The Aston Martin DB12 is the second-oldest product in the company's lineup, despite debuting just two years ago. But for some reason, neither it nor its DB11 predecessor has received an "S" model, something Aston typically bestows on its sports cars to denote added performance and visual aggression. That changes for 2026 with the debut of the DB12 S, a more powerful and exciting version of the so-called "super tourer" that will give Aston Martin a tough rival for the freshened Ferrari Amalfi.
Aston Martin
More Power And A Louder Voice
The 2026 Aston Martin DB12 S retains the same AMG-sourced, twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 as its siblings, but with 690 horsepower instead of 671; torque remains a carryover 590 pound-feet. The engine accomplishes its new power output primarily through tuning changes and tweaks, and it exhales through a new quad-stacked exhaust system that's supposed to provide deeper, richer sound. A titanium exhaust is optional, reducing weight by 26 pounds and providing an even louder engine note than the standard system.
Aston Martin
The DB12 S has a retuned version of the rear-mounted eight-speed automatic transaxle that responds more quickly to the throttle, which has also been remapped for the high-performance trim. The incremental power upgrades and tuning alterations don't add up to much on the spec chart – the car accelerates to 60 miles per hour in 3.4 seconds instead of 3.5, and the top speed is unchanged at 202 mph. But we predict that the DB12 S will feel much sharper and more aggressive on the road, especially with its new exhaust barking away on downshifts.
Major Handling And Performance Upgrades
The modest powertrain improvements lie in contrast to the significant changes Aston Martin made to the DB12 S' chassis. Carbon-ceramic brakes, an option on the regular DB12, are standard on the S, and in addition to increased clamping force, they shave 60 pounds of unsprung weight from the car to improve performance in just about every regard. The 16.1-inch front and 14.2-inch rear brake rotors could double for pizza stones, with multi-piece rotor hats that provide better heat dissipation and durability.
Aston Martin
The DB12 S gets stiffer front and rear anti-roll bars and revised camber, caster, and toe geometry, all of which provide sharper steering response and better transitions through quick, undulating corners. Taking advantage of the hardware changes is a retuned set of Bilstein DTX adaptive dampers, which better resist pitch and roll motions compared to the units on the standard DB12. And Aston lavished some attention on the S model's electronic rear differential, which can lock and unlock for both impressive steering response and full throttle application on corner exit.
Read the full article on CarBuzz
This article originally appeared on CarBuzz and is republished here with permission.
