Car Talk: 2024 Aston Martin DB12
Looking inward from the driver’s seat of Aston’s Super GT
Aston Martin has never made a bad looking car. They’ve made some that are less beautiful than others, but never a bad looking one. Recognizing this is important because it helps explain why the company has been in perpetual financial turmoil in the six decades since Q trotted out the DB5 for Bond. There’s resting on your laurels, and then there’s taking your laurels, filling a king size mattress with them and proceeding to take a 60 year Power Nap. If that sounds harsh, take a minute to review Aston Martin’s journey post Goldfinger and then show me the lie. I’m a fan of the brand and like most automotive enthusiasts I don’t want to live in a world where Aston Martin doesn’t exist.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the past decade of critiquing vehicles for a living that I wish everyone knew, it would be the following; the brands you love are the ones you have to be hardest on. If you can keep this in mind when choosing a vehicle(let alone critiquing one) you’re far less likely to make a poor decision as you’ll be operating from a place of clarity. I say far less likely because we are but human and emotions still regularly overcome intelligence, even for the best of us.
This is especially true when it comes to vehicles, which are generally irrational purchases that all too often don’t end up aligning with the buyer’s actual use case. Luxury brands up the ante and take buyers into hyper-emotional purchase territory, where I promise you, the house always wins. Deals are scarce in the new vehicle marketplace overall and in this segment in particular there’s none to be had, only damage to be mitigated. I always tell people to drive what they want to drive, but to first ask themselves why they want to drive whatever it is. A little introspection goes a long way in the world of cars and unless you have “fuck you money”, where it truly doesn’t matter what you buy on any level, it can save you a lot of financial headaches, potentially some personal relationships as well.
All of that is what was predominantly on my mind during my time driving the 2024 Aston Martin DB12. Not how powerful it is, not how pleasant the leather interior smells, not how much better it drives than the DB11. Nope, my thoughts on the car kept returning to “the value proposition”(or lack thereof really) and that’s not a good sign when driving anything, let alone a luxe GT. To be fair, there was some initial excitement given that it had been over a little over a year since I drove a two door Aston and I’d been curious as to how much the new center console/infotainment setup would improve the overall vibe of the cabin.
There’s no question, it’s a huge leap forward. The layout is a win with frequent touch points for fan speed, temperature, and volume moving to metal rollers flanking the metal drive mode selector, which itself houses the signature Aston start/stop button. These things actually feel expensive in addition to looking the part, the same goes for the outstanding Bowers + Wilkins audio system and oversize aluminum paddle shifters. Sadly the same cannot be said for all of the plastic buttons on the console, the air vents or the digital gauge cluster. Think I’m nitpicking and anyone who’s actually interested in buying a DB12 wouldn’t care about these things? I talked to a few interested parties after I drove the car and all of them cited the same overall issue which one eloquently described as “a lack of refinement in the perceived build quality”. Rough. It’s one thing to have specific quality issues that can be chased down and solved for, but a perception problem? That’s a tall order.
If the DB12 existed in a vacuum it would be an excellent choice, all an enthusiast could ask for really. Stylish, fast, capable, comfortable, curb appeal to spare. On paper it’s the total package. Unfortunately for Aston, this isn’t the void, this is the real world and if I’m being completely honest, I’d just get a DBX now that they’ve upgraded to the same infotainment/console setup. The DB12 simply does not distinguish itself enough when pushed hard, which I suppose is less of a knock against it and more high praise for Aston’s SUV. That’s the big issue within the family, but of course things get more complicated when looking outside of it.
The outgoing Bentley Continental GT V8 had the edge on the DB12 and colleagues who’ve just driven the brand new Conti GT say it’s far superior to the previous model thanks to the addition of a hybrid powertrain. There’s also no comparison between what are ultimately German production tolerances (in the case of Bentley) and those of the British. At least that ubiquitous rattle somewhere in the dash lets you know it’s a genuine U.K. made product.
