Aston Martin DB12 Coupe

V8 2dr Auto [2026]

Few car brands exude the coolness of Aston Martin. It is the marque of choice for James Bond, for starters.

But inevitable 007 references aside, in the real world, it's a forcible thorn in the side of companies like Ferrari, Porsche, Bentley, and Maserati.

However, the sad truth is Aston Martin has never been particularly successful.

Its notoriety and prestige are beyond question, but financially, as a business, Aston has lurched from crisis to crisis throughout most of its existence.

In 2020, Lawrence Stroll, the billionaire father of F1 driver Lance, invested around £500 million in the company and acquired an F1 team that now bears its name, and optimism returned.

However, supply chain issues last year, a 50% loss in its share price in 12 months, and an announcement that Aston Martin was cutting 5% of its workforce have once again raised concerns.

Its new CEO, Adrian Hallmark, is aiming for a swift return to profitability. And, thankfully, the automaker's cars have continued to deliver the goods despite continued uncertainty in the background.

The DBX SUV is about to celebrate its fifth birthday, and around six months ago, the company unveiled the third generation of its flagship Vanquish.

Like the Vanquish, the DB series of Astons are Grand Tourers.

But, while the Vanquish has generally been louder, more muscular and ultra-performance-focused, the DB series has traditionally been designed for everyday usability and relaxation on a long pan-European excursion.

However, this has led to criticisms that the DB cars are not reflective of real supercars.

Enter the DB12.

Aston Martin claims this new car is both a Grand Tourer and a supercar - a 'super tourer', as the company calls it - properly bridging the gap between the sporty Vantage and the Vanquish.

Such a feat has never really been achieved before. So, has Aston Martin cracked it, or is this just marketing machinery at work?