Ironically, even though Aston called this car the DB12, it’s the first DB car to not have a V12 option since the DB6. While it’s sad to lose out on a great engine like that, the AMG-sourced twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 isn’t exactly lacking in power or character. It lays down a substantial 671 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque — improvements of 41 hp and 74 lb-ft over the DB11’s twin-turbo 5.2-liter V12. All of that power is routed through an eight-speed automatic transmission, and if the driver gets the launch right, they’ll be able to hit 60 mph from a standstill in about 3.3 seconds. That’s mighty impressive for a rear-wheel-drive car. Eventually, it’ll hit a 202-mph top speed, which is more than enough if you ask me. Keep in mind, this isn’t even Aston’s flagship vehicle. That honor belongs to the somehow even more bonkers Vanquish.
While the DB12 excels at straight-line speed, it’s no slouch in the corners, either. Sure, it weighs 3,900 pounds, but it’s far more nimble than its size and tonnage would suggest. A lot of that comes down to the very communicative steering box. No matter what drive mode it’s in, the steering is rather heavy — not that that’s a bad thing — and it did a wonderful job of letting me know what sort of road surfaces I was passing over.
There were a few times I overcooked a corner, and that’s when the DB12 started to push at the front a bit. This was easily solved by feeding in a bit more power to swing the back around. The traction control let me have fun while keeping me from getting into trouble.
Andy Kalmowitz / Jalopnik
When it comes to performance driving, I only really have one complaint: the brakes. In normal conditions, the $14,400 carbon-ceramic units were more than up to the task (save for their penchant for squeaking), but after just 15 or 20 minutes of spirited driving, the pedal got worryingly soft. That’s something I haven’t experienced with carbon ceramics before. I had to slow my pace way down and let the brakes cool off. After that, the stiffness returned, but my confidence did not.
Of course, most people aren’t buying a DB12 to be some sort of canyon carving lunatic. They’re buying one because it’s one of the best vehicles in the world for covering huge distances in very small amounts of time. I can attest to this. While it wasn’t a huge distance, I did drive the DB12 from New York City to Cape May, New Jersey, and back — a 350-mile round trip — and all the while it would sit happily at a [redacted] speed while cruising down the NJ Parkway. All the while, that big motor was returning over 24 mpg. Not too shabby. It only sort of gave me issues when the pavement was rough, but it’s New Jersey, so the pavement is always rough.
