DB12 kicks off Aston's new era with bold rethink

First 'new-era' front-engined sports car is underpinned by radical tech changes

- FELIX PAGE

Aston Martin has created what it calls "the world's first super tourer" with the stunning new DB12a brutish, V8-toting successor to the acclaimed DB11 and a car that marks the start of a bold new era for the Gaydon firm's sports car family.

With its arrival coinciding with Aston's 110th birthday and the 75th anniversary of the DB nameplate, the DB12 is fundamentally based on its predecessor but a raft of wide-reaching and hugely significant upgrades have been carried out to its powertrain, chassis and interior with a view to claiming a competitive edge over the Ferrari Roma and Bentley Continental GT.

Aston chairman Lawrence Stroll has previously said the replacements for the DB11, Vantage and DBS frontengined sports cars will be more like "all-new cars" than mere facelifts and certainly the DB12 is related to its forebear in little more than its general silhouette. The new name itself is a clue to the extent of the revisions, which go far beyond the reaches of a traditional mid-life update.

Aston director of product and market strategy Alex Long called the DB12's unveiling a "really big moment for Aston Martin, particularly under new ownership. This is the culmination - and the first step, really-in an enormous overhaul of the business.

"DB12 represents the first product from a complete renewal of our range over the next 24 months under the ownership of Lawrence [Stroll]. Since he's come in, we've invested very, very heavily - not just in what we see in front of us in terms of product but in the fundamentals of the business."

Designed according to the imposing principle that "grand is not enough", the DB12 will enter production in the coming months in readiness for the first customer deliveries in the autumn, with a starting price of about £185,000.

New cockpit is headline upgrade for DB12