The Aston Martin DB12 comes with a bold claim attached to its name: the world’s first “Super Tourer.” It sounds like the sort of branding exercise luxury carmakers love to invent, but after spending time with the car, the title begins to make sense. This is not simply another grand tourer built for long motorway drives and occasional bursts of speed. The DB12 feels designed for modern luxury living, equally at home pulling up outside a five-star hotel in Dubai as it is carving through open mountain roads.
What immediately stands out about the DB12 is how approachable it feels for a car with such dramatic performance figures. Beneath its sculpted bonnet sits a 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 producing 680PS, capable of taking the car from 0-60mph in just 3.5 seconds. Yet despite this immense power, the DB12 never feels intimidating or difficult to manage. Instead, Aston Martin has focused heavily on refinement, balance and ease of use, creating a car that feels surprisingly suited to daily city life.
In urban environments, the DB12’s adaptive suspension and intelligent driving systems come into their own. Luxury performance cars often struggle in cities, feeling overly stiff, too aggressive or simply exhausting to drive in traffic. The DB12 avoids this entirely. In its GT mode, the ride quality remains composed and smooth, absorbing uneven roads and speed bumps with a level of comfort you would expect from a much softer luxury saloon. Steering is light enough to make parking and manoeuvring effortless, while visibility is helped by the car’s cleaner, more contemporary proportions.
The interior is perhaps where the DB12 feels most transformed from previous Aston Martins. Traditionally, the brand’s cabins leaned heavily on old-school charm but lacked the intuitive technology buyers now expect. Here, Aston Martin has clearly modernised its approach. The all-new infotainment system finally feels contemporary, with responsive touchscreens, wireless Apple CarPlay and a far more seamless digital experience. Importantly, though, physical buttons remain for key controls, something many luxury brands are now abandoning to their detriment.
The cabin itself strikes an impressive balance between sportiness and luxury. Hand-stitched leather, elegant trim detailing and beautifully crafted materials create an atmosphere that feels indulgent without becoming overly flashy. The driving position is low and cocooning, but never cramped, while the overall layout prioritises comfort and usability rather than theatrics. It feels like a car designed for someone who genuinely intends to spend time in it, not simply admire it in a garage.
What also makes the DB12 particularly relevant today is its versatility. There are faster supercars and softer luxury cruisers on the market, but very few combine both worlds this effectively. It can switch personalities effortlessly, calm and refined for city commutes, then genuinely thrilling when roads begin to open up. The handling is sharp and controlled, yet the car never loses its sense of composure.
Aston Martin has successfully created a car that delivers all the qualities modern consumers are looking for. It is fast, elegant and unmistakably luxurious, but crucially, it seamlessly blends into everyday life.
