DB11 successor caught pounding the Nürburgring’s 12.9-mile Nordschleife circuit ahead of reveal later this year
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by Chris Chilton
3 hours ago
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by Chris Chilton
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Spring has sprung and that means the world’s automakers have begun to descend on Germany’s legendary Nürburgring Nordschleife track for the 2023 test season. And right at the head of the line is Aston Martin with its new DB12 coupe.
Aston hasn’t officially confirmed that its DBN11 successor will get the DB12 name, and you might remember that the road cars jumped from DB7 to DB9 to underline how radically different the newer car was, and skipped from DB9 to DB11, leaving the DB10 spot for the cars the company created for the James Bond movie, Spectre. But the smart money is on “12” getting the nod, particularly since Aston recently filed a trademark in the U.S. for that name.
The company has already begun teasing the launch of the car, referring to the “next-generation of front-engine sports cars,” though the reality is the DB12 will be more of a facelifted and upgraded version of the DB11, rather than a clean-sheet design. That doesn’t mean we won’t see some significant design and engineering changes, though.
The clamshell hood, for instance, is being replaced by a smaller, more conventional hood that no longer surrounds the headlights and drapes over the front fenders. We’re also expecting to see a much larger front grille, plus new wheels and door mirrors. And while the rear appears to be much the same as the current car’s, don’t bet against the tape disguise on the rear hiding a one-piece light strip connecting the two taillights.
There’ll also be design changes inside, but the big news is the arrival of a modern touchscreen infotainment system. Under a previous deal with Mercedes, the Germans would only supply Aston with older-generation media tech that lacked touchscreen functionality. The new systems will also come from Benz, but Aston boss Lawrence Stroll told Autocar that they would look and sound bespoke, right down to using an English accent.
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No new Aston Martin would be complete without a decent power boost over the car it replaces, of course. Powertrain specifics are still under wraps but it seems likely that the V8 model will again use Mercedes power, but switch from the current 528 hp (535 PS) 4.0-liter bi-turbo motor to the latest 577 hp (585 PS) version as seen in the SL63. Hopefully, the V12 flagship will also make a re-appearance, and with even more power than the 630 hp (639 PS) the current 5.2-liter engine generates.
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