Aston DB11 vs. DB12

[Hardhead]

I am in the market for an Aston DB. I am considering a 2023 DB11 but I am willing to step up to a 2024 DB12 and suffer the added depreciation. What are the major pluses that the DB12 bring to the table? Love to hear from someone who has firsthand experience or knowledge of both. I have owned a Vantage and currently drive a 2015 Ferrari California T. Thank you for any additional insights.

[Lo-Fi]

Hardhead said:

I am in the market for an Aston DB. I am considering a 2023 DB11 but I am willing to step up to a 2024 DB12 and suffer the added depreciation. What are the major pluses that the DB12 bring to the table? Love to hear from someone who has firsthand experience or knowledge of both. I have owned a Vantage and currently drive a 2015 Ferrari California T. Thank you for any additional insights.

Dunno about your Astons but my word that's some mighty lurking!

[andy43]

No experience of either but the DB12 has the newer dashboard - that’d swing it for me - the older Aston dashes look like they’re off a Fiesta.
Plus I love it’s arse

[AndrewT1275]

Best advice I can give on this is to post the question in the AM subforum as it's pretty active with owners of both.

[dbs2000]

I prefer the outside of the 11 and the interior of the 12, so really you need to go and see both.

[Westlondondriver]

I think the biggest difference is the engine. If you want to go V12 which is a very special engine then it has to be a DB11. If you are happy with the V8 the interior of the DB12 is far superior in terms of quality and the electronics. If things like wireless CarPlay and touch sensitive screens are important to you the it has to be the 12. However, there have been a lot of electrical gremlins with the 12, I think most of them are now sorted but you should expect some issues, whereas the DB11 in my experience was pretty bulletproof. I had moved on to a DBX before I test drove a DB12 so it’s hard to make a direct comparison but my recollection was that the DB12 was more comfortable car and had a better ride quality. It lost something on sound compared to my 2017 DB11 V12 which I had from new but I suspect the charges in regulation may have also impacted the sound of a 2023 DB11 compared to mine anyway. Both excellent cars and the real answer is to test drive them both rather than listen to people on the internet.

[paulrog1]

The biggest problem with the DB12 is the turbo lag you get from the V8 engine, but the interior is much better than the DB11..

The DB11 V12 engine is sublime, but the interior is not as good.

Shame Aston hasn't fitted the V12 into the DB12, but the new Vanq has, that's the sweet spot, but massively expensive.

[carealtor]

paulrog1 said:

Shame Aston hasn't fitted the V12 into the DB12

Couldn't agree more.

[Hardhead]

Westlondondriver said:

I think the biggest difference is the engine. If you want to go V12 which is a very special engine then it has to be a DB11. If you are happy with the V8 the interior of the DB12 is far superior in terms of quality and the electronics. If things like wireless CarPlay and touch sensitive screens are important to you the it has to be the 12. However, there have been a lot of electrical gremlins with the 12, I think most of them are now sorted but you should expect some issues, whereas the DB11 in my experience was pretty bulletproof. I had moved on to a DBX before I test drove a DB12 so it s hard to make a direct comparison but my recollection was that the DB12 was more comfortable car and had a better ride quality. It lost something on sound compared to my 2017 DB11 V12 which I had from new but I suspect the charges in regulation may have also impacted the sound of a 2023 DB11 compared to mine anyway. Both excellent cars and the real answer is to test drive them both rather than listen to people on the internet.

Thank you for the insights thus far. I have driven both cars although for too limited an amount of time. Certainly not enough to develop deeper insights about how it is to live with them. This forum of enthusiasts is precisely the best source of these kinds of insights. I readily concede that one must wade through a bit of chaff to get to the good stuff, however.

[atrossity]

paulrog1 said:

The biggest problem with the DB12 is the turbo lag you get from the V8 engine

Does the twin turbo V12 in the DB11 not suffer from any lag?

I’m a DB12 owner. The turbo lag is noticeable when accelerating from low speed while in GT mode. But I can confirm that while bombing around in Sport+ mode the car is always highly responsive and ridiculously quick.

The DB11’s V12 sounds lovely, but its weight does make for a 51 front / 49 rear weight ratio. Whereas the V8 DB12 is 48 front / 52 rear, which suits the RWD best imo.

[Calinours]

atrossity said:

paulrog1 said:

The biggest problem with the DB12 is the turbo lag you get from the V8 engine

Does the twin turbo V12 in the DB11 not suffer from any lag?

I'm a DB11 V12 owner. The car has the AMR software suite which adds 30 or so hp but there's no added boost and no added torque, the heavily sandbagged/uber flat torque curve is just held for another 500rpm at the top end so the engine develops a few more ponies.

As was famously reported at launch, it is in such a low state of tune (compared to the huge amount of power and torque that essentially the same engine now develops in new Vanquish) that it almost doesn't feel turbocharged at all. Boost is low and V12 cubes are high so the engine is already pretty mighty before the twin, twin scroll turbochargers gently start to blow a tad more oxygen in.

[j4r4lly]

I’ve owned a DB11 V12 with performance pack upgrade for 3 years. I’ve also driven the DB12 at Millbrook on the banked oval and the Alpine handling course.

The DB12 was fabulously composed, plenty quick and responsive enough and the interior is better than the DB11.

However, for me, the V12 in the DB11 is in another league and it’s the main reason I bought the car. I’ve never got even remotely tired or bored with it. It’s not all about the numbers, though in Sport and Sport+ it’s blisteringly quick without having to try hard at all. It’s the character of the sound, the responses, even the way it looks in the engine bay. It’s a fabulous thing to own. The interior isn’t up to the looks of the DB12, but it’s still a lovely place to sit and ergonomically it’s very good and it all works really well.

There’s nothing wrong with the DB12 and I’m sure I’d be very happy with one, but for me, the DB11 is everything I want in an Aston Martin and the price difference is big enough to make the DB11 look like very good value.

[Blitzuk]

I'd be intrigued to know what the handling and feel of the DB12 is like in comparison to the DB11. I love the exterior of the 11, i'm not so taken with the 12 but the interior of the 12 looks a much nicer place to be in.

[Jon39]

carealtor said:

paulrog1 said:

Shame Aston hasn't fitted the V12 into the DB12

Couldn't agree more.

That decision must have been taken to encourage Vanquish sales.

[Grant3]

If you don’t mind the steep depreciation curve the DB11 is a large step up in dynamics, performance and interior!

But if it was me going from a 2015 Californian T I would go for a nice 2021-3 DB11 Volante. (still with some service pack left) for a year-ish then move into a 12 when prices have softened more. The combination of the lighter V8 engine re-tuned dynamics and open air assault on the senses makes it a superb choice imo. Near sports car dynamics in sports+ with sports dampers or GT mode and ride its lunging wave of torque. Compared to the coupe only extra tyre noise is an issue!

Choose one with upgraded leather/interior touches and audio to improve the feel inside and enjoy.

If you go V12 coupe (I agree that engine is superb) ideally try for an AMR version.

Time to test drive a few

[Longy00000]

I'm not sure I get the comparison.
V8 DB11 vs the DB12 yes but not the V12 DB11?
Surely if looking at the V12 woukd you not be looking at the DBS SL as the alternative to the DB12?

I think the DB12 is a more accomplished car over the DB11 in pretty much every respect though yes some early cars were known for electrical gremlins but hopefully they should be sorted by now.
If you really fancy the V12 then shoukd the DBS not be considered as DB12 money woukd get you into a DBS SL

As an aside I like the differential between the DB12 and new Vanq with 1 being a V8 and the other a V12 it allows for distinction between the models though the price of the Vanq is quite scary!