Tag Archives: Aston Martin

News

Aston Martin’s Digital Dream Machine: A Sleek New Configurator Brings the Showroom to Your Screen

If buying a supercar starts with a dream, Aston Martin just made that dream a whole lot sharper in 4K. The British marque has rolled out its most comprehensive update yet to its online configurator — the brand’s virtual playground for those who like their fantasies with hand-stitched leather and carbon fiber trim.

Originally launched four years ago, Aston’s configurator has always been a crucial touchpoint in the modern luxury buying experience — part digital design studio, part showroom. The latest overhaul isn’t just a facelift; it’s a ground-up rethink that makes the process more immersive, more intuitive, and far more visually arresting.

A Premium Experience, Digitally Reimagined

The refreshed configurator was shaped through extensive user research, with Aston’s digital and design teams focusing on how customers interact with the brand online. The result? A streamlined, beautifully rendered environment that mirrors the tactile thrill of the real thing.

From the very first click, users are met with a panoramic overview of Aston Martin’s full lineup. Whether you’re chasing the sculpted elegance of the Vanquish Volante, the brute luxury of the DBX S, or the techno-hybrid promise of the upcoming Valhalla, each model is presented with an editorial-level polish. Vital statistics sit neatly below each car, instantly accessible — no digging through menus required.

Lustrous Paints and Lighting That Breathes

Visual quality has taken a massive leap forward. Paint finishes now gleam with a realism that borders on photoreal, thanks to new animated lighting effects that showcase the way each hue interacts with light. Subtle metallic flake, deep pearlescence, and mirror-like reflections are all here — rendered in motion. Paint thumbnails have also grown larger and more three-dimensional, letting you see how Apex Grey, Podium Green, or any other shade truly behaves on bodywork sculpted by aerodynamics and ambition.

For the final reveal, Aston has introduced a new “Gaydon” background — the brand’s own HQ atrium in Warwickshire. It’s the same space where generations of Aston Martins have stood shoulder-to-shoulder, from Le Mans legends to modern grand tourers. Now, your virtual build gets to share that stage.

Form Meets Function

Aston’s digital designers haven’t forgotten about usability. On desktop, the old vertical navigation bar has been replaced with a more expansive horizontal layout, freeing up valuable screen real estate for the car itself. The interface can also collapse for an even cleaner view. As you tweak details — wheels, trims, brake calipers — the system intelligently zooms in to highlight exactly what’s changing, offering a more precise sense of what your bespoke build will look like in the metal.

Configuring the Future

Alex Long, Aston Martin’s Global Marketing Director, sums it up best:

“Our Configurator is an integral part of the modern Aston Martin customer experience. It’s essential to us that the quality and richness of Aston Martin’s design, engineering, and craftsmanship is faithfully rendered to potential customers.”

And that’s exactly what this update achieves. The new Aston Martin configurator isn’t just a tool for choosing colors and wheels — it’s an experience that captures the brand’s essence: design-led, deeply refined, and unapologetically aspirational.

For most of us, this digital studio might be the closest we’ll get to spec’ing out a Valhalla or a DBX S. But even from behind a keyboard, Aston Martin has managed to make it feel just a bit like slipping behind the wheel.

Source: Aston Martin

NEW CARS

2026 Aston Martin DB12 S: Sharper, Louder, Meaner — the New Pinnacle of the Super Tourer

Aston Martin doesn’t do subtle when it comes to its “S” badge. In Gaydon’s dictionary, the letter stands for sharper steering, louder exhausts, and a little more everything. The new DB12 S is no exception — a harder-edged, more focused evolution of the brand’s already formidable “Super Tourer.”

The DB12 S takes the stunning DB12 launched in 2023 and turns the dial up to 12. Think of it as the British grand-touring equivalent of espresso with rocket fuel. The twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8, sourced from Mercedes-AMG but re-engineered by Aston Martin, now cranks out 700 PS (690 hp) and 800 Nm (590 lb-ft) of torque — a modest 20-horsepower bump that feels anything but modest once the tach swings past 3000 rpm. Top speed rises to 202 mph, while the sprint to 60 mph drops to 3.4 seconds, thanks to faster gearshifts and a retuned launch control.

A V8 That Sings in Surround Sound

If the DB12’s soundtrack was a baritone, the DB12 S is a full orchestra. A new quad-pipe stainless-steel exhaust broadens the tone across the rev range, and an optional titanium system cranks volume by 1.5 decibels while shaving nearly 12 kilograms (26 pounds). The result is less GT whisper and more Le Mans thunder — the kind of noise that earns applause in tunnels and side-eye from neighbors.

Sharper Reflexes, Lighter Feet

Aston’s chassis engineers clearly spent late nights chasing agility. Revised geometry (camber, toe, and caster), a stiffer rear anti-roll bar, and fresh software for the Bilstein DTX adaptive dampers all conspire to make the DB12 S feel more keyed-in and confident at the limit. Steering calibration and the electronic rear differential have been refined for crisper turn-in and a more natural connection between throttle, tire, and driver.

