In this week’s Ask Nathan:
- I drive the 20926 Aston Martin DB12 S!
- Should I buy a used Dodge Charger as my first car?
The first question comes from a fan on my Facebook page: regarding my drive in the 2026 Aston Martin DB12 S. .
Q: Via Facebook: Aston Martin?
Are you a big Aston Martin fan?
Saw your photo.
— Dan M
Tel Aviv, IL
Here’s my review of the Aston Martin DB12 S
A: I’m a sucker for Aston Martin. Always have been.
My favorite was always the Vantage V8 from the late 1970s, but I love just about all of them. The newer models are some of the best-looking GT cars on the road, period. They’re gorgeous, they pack AMG-derived muscle under the hood, and they have the sort of presence that makes people suddenly forget how to cross a street.
That’s the good stuff: design and power.
Now Aston has added a little more nuance to the formula, giving the DB12 S a sharper edge and a more athletic personality. In essence, this is a better-driving DB12, and the improvements are undeniable. It’s beautiful, luxurious, sporty, and remarkably rewarding to drive.
It’s also not perfect. Because apparently even British supermodels have flaws.
The standard DB12 was already a huge leap over the DB11 when it came to handling, and the S pushes things a little further. Aston stiffened the rear anti-roll bar by 7%, recalibrated the steering and electronic rear differential, retuned the Bilstein DTX dampers for better pitch and roll control, and revised the camber, caster, and toe settings.
The result? Turn-in feels sharper, the car rotates more willingly through tighter corners, and the overall balance is more neutral and confidence-inspiring. This still isn’t some stripped-out track weapon, and thank goodness for that. It’s a grand tourer that knows how to have fun, and it feels far more agile than something this long and dramatic-looking has any right to.
DB12 S buyers heading for a weekend canyon blast will leave very, very happy. Probably with an expensive speeding ticket, too.
Aston made a pile of subtle tweaks to the DB12’s powertrain, chassis, and styling, and together they make the car louder, livelier, and more engaging. Running the canyon roads above PCH, it’s not quite as razor-sharp as its Vantage S sibling, but the DB12 S counters with superior grand touring comfort and even more visual swagger.
At least it does when it’s painted in something as gloriously unhinged as my test car’s color scheme. Whoever configured it clearly had zero interest in subtlety, and I respect that.
Under that absurdly long hood sits Mercedes-AMG’s twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8, which powers nearly every Aston this side of the Vanquish. Here, it makes 690 horsepower, 20 more than the standard DB12 and 19 more than the Vantage S, while torque holds steady at 590 pound-feet.
Aston says it’ll hit 60 mph in 3.4 seconds, a tenth quicker than the regular DB12.
It sure as hell felt like it.
The eight-speed automatic is smooth and quick enough, but it could still stand to snap off shifts faster. There’s a slight hesitation that becomes noticeable when you’re fully committed in the canyons and asking the car to dance faster than it wants to.
More important is Aston’s revised throttle mapping. The accelerator feels sharper and more progressive, with much better response to small inputs. Combined with shift times cut by more than 50% and revised calibration throughout, the whole powertrain feels more reactive and more satisfying to wring out.
And yes, wringing it out is absolutely the point.
The DB12 S also gets stacked rectangular exhaust outlets at each corner, and the active stainless-steel setup delivers a deeper, richer note than the standard car. It sounds fantastic, less orchestra, more jazz drum solo. There are bangs, bass, and booming punctuation marks every time you lift.
My tester skipped the optional titanium exhaust, which saves 26 pounds and presumably makes even more glorious noise. Honestly, if you’re already writing this check, what’s another box ticked in the pursuit of waking your neighbors?
Inside, the cabin is gorgeous. Rich materials, excellent design, proper occasion.
But Aston, we need to talk about those seat controls.
They’re mounted alongside the transmission tunnel, right where your knee naturally braces during spirited driving. Push hard enough through a corner and congratulations, you’ve just adjusted your seating position mid-apex. It’s like the car is helping you discover new ergonomic settings against your will.
Please stop doing this.
The front seats themselves are wonderfully comfortable and supportive, exactly what a proper GT demands. There’s also a back seat, technically speaking. It may offer slightly more room than a Porsche 911’s rear quarters, but climbing out of it requires flexibility usually reserved for Olympic gymnasts and people escaping ductwork in action movies.
In a nutshell, this is exactly what a proper GT car should be: long, sleek, sexy, fast, and luxurious.
It’s romantic in a way few modern cars manage. It has presence, personality, and just enough imperfection to feel interesting.
The DB12 S isn’t merely excellent.
It’s wonderfully, gloriously Aston Martin.
— N
The last question comes from a fan who is thinking about buying a (well) used 2013 Dodge Challenger as her first car.
Q: Via Facebook:
Hey Nathan. Quick question, would you buy a 2011 Dodge Challenger as your first car?
I live with my dad and have been driving his 2019 Toyota Camry since I got my driver’s license. He doesn’t need it cause he drives a truck from the city. So I have been saving my pennies for my very own car. I don’t have to you know. It’s just like I kinda want to own something on my own and can give back my dad’s car. So I have been saving for almost two years and I found a local Dodge Challenger for sale for $6,300. It has 173,000 miles and is super clean. Like almost new! It has a V6 with the auto which is the only way my dad will let me get one. He said ‘no turbos, no V-8s and no manuals!’
If it runs good and doesn’t burn oil, is this a good car? The owner has all of the records and looks like they took care of it. It’s hard for me to say no Nathan!
LOL!
Thanks!
– Kendra S (My dad follows you all the time! 😉
A: Hi Kendra.
The only thing I would recommend is, after a good test drive to make sure you’re comfortable, take it to a mechanic. The Pentastar V6 is fairly robust, and many can go well beyond 200,000 miles IF they are properly taken care of.
Make sure the brakes, suspension and tires are in decent shape too. On a car this age, they are all failure points. Water pumps and batteries can be issues too. A good mechanic should be able to check the vehicle thoroughly is about an hour. It’s worth the $200 – $250 bucks or so. Additionally, make sure you look at the CARFAX.
Dodge Challengers are great cars, but some people find it difficult to see our of, or park. I would make sure you are comfortable with maneuvering and parking the vehicle. Try to me as logical about what you see: there are plenty of other ones out there.
Hope that helps!
– N
