On the DB12 page of its website, Aston Martin says, “This is no mere GT. This is the world’s first Super Tourer.” That makes the recently announced 2026 Aston Martin DB12 S the second; its cosmetic, chassis, braking, engine, and transmission enhancements make it even more super.
The DB12 S follows in the tire tracks of the Vanquish S, Vantage S, and Rapide S, all of which out-performed their core models. To visually distinguish it from the regular DB12, Aston Martin added a new front splitter, functional hood vents, side sill extensions, a fixed rear spoiler, a different rear diffuser, and a wider rear bumper book-ended by two pairs of stacked exhaust outlets. The standard exhaust setup is stainless steel, but a titanium system is available as an option. According to Aston Martin, it not only boosts the bass, mid, and treble frequencies, and cranks up the volume by 1.5 decibels, but it also shaves off nearly 26 pounds.
Aston Martin offers the DB12 S with three interior packages: Accelerate leather and Alcantara trim, Inspire S semi-aniline leather and Alcantara, and Inspire S full semi-aniline leather. All DB12 S models come standard with 16-way Sport Plus power front seats and a knurled metal drive mode dial with a red anodized finished. Opting for one of the Inspire S configurations automatically locks in S Herringbone quilting with micro-perforations and an Alcantara headliner.
Output from the S model’s twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 is up 19 horsepower to 690; torque remains 590 lb-ft. The top speed of 202 mph is also the same as before. However, shift times for the eight-speed automatic are down by 43 percent to just 120 milliseconds. Powertrain tweaks drop the gear change times by more than 50 percent in Launch Control mode, enabling the DB12 S to hit 60 mph in 3.4 seconds, one tenth sooner than the DB12. During less spirited driving, the S-specific drive-by-wire throttle mapping makes the gas pedal feel more progressive.
Aston Martin coupled those enhancements with extensive chassis and braking upgrades. Software changes to the Bilstein DTX dampers, a stiffer rear anti-roll bar, and revisions to the camber, toe, and castor settings simultaneously reduce pitch and roll, and improve agility. The retuned steering and rear e-diff are more responsive, and heighten the driver’s feeling of connection to the road. Standard carbon ceramic brakes have a higher performance threshold and thermal capacity yet save almost 60 pounds of unsprung weight compared to steel rotors. According to Aston Martin, “A predictive function within the CBC [corner braking control system] allows the car to maintain optimum stability while trail braking into a corner, using more of the rear braking performance to maintain a tighter line from corner entry to apex” while the Integrated Brake Slip Control system’s rear torque vectoring makes cornering more predictable and precise.
Like its less aggressive sibling, the 2026 Aston Martin DB12 S is available in Coupe and drop-top Volante body styles. Expect to see both of them on streets sometime in Q1 of next year.