Like the DB11 before it, the DB12 uses a re-tuned version of a bi-turbo V8 sourced from Mercedes-Benz. Aston added bigger turbos, new cam profiles, and better cooling, resulting in a horsepower figure of 671, with torque ringing in at 590 lb-ft. Nothing to sniff at, that’s for sure, but it doesn’t translate to an unforgettable driving experience. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not work to hustle the DB12, but it’s not something you’ll dream about after doing so either. It’s just, you know, an option.
Time and time again my thoughts turned to the Roma, which is not without its own annoying UX/UI quirks, but it’s a Ferrari and an imperfections are forgiven thanks to the exceptional driving experience. Amazing how far really direct steering and adept damping calibration will get you. It may not be Ferrari’s best product, but it’s certainly memorable to the point where it’s been a little over a year since I last drove one and the experience is still fresh in my mind’s eye. It’s been two weeks since I drove the DB12 and I’m struggling to recall moments of brilliance.
The truth is there’s no real comparison between a Bentley or Ferrari and the DB12. It has more in common with the Mercedes-AMG GT, Maserati GranTurismo and Lexus LC500, the latter being a criminally underrated car that at its most expensive is still $200k less than the DB12 I drove. Again, I don’t want to be talking about value for money here, but it’s impossible to ignore when a car is brushing up against the $350k mark and really doesn’t fell like it warrants that price tag.
For a certain type of customer the appeal of the DB12 is probably how analog it is and they’ll overpay for that. If it had the beautiful analog gauge cluster all Astons used before the DB11, instead of a cheap-o gloss black plastic rimmed digital unit, that would really dial in the analog vibe and make it feel elevated. No rear-axle steering, no hybrid system, no nose lift, rear-wheel-drive only, it’s a proper muscle car. A Camaro ZL1 that got a scholarship to boarding school. This car would have run the table a decade ago. Today it’s a different story.
A few friends that saw the car while I had it asked if there was a 12 cylinder under the bonnet. Given the name I forgave them for assuming this was the case and then politely reminded them that alphanumeric model names stopping meaning anything years ago, thanks largely to German automakers. Even if there was a big, bold engine with 12 cylinders motivating the DB12, I’m not sure it would change how I feel about the car. The upcoming “super-sports GT” DBS will bring the big dog engine back, further begging the question of who the DB12 is for.
I’ve heard really good things about the new Vantage and I’m aiming to drive it before the end of the year. I expect to like it more than the DB12 as it’s smaller and lighter, we’ll see. It’ll be a longer wait to experience the DBS since it was only announced a little over a month ago, but I also expect to like it more than the DB12 because of that distinct V12 character and because the design is such a great blend of the iconic One 77 and the ‘70s/‘80s V8 Vantage. The hours I’ve spent on the configurator since it was announced trying different exterior and interior combinations pretty much says it all.
Where does that leave the DB12? In a tough spot to be honest. If you were dead-set on getting one, the drop-top DB12 Volante would definitely be the way to go vs the coupe. It’s just as attractive and there’s no performance penalty. Increasingly I feel like this is the case when it comes to GT cars in general. I prefer soft-top options in this class from Ferrari, Bentley and Maserati, however the coupe choices from Mercedes-AMG and Lexus still have the upper hand. When it comes to the 911, I’m coupe all the way, unless you’re going to get a Targa, which you probably should. There’s a reason why it’s 911, and then everything else. Theoretically you could get a 911 Carrera S and a 718 Spyder for less than the asking price of the DB12 I drove. Your Porsche dealer experience may vary though. Please, somebody make PCNA understand they are not Ferrari.
I suppose that helps make the case for an Aston Martin and especially the DB12. If you want one, you can go get one, no hoops to jump through, all comers welcome. If it started at about $100k less the DB12 would have a strong argument and would probably be flying off lots. Hard to say if that’s the brand imagine Aston’s leadership wants though. Maybe they’re overpricing the car in an attempt to up the prestige factor. Not really having that effect from where I sit. I assume they want to be a profitable company, maybe not, maybe they like living on the edge. People buy companies for different reasons just like people buy cars for different reasons. I don’t always understand them, but I like to think there’s a plan at work. I sure hope that’s the case at Aston Martin because as I said at the outset, I don’t want to live in a world where they don’t exist.
