ASTON MARTIN DB12

Driving Aston Martin's finest GT yet

- ABHAY VERMA

The Italians may dominate the world of supercars, but the British hold a special place in the hearts of enthusiasts. British supercars have always felt distinctively aristocratic, besides feeling more soul stirring as well. Aston Martin tops that list with the kind of cars it has offered, not to forget the marque’s 110-year old storied past. As a James Bond fan, I also cannot deny that Aston Martins are a bit more special for me – who can forget the DB5 in Goldfinger! Heck, the DB5 also made a comeback in Skyfall and No Time To Die, driven by Daniel Craig – remember the part in Skyfall where he threatens to press a switch hidden inside the gear lever to eject ‘M’, because she’s complaining? Hard to not like the DB5, even today! And then there’s Aston Martin’s illustrious history in motorsport.

All said and done, Aston Martin is one of the most special supercar makers in the world and the DB is one of its most special nameplates. In case you didn’t know, DB stands for the initials of David Brown who bought the Aston Martin brand in 1947 – pure coincidence that this was also the year that India got freedom from British rule! And the DB12 which replaces the DB11 is the first ‘new’ Aston Martin since the brand was bought over by Canadian magnate Lawrence Stroll. But guess what – there’s no V12 anymore, only an AMG-sourced, twin turbocharged V8. Ironically, Aston Martin had gone from the DB7 to the DB9, skipping a DB8, to avoid the assumption that there’s no V12 anymore! This is a bummer, but by the time I returned the car to Select Aston Martin New Delhi, the official retailer in India, I wasn’t complaining. I’m also hoping a V12-engined DBS will come in the future!