2026 Aston Martin DB12: Price, Specs & Release Date
The grand tourer just got grander — and more ferocious than ever
Image Credit: Aston Martin / Car and Driver
There's a moment, right before you press the throttle on an Aston Martin, where everything goes quiet. The leather is cool under your palms, the gauges glow just right, and the exhaust sits at a low, idle growl — like something waking up. That moment is exactly what Aston Martin has been perfecting for over a century. And with the 2026 DB12, they've arguably nailed it better than ever before.
Whether you're a lifelong Aston Martin fan, a buyer seriously shopping the ultra-luxury GT segment, or simply someone who appreciates what a truly handcrafted performance car feels like — the 2026 DB12 deserves your full attention. Here's everything you need to know.
What Exactly Is the 2026 Aston Martin DB12?
The DB12 isn't just a sports car. Aston Martin calls it the world's first "Super Tourer" — and that label holds up. It's designed to cover ground at extraordinary speed while keeping you and your passenger in an environment that rivals the finest private cabins in the sky.
The 2026 model year brings both the standard DB12 and the newly introduced DB12 S — a more aggressive, more powerful, more emotionally charged version that sits at the very top of Aston's DB lineage. Think of it as the DB12 after it's had its morning espresso and decided today is not the day to be subtle.
2026 Aston Martin DB12 Price — What Will It Cost You?
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Let's get straight to the number most people are searching for.
The base 2026 Aston Martin DB12 starts at approximately $265,500 for the Coupe. The Volante — Aston Martin's beautiful soft-top convertible variant — carries a higher price tag, with examples listed around $346,000 to $381,000 depending on spec.
The DB12 S, which is the performance flagship of the range, opens at around $272,000 in the UK market (approximately £205,000). Factor in US import costs, a higher destination charge, and Aston Martin's notoriously vast (and financially dangerous) configurator — and real-world transaction prices climb quickly. Edmunds noted that a fully optioned DB12 S can balloon north of $418,000 once you've added carbon-ceramic extras, bespoke paint, and interior flourishes.
A word of caution from anyone who's spent time with Aston's online configurator: go in with a budget ceiling and stick to it. The carbon roof, the lightweight performance seats, the S-exclusive interior environments — they all call to you, and they're all worth it, and your bank account will suffer accordingly.
Quick Price Summary:
| Variant | Starting MSRP (Est.) |
|---|---|
| DB12 Coupe (Base) | ~$265,500 |
| DB12 Volante (Convertible) | ~$346,000+ |
| DB12 S Coupe | ~$272,000+ |
| DB12 S Volante | ~$381,000+ |
Engine & Performance — The Numbers That Matter
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Pop the hood — metaphorically — and you find a 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 sourced in partnership with Mercedes-AMG. In the standard DB12, it produces 671 horsepower and 590 lb-ft of torque. Aston Martin extracted an additional 19 horsepower for the S variant, pushing the total output to 690 horsepower, while torque remains unchanged.
Those numbers translate to a claimed 0-60 mph in 3.4 seconds and a top speed of 202 mph. That is not a typo. Two hundred and two miles per hour, from a car you could genuinely use to pick someone up from the airport.
Power flows through an 8-speed automatic transmission (recalibrated on the S for faster, more aggressive shifts) to the rear wheels. The throttle pedal response has also been retuned on the S to feel sharper and more immediate — the kind of change that's hard to quantify on paper but deeply felt the second you put your foot down.
The launch control system was reprogrammed as well, shaving that 0.1-second improvement off the sprint time over the standard car. It's the sort of detail only engineers and committed driving enthusiasts notice — and exactly the kind of detail Aston Martin's engineers lose sleep over.
The DB12 S — What Makes It Different?
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If the standard DB12 is the grand tourer you'd take across Europe, the DB12 S is what you'd choose if you also intended to embarrass a few supercars along the way.
Aerodynamically, the S gets subtle but meaningful tweaks — a fixed rear spoiler, revised front elements, and a more aggressive visual identity that signals its intent without screaming for attention. The exhaust system is perhaps the most emotionally rewarding upgrade: a quad-tip titanium system tuned to be 1.5 decibels louder than the standard setup. It gives the V8 a deeper, more aggressive note at idle and an absolute howl under full throttle. This is the kind of exhaust note that makes you take unnecessary detours through tunnels.
Standard carbon-ceramic brakes now come included on the S — a welcome addition given that the car will happily hit 202 mph and needs to bring you back from that altitude with confidence.
The chassis received a full recalibration: new anti-roll bars, retuned adaptive dampers, and an electronic differential that makes the DB12 S feel noticeably more precise and planted through corners, without sacrificing the long-legged GT comfort that defines the DB line.
