Aston Martin DB12 S gains 20bhp

Aston Martin’s DB12 S is one of those updates that sounds tiny on paper but matters a lot in practice. The regular DB12 was already the car that helped convince people Aston had finally sorted the modern grand-tourer brief. So the gap here was obvious — how do you make it faster, sharper, and more special without ruining the thing that already worked? The answer, basically, is a long list of small changes: a little more power, less weight in the right places, quicker responses, and a chassis tune aimed at feel rather than drama. (autocar.co.uk) The first big wave of drives landed this week, and the consensus is that Aston mostly pulled it off. ### What actually changed? The DB12 S takes the twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 from the standard DB12 and lifts output to 700 PS — 690 bhp in U.S. spec — while torque stays at 800 Nm, or 590 lb-ft. Aston also says launch control and gearbox calibration were revised, which cuts the 0-60 mph run to 3.4 seconds and keeps top speed at 202 mph. ### Why is the power bump only part of it? (autocar.co.uk) Because Aston did not chase a giant horsepower headline. The bigger story is response. The throttle map is new, the eight-speed automatic shifts faster, and the car gets a more aggressive chassis setup with damper software changes, a stiffer rear anti-roll bar, and suspension geometry tweaks. That is the sort of engineering that changes how a car feels in your hands, not just what number it posts in a brochure. (astonmartin.com) ### Where does the weight saving come from? Not from one heroic diet. It comes from several pieces. Carbon-ceramic brakes are now standard and cut 27 kg of unsprung mass versus steel brakes. Aston’s optional titanium exhaust trims another 11.7 kg. Review coverage has described the total reduction as up to 50 kg depending on spec, which tells you this is a cumulative, configuration-dependent saving rather than a single fixed curb-weight drop for every DB12 S. (astonmartin.com) ### Why does unsprung mass matter so much? Unsprung mass is the weight the suspension has to control directly — wheels, brakes, and related hardware. Cutting it is a bit like taking weight off the end of a hammer instead of the handle. The total number may be smaller than a full-body diet, but the effect on steering, ride, and wheel control can feel bigger than the raw kilos suggest. That is why Aston keeps talking about agility and precision, not just acceleration. (astonmartin.com) ### Does it look different? Yes, but not in a cartoonish way. The DB12 S gets a more assertive aero package, quad exhaust tips, and S-specific trim inside and out. Aston is clearly trying to signal “range-topper” without pushing the car into track-special territory. It still has to be a luxury GT first. ### So do reviewers think it worked? Mostly, yes. MotorTrend called the changes subtle but meaningful and leaned hard on the improved steering feel and broader ability. (astonmartin.com) Edmunds liked the sharper setup but argued the difference from the already excellent DB12 is not night-and-day. Autocar framed it as a sportier, lighter upper-level DB12 rather than a total reinvention. That all lines up — this is a refinement play, not a reset. ### Who is this really for? The buyer is someone who wants the flagship DB shape and cabin, but thinks the standard car could stand a little more edge. Not a person cross-shopping a stripped sports car. More someone who wants a Bentley Continental GT alternative with more front-end feel and a bit more theater. Edmunds lists pricing from about $272,000 in the U.S., so this is firmly halo-car territory. (motortrend.com) ### Bottom line The DB12 S is Aston Martin doing the hard version of a facelift — improving a car that was already good. The extra 20 bhp is real, but the more important changes are the lighter brakes, quicker responses, and chassis tuning. Turns out that is enough to make the S feel like a proper step up, even if it is not a revolution. (astonmartin.com) (edmunds.com)