TURNED UP TO 12

From its striking new look to its engorged 671bhp twin-turbo V8, overhauled chassis and revamped interior, the DB12 is so much more than a facelifted DBII. Could it be the car that heralds Aston Martin's rebirth?

- STUART GALLAGHER

THE FIRST ASTON MARTIN TO BE launched during Andy Palmer's time as CEO at the company, the DB11, is no more. Production has run its course, marking the beginning of the end for the Palmer-era model range. It was an era that started so promisingly but ended with an over-ambitious and near-ruinous public offering, in turn leading to Lawrence Stroll acquiring a big enough stake to take control of the company and replace Palmer with his own team.

And while things didn't go altogether smoothly with first-choice CEO Tobias Moers, they have settled under current ex-Ferrari boss Amedeo Felisa. So much so that Geely has returned to the markets to double its stake to 17 per cent, making it the third largest shareholder after the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund and Stroll.

The first fruits of the Stroll recovery plan are ripening now with this, the DB11's replacement: the DB . Over 80 per cent of it is new, from its more striking face to its overhauled interior to its highly evolved underpinnings. Those expecting only a facelift are in for a surprise; those expecting a whole new car will have to wait a little longer for the Valhalla to arrive in 2024.

In the metal, the DB12 instantly renders any notion that this is merely a mild facelift applied to the seven-year-old DB11 ridiculous. The 20 per cent that has been retained is clear to see in the rear design, which remains unmistakably DB11. The rest? It's wider and far more aggressive in appearance, the GT lines ditched for performance (and ultra-luxury, according to AM).

Words like 'bold and assertive' and 'power and potency' litter the press material and are echoed by Marek Reichman, who has once again led the design of Aston's new model.