ahead
The 2026 Aston Martin DB12 S is the third ‘S’ model to join the brand’s current line-up alongside the smaller Vantage S and the DBX S SUV, though the high-performance badge can trace its roots all the way back to 1953.
It’s worth noting that while it is the premier V8 Aston coupe, the DB12 S still plays second fiddle to the halo Vanquish ($737,000) which packs a 614kW/1000Nm twin-turbocharged 5.2-litre V12.
Orderbooks for the new model have already opened ahead of the first customer cars arriving in Q1 2026.
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