Aston Martin Malaysia has officially launched, the DB12. Touted as the world’s first “super tourer”, the DB12 made its global debut back in May of this year in commemoration of the legendary DB model line’s 75th anniversary.
It is presented with the panache for which Aston Martin is renowned, fusing 75 years of DB legacy with segment-defining proportions fit for the first super tourer in history.
The brand-new front end includes a bigger, redesigned radiator aperture, a reshaped splitter, and a track that is 6 mm wider up front and 22 mm wider at the back. Stylish new Daytime Running Lamp (DRL) trademark headlights with ornate surface details made of Light Emitting Diode (LED).
If you look closely at the nose of the beast, you will notice the most recent version of the iconic Aston Martin wings badge sitting on it. As the first sports car to have new wings, the DB12 represents the start of a fascinating new era. The new design is complemented by smaller, frameless wing mirrors that further improve the car’s aerodynamic profile. Presenting door knobs welcome guests into the new cabin and makes access easier.
Aston Martin has unveiled the Valour, a limited edition sports car to mark its 110th anniversary. And guess what? It has a manual gearbox!
The model boasts a retro-inspired look that is unlike anything else in the lineup and is modelled after the 1980 RHAM/1 ‘Muncher’ Le Mans racer as well as the original V8 Vantage.
The Valour has a clamshell hood with a ‘horse shoe’ vent and twin NACA ducts, as well as carbon fibre bodywork. A large grille, vertical air curtains, and round LED headlamps are further down. A noticeable splitter and accents made of exposed carbon fibre connect them.
Aston Martin intends to construct “ultra-luxury high-performance” electric vehicles (EVs) utilising Lucid’s electric motors, batteries, and other technology.
Similar to Rimac, which created batteries and other parts for Aston Martin, Koenigsegg, and other cars, this is Lucid’s first agreement to offer parts to other automakers. Lucid, an American electric vehicle company, recently released its own debut electric car, the Air.
Aston Martin has unveiled the new DB12. This new generation of the storied DB bloodline defines its own unique category by bringing about a fundamental shift in sports character and dynamic potential. The DB12 combines a thrilling driving experience with great refinement, cutting-edge technology, and elegant luxury. Aston Martin says this is the first Super Tourer in the world as being grand is insufficient.
Aston Martin will commemorate two major anniversaries in 2023 with the introduction of the DB12: its momentous 110th birthday and the legendary DB model line’s 75th anniversary.
Owners of classic cars, especially the much sought-after models, have kept their cars for years and while they may not be driven much. Some parts may deteriorate over time. Or when purchased after many years of use, some components were already worn out and replacement parts were increasingly difficult to find.
Naturally, if you own a classic model, you want every bit of it to be as original as possible. But if the original manufacturer no longer makes those parts (industry norms for producing replacements parts are usually up to 10 years after production of the model stops), then it has to be retained and preserved.
For owners of classic Aston Martin models, there’s some good news from Aston Martin Works which will help to future-proof their cars. The company will, for the first time in decades, manufacture a number of components for models such as the DB4, DB5, DB6 and some V8 models from the 1960s and 1970s.
Since the 2021 Formula 1 season, the Official FIA Safety Car and Medical Car have been from two different companies, instead of just Mercedes-AMG as in earlier years. The other company has been Aston Martin which, like Mercedes-AMG, also has a team taking part in the F1 World Championship.
Aston Martin will again provide the Official FIA Safety Car and Official FIA Medical Car for the 2023 season. The Vantage will again be used for Official FIA Safety Car functions but for the Official Medical Car, Aston Martin is providing a new and very powerful SUV, the DBX707. It replaces the DBX used previously to transport medical personnel quickly to the site of an incident during the race.
In its 110th anniversary year, Aston Martin presents the superlative-laden DBS 770 Ultimate, a DBS model that surpasses all others by being the most powerful production Aston Martin ever. To be limited to 499 units – 300 Coupes and 199 Volantes – the DBS 770 Ultimate marks the end of production of the current DBS which has a history going back to 1967.
As its name suggests, it will be the ‘ultimate’, with extensive design and engineering enhancements. And like all Aston Martins, the scope for true one-of-a-kind personal specification is virtually limitless with a diverse range of bespoke options that Q by Aston Martin provides. These include Q liveries with assorted graphics options, painted wheels to match body or graphics colours, tinted carbonfibre and woven leather seat inserts, trim inlays and a carbonfibre steering wheel.
In the early 1970s, Aston Martin was undergoing significant change as Sir David Brown sold it to a Company Developments Ltd. The change of ownership brought with it new optimism for the company’s future, but the engineering and design ethos of the David Brown era was also retained. This enabled the birth of the AM V8 as a successor to the DBS V8.
