On May 24, Aston Martin will fully unveil its replacement for the DB11, hyping up its next-generation performance, driving dynamics and luxury. Logically it would be badged 'DB12', though given Aston's "Grand is not enough" tagline (referring to the DB11's positioning as a GT - Grand Tourer), we'd not be surprised to see a new name grace the coupe.
Sharp design evolution
Regardless of what Aston Martin calls the new car, a few of its choice details have been revealed in a set of three darkly-lit teaser images. The overall design is nothing revolutionary and unmistakably an Aston Martin thanks to the large grille design and long bonnet that characterises its DB models. New LED lights front and rear punctuate a muscular stance, aided by a set of eye-catching gold wheels with an intricate five-spoke design.
New switchgear and infotainment
But the exteriors of Aston Martins have been glorious for years, and while the cabins have been beautifully trimmed with a wide range of tactile materials offering endless customisation, the infotainment technology has lagged behind the best in the industry. One of the teaser images shows the new car's centre console, however, and it hints at completely revised interior switchgear and controls.
A large engine-start button takes pride of place in the middle of the console, ahead of a minimal Porsche-like drive selector. Behind that can be seen the P (for Park) button and another that presumably locks the automatic transmission into manual mode. Either side of all that are knurled roller controls for the dual-zone climate control temperature and fan settings, along with another for the infotainment volume. Other buttons can be seen for the parking camera system, heated and ventilated seats, lane-keep assistance and stability control, while there are also buttons with exhaust and suspension icons on them.
Unusually, there appears to be a touchscreen set low down, only slightly angled up from the centre console. There are menus for phone, music and navigation visible, along with extra functionality in the climate control. It's not clear if the rotary control surrounding the engine-start button can operate the infotainment system, as pioneered by BMW with its iDrive feature. The rest of the dashboard is not shown in the photograph, so we expect some of the visible details to be replicated on a digital instrumentation display, reducing the need for the driver to look down at the shown screen.
V12 and V8 power expected
Aston Martin has previously confirmed that it will continue to use its charismatic twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine until 2026, so it's highly likely that it will make its way under the bonnet of the new car. The outgoing DB11 AMR's V12 made 639hp and 700Nm of torque, though the limited-production DBS 770 Ultimate's powerplant produced 770hp and 900Nm. We'd expect somewhere in between for the 'DB12'.
And as with the DB11, there's likely to be a V8 option, too. The AMG-sourced twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 in the Aston Martin DBX707 produces up to 707hp and 900Nm, so the V12 isn't strictly necessary in performance terms.