Dan Mihalascu is an accomplished automotive journalist with over two decades of automotive media work both internationally and in his home country of Romania.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, and he has reviewed (sometimes even raced) cars for most of his professional life.
Prior to joining HotCars.com in July 2025, Dan worked as a news writer and editor for InsideEVs.com, CarScoops.com and Autoevolution.com. He also has bylines at DriveMag.com and ConsumerAffairs.com, among other international media outlets.
In Romania, he wrote for car magazines, sports newspapers and even a TV news station.
Writing and cars aside, he loves reading, cycling, hiking and spending quality time with his family.
Say hello to the 2026 Aston Martin DB12 S, the new range-topping grand tourer from the British brand’s DB lineup. As with the current Vantage S and DBX S, as well as past models like the Vanquish S, V8/V12 Vantage S and Rapide S, the letter ‘S’ in the model’s name designates the DB12 S as a high-performance model.
This Aston Martin DB12 S doesn’t disappoint in this respect, as its 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 now makes 690 hp at 6,000 rpm – 20 hp more over the regular DB12 – and 590 lb-ft of torque delivered between 3,000 and 6,000 rpm.
Hooked to a rear mid-mounted ZF 8-speed automatic transmission with electronic shift-by-wire control, the V8 engine enables a slightly quicker (by a tenth of a second) 0-60 mph acceleration time of 3.4 seconds and a 202 mph top speed (the same as the regular Aston Martin DB12).
While the performance specs are nearly identical to the base model, Aston Martin claims the S version is more exciting to drive thanks to a series of upgrades to the chassis and powertrain. For starters, calibration changes to the powertrain result in an optimized Launch Control system, reducing gearshift times by more than 50%. That contributes to the reduced 0–60 mph time. In addition, the throttle pedal has a more progressive feel thanks to a new S-specific drive-by-wire throttle map.
The DB12 S also gains a new exhaust sound courtesy of a new quad tailpipe stainless steel sports exhaust system tuned for added depth and potency. Optionally, a titanium exhaust system can take things further, uplifting the sound level by 1.5 dB while also reducing weight by almost 26 pounds compared to the stainless steel system.
The chassis changes are extensive, aiming to increase agility, connection and precision, as well as feel and composure. The Bilstein DTX dampers are said to offer improved roll and pitch courtesy of software changes, and they work in combination with a stiffer rear anti-roll bar and enhanced camber, toe and castor geometry settings. The result of these changes is improved front-end confidence and overall agility.
Aston Martin’s chassis engineers further tuned the steering calibration and electronic rear differential (E-diff) for a more natural and intuitive feel. The DB12 S also gets standard Carbon Ceramic Brakes (CCB) that offer increased braking performance and “exceptional” resistance to fade, together with a 59 lbs reduction in unsprung weight. This is said to benefit ride quality, steering feel and dynamic handling behavior.
Finally, the Aston Martin DB12 S features the next generation of corner braking control system (CBC), which now has a predictive function allowing the car to maintain optimum stability while trail braking into a corner. This allows the driver to brake later and with more stability, thanks to the Integrated Brake Slip Control system that provides torque vectoring across the rear axle.
Styling-wise, the DB12 S can be easily distinguished from the DB12 thanks to a striking aerodynamic package and quad exhaust tailpipes on the outside, as well as a distinctive ’S’ interior.
The aero kit consists of a new dual-element front splitter, new hood louvers, gloss black sill additions, a fixed rear spoiler, and a massive rear diffuser flanked by the new quad exhausts. Besides looking the part, these elements also perform a functional role, generating downforce, guiding airflow, extracting hot air from the engine (the hood louvers), increasing high speed stability and reducing lift. Attesting the exclusive nature of the Aston Martin DB12 S are the two red S badges placed on the fenders below each side strake.
Moving on to the interior, the DB12 S sports unique features such as the red anodized finish of the drive mode rotary selector, standard 16-way Sport Plus electric front seats and a choice of three interior trim combinations: Accelerate leather and Alcantara trim, Inspire S semi-aniline leather and Alcantara and Inspire S full semi-aniline leather.
Optional extras include Carbon Fiber Performance seats, Alcantara heated sports steering wheel and the Aston Martin wings applied to the seat headrests. Customers can order the new DB12 S now, in Coupe and Volante body styles. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2026.
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