Corboz says that Aston Martin has registered the name “DB12” as a trademark in the United States. The DB12, a redesigned version of the DB11 that has been on the market since 2017, is expected to be shown off this year. The DB12 was expected to keep its 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8 engine, but a 48-volt hybrid system could be added. An upcoming trademark application, first spotted by Corboz, suggests that an update to Aston Martin’s long-running sports-car series could lead to a new brand. Later this year, a new version of the DB11 with many changes is expected to come out, and the British car company has already registered the name “DB12” with the US Patent and Trademark Office. Lawrence Stroll, who is the chairman of Aston Martin, says that the Vantage, DB11, and DBS will all be updated in 2023. The new trademark seems to back up what Stroll noted: that the changes would be so significant that they would be like “all-new cars.” This would be the first time an even-numbered badge has been seen on an Aston Martin sports car from the DB series since the DB6 stopped being made in 1970. The update will have a new look and a more modern infotainment system. The touchpad layout will be gone, and it will be easier to tell this system apart from the Mercedes-Benz system it is based on. The DB12 will likely keep its twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8 engine, also taken from Mercedes. However, it could get a 48-volt hybrid system like the Mercedes-AMG GLS63. It must be clarified if the V-12 engine stays in the DB12. We’ll learn more later this year.