The DBS V8 had championed the use of Aston Martin’s first V8, which was the first new engine for more than 10 years, so the AM V8 was essentially a styling exercise. In place of the angular nose of the DBS was a more curvaceous, purposeful front end which gave a much more muscular look. Key to that new nose was the arrival of two 7-inch quartz iodine headlamps and a black mesh grille.
The return of a small open ‘power bulge’ on the bonnet; the ‘Coke-bottle’ flanks; and the use of Aston Martin V8 side strake badges completed the exterior styling revisions. That this same William Towns’ shape, in essence, would represent the Aston Martin ‘look’ for almost 2 decades shows the importance of its debut in 1972.
Since making its entry in 2015, Viper Niza Racing has been among the more successful fully Malaysian racing teams in regional and international competition. Its most significant victory was the class win at the 2019 TCR SPA500 24-Hour endurance race in Belgium with a CUPRA Leon.
Now, after 105 race starts by its driver and Team Principal & Owner, Douglas Khoo, Viper Niza Racing is taking a big step forward with two new racing cars for an assault in international and regional GT sportscar racing.
Aston Martin’s DBX707 – the world’s most powerful luxury SUV – is now available in Malaysia, priced from RM1,098,000 (excluding taxes). While the DBX V8, the brand’s first SUV, was presented as a superlative product, the DBX707 pushes the performance envelope even further.
Aston Martin’s engineering team has extracted the full potential of the DBX’s 4-litre twin-turbocharged V8 powerplant by making some changes like using ball bearing turbochargers and a bespoke engine calibration to liberate more power and torque which are 707 ps and 900 Nm, respectively. These represent increases of 157 ps and 200 Nm over the DBX V8.
Also new is a 9-speed wet clutch automatic transmission designed to handle the much increased torque loadings compared with a regular torque converter automatic.
The new transmission has quicker shifts, giving more immediate and direct response. According to Aston Martin, launch capability is also improved, and the DBX707 can go from 0 to 100 km/h in a claimed 3.3 seconds and on to a top speed of 310 km/h.
As a responsible manufacturer, Aston Martin did not just boost the output without ensuring that other important elements are also beefed up. The DBX70 gets standard fitment of Carbon Ceramic Brakes (CCB) with 6-piston calipers and there’s also a 40.5-kg reduction in unsprung weight.
Revisions to the brake system’s hydraulic sizing and booster tune improve pedal feel and braking response for greater precision and driver confidence. Improved brake cooling has been achieved by taking air from both the main cooling intake and the underfloor, with high performance brake pads delivering excellent friction consistency across a wide temperature range.
There’s also a new version of the electronic limited slip rear differential (e-diff). Strengthened to handle the maximum output of torque, it is fitted with a revised final drive ratio of 3.27 compared to 3.07 for the DBX V8. This helps to give stronger response in the lower gears as well as enhances in-gear response.
To underline the driver-focused credentials of the DBX707, the GT Sport and Sport+ driving modes now feature ‘Race Start’ to give drivers the full experience of the vehicle’s unrivalled off-the-line acceleration. Revised active logic in the all-wheel drive transfer case enhances control between the driveline and ESP system for a more natural, sports car-like driving experience.
Torque distribution front-to-rear is fully automatic, with the ability to send up to 100% of the torque to the rear axle on demand. Careful calibration of the e-diff ensures the DBX707 has the cornering agility, sporting feel and dynamic character of a sportscar.
The DBX707’s air suspension system has the same basic architecture and triple volume air chambers of the DBX V8 but gains a dedicated chassis tune. New damper valving and recalibration of dynamic spring volume switching has improved body control and steering response.
While the overall design is similar to the DBX V8, there are distinct differences for the DBX707. The front end treatment is unique with a larger grille and the DRLs are also different. Also new are the air intakes and brake cooling ducts, plus a new front splitter profile. The enlarged grille has double vanes, with the 6 horizontal bars now split to create more visual .
A new lip spoiler has been added to the roof wing which reduces lift and increases high speed stability. A pair of large-diameter tailpipes projects at each side of the significantly enlarged twin rear diffuser.
Seated in the cabin of the DBX707 after shutting the soft-close doors, the Aston Martin DNA is immediately evident with the standard sport seats and sleek, dark chrome switchgear complementing the satin black appointments of the exterior.
Customers have three choices of interior and if those packaged and proposed by the interior designers are not appealing enough, Q by Aston Martin offers bespoke personalisation. While James Bond’s ‘Q’ can provide cars with sophisticated weapons, these are not available for obviously reasons from Aston’s Martin’s Q. But almost anything else can be provided – limited only by the customer’s imagination.
Some of the options available to customers who want to customise their Aston Martin.
Aston Martin Kuala Lumpur says that they already have a few reservations for the DBX707 (which is not a limited edition). For customers who intend to keep their DBX707 for a considerable length of time, there is now an option of an extended warranty up to 20 years (subject to terms and conditions).