Interior — Where Craft Meets Technology
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Step inside the 2026 DB12 and you understand immediately why Aston Martin enthusiasts are so loyal. This is not a cabin designed by committee. It's a cockpit designed by people who clearly care about the tactile experience of driving.
The interior blends Alcantara-trimmed surfaces with Sports Plus seats offering heated comfort and 3D-contoured headrests embroidered with the 'S' badge. A new carbon-fiber surround frames the driver's instrument cluster on the S variant. The drive-mode selector — now offered in red anodized aluminum — sits within easy reach, letting you toggle between GT, Sport, Sport+, and Wet modes without ever taking your eyes off the road for more than a moment.
The centerpiece of the tech package is a dual 10.25-inch Pure Black display system with a 30-nanosecond response time. Aston Martin also debuted Apple CarPlay Ultra in the DB12 S — the most integrated version of CarPlay currently available in any production vehicle. Top Gear noted during their review that it crashed once during testing, so perfection is still a work in progress, but the integration itself is genuinely impressive.
The Bowers & Wilkins premium audio system rounds out the package — because if you're doing 150 mph on an open road with a 690-horsepower V8 singing behind you, you might as well have the best sound system money can buy.
Unique touches on the S include red seat belts, contrast stitching, 'S' treadplates, and optional chevron quilting on the Alcantara surfaces. Little things, yes — but the kind of little things that make you feel like the car was built specifically for you.
Trims & Variants Available
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The 2026 DB12 lineup offers buyers meaningful choices:
Standard DB12 — The grand tourer baseline. 671 hp, refined chassis, stunning interior. A complete car by any measure.
DB12 Volante — The open-air experience. Drop the roof and add wind in your hair to an already extraordinary package. Pricing starts well above $300,000.
DB12 Goldfinger Edition — A special variant paying homage to the most iconic Aston Martin in history. Limited, bespoke, and exactly as theatrical as it sounds.
DB12 S — The performance apex. More power, quad titanium exhaust, carbon ceramics, S-specific aero, and interior detailing that makes the standard car feel almost understated.
Release Date & Availability
Aston Martin officially launched the DB12 S in late 2025, with deliveries beginning in Q1 2026. The standard DB12 remains in production and is available at Aston Martin dealerships in the US right now.
If you're interested in a DB12 S specifically, note that order books opened ahead of deliveries — meaning early inquirers are ahead of you. Contact your nearest Aston Martin dealership directly, as allocation for these vehicles moves quickly and real-world builds are highly dependent on individual specifications and regional dealer priority.
How Does It Compare to the Competition?
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The 2026 DB12 doesn't exist in a vacuum. Its natural rivals include the Ferrari Roma, the Porsche 911 Turbo S, and the Bentley Continental GT.
Against the Ferrari Roma, the DB12 wins on exclusivity and interior craftsmanship. The Roma is sharper on a track; the DB12 is more rewarding as a daily companion across long distances.
Against the Porsche 911 Turbo S, the gap in interior luxury is significant — Porsche wins on ergonomics and everyday usability, but as one reviewer noted, the DB12 S "finally looks like it belongs in that conversation." That's progress.
Against the Bentley Continental GT, it comes down to character. The Continental is quieter, heavier, and arguably more composed. The DB12 is lighter, louder, and considerably more exciting. Different philosophies, both executed at an elite level.
Who Should Buy the 2026 Aston Martin DB12?
The honest answer: if you have to ask whether you can afford it, the DB12 is probably not your next car.
But for buyers who have arrived at the top of the luxury GT segment and want something that feels genuinely special — not just expensive, but handcrafted, intentional, and alive in a way that German and Italian competitors sometimes aren't — the DB12 makes a compelling case for itself.
It's for the buyer who values the fact that a real person in Gaydon, England assembled most of what they're sitting in. Who wants a car that turns heads not because it's flashy, but because it's undeniably beautiful. Who would rather have 690 handcrafted horsepower than 700 algorithmically optimized ones.
Final Verdict
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The 2026 Aston Martin DB12 is one of the finest grand tourers ever built. The S variant sharpens every edge — more power, a more glorious exhaust, better brakes, sharper dynamics — without losing the cultured, composed character that defines the DB bloodline.
Is it perfect? Not quite. The rear seats are tight. The price climbs fast. Apple CarPlay Ultra crashed once on a press drive. But perfection, in this context, is beside the point.
The DB12 S doesn't ask to be perfect. It asks to be unforgettable. And on that front, it delivers entirely.
Base price starts at ~$265,500. DB12 S deliveries began Q1 2026. Available at Aston Martin dealers nationwide.
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