Aston Martin held a special preview of its new DB12 in Singapore, a car which the British marque dubs the first-ever ‘super tourer’

SINGAPORE

Aston Martin held a special preview of its all-new DB12 in Singapore at the showroom of its official distributor here, Wearnes Automotive, and the car is expected to officially reach our shores by the end of the year. Pricing has not been revealed but expect the car to cost in excess of a million dollars in Singapore, before associated taxes and options.

As the name suggests, the DB12 is the replacement for the DB11, and the car has been dubbed the first-ever super tourer, which Aston Martin claims offers the best mix of grand tourer and supercar. The timing of the car’s launch also commemorates the brand’s 110th anniversary this year, as well as the 75th anniversary of the DB model line.

Externally, the DB12 boasts a clearly sportier and more aggressive look from its predecessor. The large radiator grille dominates the entire front end, and Aston Martin says that they provide the extensive cooling needed for the twin-turbo engine. The grille is flanked by new diamond-shaped LED headlights with daytime running lights (DRL), and the DB12 is also the first model to sport Aston Martin’s redesigned logo.

While the DB12 sits on the same platform as its predecessor, Aston Martin says that the DB12 is ’80 percent’ new. This includes the 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 engine which produces 680hp and 800Nm of torque, which makes it good for a 0-100km/h sprint time of 3.5 seconds, and a top speed of 325km/h. It also marks the start of the new era, as Aston Martin confirmed that there will not be a V12 engine available for the DB12.

The engine itself is hand-built at Aston Martin’s Gaydon plant in the UK, and features modified cam profiles, optimised compression ratios, larger diameter turbochargers, and increased cooling. The result is a car that has 34 percent more power than the outgoing DB11.

Under the skin, the DB12 features an electronic rear differential (e-diff), a first for a DB model. The differential is linked to the car’s Electronic Stability Control (ESC) system, and can go from fully open to 100% locked in a matter of milliseconds. The car’s bonded aluminium structure also gets a 7 percent increase in torsional rigidity, while the suspension gets new intelligent adaptive dampers and stiffer anti-roll bars, resulting in greater handling control and composure.

The DB12 comes with cast-iron 400mm front discs and 360mm rear discs with grooved and drilled faces, but customers can also order a carbon ceramic brake (CCB) option, which shaves 27kg off the car’s weight, and offers increased braking performance and reduced brake fade. The DB12 is also the first car to come fitted with Michelin Pilot Sport 5s tyres from the factory, and they come in 275/35 R21 sizes in front and 315/30 R21 sizes at the rear.

The most significant change in the DB12 however comes inside the cabin, and Aston Martin says that they have made great effort to extensively update the interior to keep it up to date with modern rivals. The main highlight is the new infotainment system, which is entirely developed in-house, and now features a 10.25-inch high definition screen with capacitive touch and wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity.

Despite the modern upgrades, the DB12’s interior remains as exclusive as ever, with extensive use of high quality materials like hand-stitched leather, Alcantara, and carbon fibre, along with a high-end Bowers & Wilkins sound system. There are also physical buttons and switches for key functions, such as gear selection, drive mode selection, heating and ventilation, as well as override switches for the chassis, ESP and exhaust, Lane Assist and Park Distance Control systems. 

Global deliveries of the DB12 is expected to begin in the third quarter of 2023, with Singapore-bound cars expected to arrive soon after.

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