First Aston Martin DB12 touches down in Oz

The new 2023 Aston Martin DB12 ‘Super Tourer’ has made its Australian ahead of our first drive next month and first local deliveries later this year.

While the first DB12 to land Down Under is a prototype, Aston Martin Lagonda regional manager Nathan Lowe said it’s as close to final form as pre-production vehicles get, giving local customers their first physical look at what to expect come September, when first customer cars are scheduled to arrive.

The replacement for the DB11 began its Aussie campaign at Aston Martin’s Sydney showroom last week, when the DB12 was unveiled to potential buyers and media. The next stop for the prototype is the Gold Coast, before it continues making its way around the country.

Claimed to be the new leader of the premium grand touring coupe segment, the new Aston Martin DB12 has been almost entirely overhauled and brings a new level of bespoke multimedia and connectivity, including wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto for the first time.

The large rear-drive coupe rides on the same bonded aluminium chassis architecture as the outgoing DB11 but boasts up to 80 per cent new componentry including all-new suspension with Aston’s latest adaptive damping tech, plus four-way adjustable electronic stability control system, and an e-differential.

The ultra-luxury British brand says the body is stiffer, the wheel tracks wider and the power steering sportier, and while there’s no more V12 option the DB12 is powered by a Mercedes-AMG sourced 4.0-litre twin-turbo petrol V8 developing a whopping 500kW of power and 800Nm of torque.

Equipped with an eight-speed automatic transmission as standard, the DB12 is claimed to hit 100km/h in 3.6 seconds.

Stopping power comes from six-piston brake callipers up front (four-pistons at the rear), while more aggressive carbon-ceramic brakes are available as an option, reducing the DB12’s 1685kg dry mass by around 27kg.  

Bespoke Michelin Pilot Sport 5 S rubber also appears for the first time, wrapped around 21-inch forged alloy wheels.

Inside, a 10.25-inch central touch-screen embedded with Aston’s own software – rather than Mercedes-Benz’s – is a vast improvement compared to the DB11, brining improved graphics and response.

Carbon-fibre performance seats are just one of many optional extras for the DB12, which is expected to be lot more expensive than the $382,000 DB11 it replaces.

Stay tuned for our first drive review of the 2023 Aston Martin DB12 on July 5.

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