And for the first time on a DB12, carbon-ceramic brakes come standard. The massive 410 mm front and 360 mm rear discs cut a whopping 27 kilograms (60 pounds) of unsprung mass. The payoff? Improved ride quality, better steering feedback, and fade-free stopping power even after a few laps of Silverstone.

Backing up the hardware is a suite of electronic wizardry: a new Corner Braking Control (CBC) system predicts grip levels while trail braking, distributing torque across the rear axle for stability and precision. In practice, that means later braking, tighter lines, and a sense that the car reads your mind before each corner.

Designed to Dominate the Boulevard — and the Autobahn

The DB12 S doesn’t just go harder; it looks the part. Up front, a dual-element splitter and functional bonnet louvres (available in gloss black or carbon fiber) lend the car an angrier stance while aiding cooling and downforce. Gloss-black side sills visually stretch the silhouette, while a fixed rear spoiler and a new diffuser housing stacked twin exhausts give the tail an extra hit of aggression.

Even the badging gets special treatment — a forged “S” emblem filled with red enamel, a nod to Aston’s 1953 DB3S racer, the car that started the brand’s “S” suffix tradition.

Inside: Couture Meets Cockpit

The DB12’s already exquisite interior takes on a racier tone. A red-anodized drive-mode selector anchors the center console and dictates accents throughout the cabin — from the seatbelts to the contrast stitching. Three trim environments are available:

  • Accelerate (leather and Alcantara)
  • Inspire S (semi-aniline leather and Alcantara)
  • Inspire S Full Leather, featuring intricate herringbone quilting and micro-perforations

Standard 16-way Sport Plus seats strike a sweet spot between GT comfort and circuit support, but hardcore types can opt for Carbon-Fiber Performance seats that look stolen straight from a Valkyrie.

Super Tourer, Super Sorted

Simon Newton, Aston’s Director of Vehicle Performance, puts it succinctly: “With DB12 S, we’ve amplified driver engagement without losing refinement.” Translation: it’s a grand tourer that still cossets on the motorway yet begs for more throttle and later braking on your favorite mountain road.

Available in both Coupe and Volante forms, the 2026 Aston Martin DB12 S is open for orders now, with first deliveries slated for early 2026. Pricing hasn’t been announced, but expect a healthy premium over the regular DB12’s six-figure tag — and every penny to feel worth it the first time you floor it through second gear.

Because if the DB12 was a gentleman in a tailored suit, the DB12 S is the same man — only with his cuffs rolled up, a wild grin, and a few more scars from late-night drives across the continent.

Source: Aston Martin

News

Aston Martin and Champagne Bollinger Toast to a Partnership Steeped in Craftsmanship

There are brand pairings that feel engineered in a boardroom, and then there are those that just make sense. Aston Martin’s latest announcement falls squarely in the latter category: the British marque has named Champagne Bollinger as its Official Champagne partner. In return, Aston Martin becomes Bollinger’s Official Automotive Partner—a neat symmetry that’s more than a marketing handshake.

The collaboration isn’t just about logos on event backdrops. It’s a meeting of two houses that have built their legacies on patience, precision, and an unrelenting pursuit of quality. Aston Martin, founded in 1913, has spent over a century perfecting the art of blending performance and elegance. Champagne Bollinger, established in 1829 in Aÿ, France, has earned a reputation for wines as complex and meticulous as the steel and leather that define Aston Martin’s GTs.

Both names carry the gravitas of tradition, but neither is shy about pushing forward. Bollinger still employs its own cooper to maintain more than 4,000 oak barrels—an artisanal touch nearly extinct in modern winemaking—while embracing innovative techniques that refine its style without diluting its heritage. Aston Martin, meanwhile, continues to handcraft cars that stand as much for design purity as for engineering excellence.

The two brands also share a uniquely British connection. Bollinger has supplied the Royal Household since 1884, while Aston Martin has long been a darling of British motoring royalty. Both carry Royal Warrants, underscoring a bond not just of heritage, but of pedigree.

“The partnership is a natural alignment of two iconic brands,” said Charles-Armand de Belenet, Managing Director of Champagne Bollinger. “Both our Maisons share a commitment to timeless elegance, heritage, and the mastery of our respective crafts.”

That alignment will now come to life in Aston Martin’s most exclusive spaces: private unveilings, VIP gatherings, even race paddocks where victories are measured in tenths of a second. From corks popping beside new supercar launches to flutes raised after podium finishes, Bollinger will be there to elevate the occasion.

“At Aston Martin, we believe in creating unforgettable experiences that blend performance, craftsmanship, and artistry,” said Stefano Saporetti, Aston’s Director of Brand Diversification. “The partnership with Champagne Bollinger exemplifies this spirit.”

It’s hard to argue with that. Champagne has always been about celebration, and Aston Martin has always been about occasions worth celebrating. Together, they promise moments as effervescent as the bubbles in a Bollinger Brut—and as thrilling as a downshift in a V12 Vantage.

And, as both brands are quick to remind, there’s one golden rule: raise your glass, but never your right foot. Never drink and drive.

Source: Aston Martin