New £220k Aston Martin FB12 S is worthy of the badge
DB12 S has the looks and the performance to make this a marque classic
Under the bonnet there’s a 4-litre twin-turbo V8 giving a little under 700bhp. S badges are carried in key locations, including on the fender just below the side strakes
Aston Martin
What’s the whole S thing?
Think of S as Aston Martin’s equivalent of BMW’s M. It simply stands for ‘Sport’ and is used to signify a spicier and pricier version. It does have true sporting connotations though, having first been used on the DB3S racing car of 1953 which Peter Collins and co used to finish 1-2 in the Tourist Trophy at Dundrod that year and paved the way for the Le Mans-winning DBR1. This is the latest model to receive the treatment, following the Vantage and DBX SUV.
A heated steering wheel is an option – and the conditions look icy here.
Aston Martin
Which makes this car quite special then…
Yes, it’s is perhaps the ultimate version of Aston’s signature DB12 production car. Sure, the firm has halo models like the Valkyrie, but those are far from ‘production’ cars. The DB12 arrived in 2023 as the headliner for the ‘everyday driver’ offerings, and now it’s been upgraded with a host of tweaks inside and out.
Is it a true Aston though?
If by that you mean ‘does it still have a Mercedes engine?’ then the answer is yes. Sadly, the days of hand-built V12s rolling out of Gaydon are largely over, but it’s not like the Mercedes-AMG-sourced M177 twin-turbo V8 is a poor relation. In this car Aston’s engineers have found an extra 19bhp over the standard car, bringing total power to 690bhp and means the DB12 S can cover 0-60mph in 3.4sec. There’s also a more potent titanium exhaust on offer which boosts the growl by 1.5dB.
Quad exhaust pipe
Aston Martin
It looks good…
In typical Aston style, it’s a bit of a looker. There’s a new front splitter, rear spoiler, bonnet louvres and those fantastic quad exhaust pipes to distinguish the S from the standard car. The tweaks extend inside too with lashings of red detailing – gear selector, seatbelts, stitching – giving an overall more sporty vibe. There’s also been work to the chassis to sharpen handling and carbon ceramic brakes come as standard, shaving 27kg off the kerb weight. And electronic updates mean the gearbox is capable of shifting 50% faster.
Sounds a bit like 00-heaven (sorry)
Well, James Bond would look very much at home in it. The order books for both the Coupé and Volante (drop-top) are open now, but pricing has yet to be revealed in an ‘If you have to ask’ situation. Expect it to begin at somewhere around the £220,000 mark. Start saving those Money-Pennies…