Aston Martin DB12 review

£185,000 is a significant step up from the DB11. Five years ago the V8 DB11 was £145k and the V12 £157k. But then look how much everything else has risen since Covid/Brexit.

But more than that this is Aston Martin demonstrating its confidence in its product. It believes the car is worth that and, having driven it back to back with the £158k Maserati GranTurismo Trofeo, they have reason to back themselves. The DB12 feels a very high quality, desirable piece of kit.

We’d stop short of calling it good value, but as petrol-powered, classically styled cars such as this become thinner on the ground, we can only imagine that residual values will hold up better here than in the DB11: early examples of that are now available for under £70,000.

Some of the retained value will depend on how you spec it, of course. We’d firmly steer you in the direction of Iridescent Emerald paint with the 21-inch Y-spoke wheels in Satin bronze. It looks magnificent like that. Accept the fact it’s going to be £220-230k by the time you’ve got it how you want it. But Aston’s mission to become a genuine sporting brand, rather than a touring one, is taking shape and should help support values in the next few years.