The DB12 is a good advertisement for Aston Martin under its new ownership and management team, but it's not exactly perfect. This is a very impressive driver's car, with a wide range of capabilities that belies the size and layout of the car – as a 'Super GT' it ticks the 'Super' box well and squarely. But with the cooler DB12 likely to follow – an AMR version is sure to come soon – we'd prefer a version that's more 'GT' and less 'Super'. In fact, we found tire noise to be tiring, and we also wanted a slightly more supple ride. Some technologies are still a generation behind. But then, for £185k, you'll get what is officially the most beautiful car in the world.
Back in November, we stood on stage in Berlin handing the award for the world's most beautiful car to Aston Martin. German readers of our sister title Auto Bild, as well as the country's largest Sunday newspaper Bild Am Sonntag, have voted for the DB12 in the prestigious Golden Steering Wheel Awards.
We can now confirm that on a cold and wet winter morning, Aston Martin DB's illustrious new model range can indeed brighten up the dullest of days. It is, as my German friends say, quite beautiful.
This has often happened to Astons in the past, but dynamically they have sometimes failed to deliver. Not so here – the DB12 is the best Aston Martin we've ever driven. But the question is, is it necessary?
Aston is calling its latest model the Super GT, and the numbers back it up. Under that long, shapely bonnet is a Mercedes-AMG-sourced, Aston Martin-tuned twin-turbo V8 engine that produces 671bhp and 800Nm. What this means in the real world is that if you're feeling heavy with straight-line acceleration above 30mph, the big Michelins on the rear wheels will keep spinning on damp roads – as we found out. A quick steering adjustment and deep breathing will soon get the car and your heart rate back to normal.
However, this car aims to get your heart rate up – and its capabilities are truly astonishing. This is one seriously quick car from point to point, and not just thanks to its 3.6 second 0-100 km/h time.
Not only is the engine powerful, with a seemingly endless flow of power but there's also a big exhaust note to accompany the acceleration, with a bit of a rowdy flash at start-up to let you know what it's all about. The eight-speed ZF gearbox is impressive, shifting smoothly, while the steering is very pleasing – not so sharp that you're constantly fiddling, but perfectly weighted to give you confidence through corners. It's fast enough to let you move from left to right and flow through consecutive tight corners, too.
Despite the DB12's size – and you'll feel its width when navigating narrow country roads or narrow city streets – the DB12 has an impressive ability to feel smaller and nimbler than you'd expect. It sits just above the DB11, which is quite a feat considering the car the DB12 is based on.
The brakes are equally effective in helping the car decelerate, although modulating via the pedal can feel a little odd at lower speeds – we'd like the brakes to be a little more linear. Likewise, the ride could be a little more supple. This can be a bit tiring on long, poorly-surfaced roads – which we see a lot of in the UK.
And despite the enormous amount of grip (if you value the instant power available), those big tires deliver quite a bit of power. So much so that you will talk to your passengers with a slightly raised voice on a cruise ship.
It will also most likely be a passenger in the singular. We managed to get into the back seats, but our photographer, with his head against the roof, said, “Comfortable, very comfortable.”
However, the roof is a great example of the progress Aston Martin has made in terms of quality. It features beautiful quilted leather on top, and the rest of the cabin materials are top-notch as well; classy and contemporary.
However, the balance between the touchscreen and the various knobs and switches doesn't match the old style, which for most people is a good thing. The push-button gear selector has been replaced with a small leather-wrapped lever, surrounded by buttons for the air conditioning, and buttons for everything from suspension control to exhaust noise. However, the switches on the steering wheel are a bit less easy to use, especially now that they feature touch-sensitive pads that other brands are quickly abandoning. Frustratingly, it can change your driving view with just the wrong swipe of your finger.
There's still the Aston Martin-branded center start/stop button, but it has a dual function with a rotating dial used to select GT, Sport, Sport+, or Individual driving modes. We prefer the latter with everything in a more comfortable setting, but with the exhaust dialed in for a bit of sonic enjoyment.
While the bespoke touchscreen is a big improvement over Mercedes' old system, it still feels a generation behind some of the setups you'll find in competitors – not least because you have to use the good old system. -old-fashioned cable to connect Apple CarPlay. Even some superminis offer wireless connectivity these days.
Even though our car was an early example, there was a bit of hum coming from the back of the cabin, and we experienced occasional glitches in the forward-facing camera system, resulting in errors in the emergency braking and traffic signal warning systems. We want our customers' cars to be perfect – especially with prices starting at £185,000.
Model: Aston Martin DB12
Price: £185,000
Power source: 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8
Power/torque: 671bhp/800Nm
Transmission: eight-speed automatic, rear-wheel drive
0-62mph: 3.6 seconds
Top speed: 202mph
Economy: 23.2mpg
CO2: 276 grams/km
On sale: Now
