Aston Martin reveals its weapons for 2026: a radical DB12 S and a 1,000-hp Valhalla AMR

The British brand is preparing for a historic year with two extreme models: a more powerful-than-ever DB12 S and a Valhalla AMR aimed at breaking Nürburgring records.

A 2026 loaded with British power and technology

Aston Martin has decided to look toward 2026 with an unprecedented offensive. On one hand, the new DB12 S will arrive as the most exclusive, powerful, and finely tuned variant of the elegant British coupé. On the other, the Valhalla AMR will make its debut as the most extreme evolution of the plug-in hybrid hypercar that already surpasses 1,000 hp–a model engineered to devour circuits and laser-focused on the absolute record at the Nürburgring. The Gaydon brand wants to make it clear that its sporting and technological DNA is living a golden era.

DB12 S: refinement, brutality, and a V8 pushed to 700 hp

The Aston Martin DB12 S lands as the highest-performance version in the range. Under the hood lies the famed 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 from Mercedes-AMG, now boosted to 700 hp and 800 Nm, figures that allow it to sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.5 seconds and reach 325 km/h. Its dynamics have been perfected with revised Bilstein DTX dampers, a reinforced rear anti-roll bar, new suspension geometry, and carbon-ceramic brakes that significantly reduce overall weight. Visually, it boasts a split front splitter, a fixed rear wing, and four stacked exhaust outlets, while the interior maintains the brand’s traditional British luxury with leather, Alcantara, and a multimedia system compatible with Apple CarPlay Ultra.

Valhalla AMR: a hypercar built to shatter lap times

If the DB12 S represents muscular elegance, the Valhalla AMR is a pure competition weapon. The prototype, spotted several times at the Nürburgring, debuts a deeply revised aerodynamic package with an oversized splitter, enlarged air intakes, redesigned headlights, and a spectacular hydraulic wing. Its plug-in hybrid powertrain combines a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 with three electric motors to exceed 1,000 hp, managed by a new eight-speed dual-clutch transmission and an electronically-controlled rear E-diff. Thanks to this setup, the Valhalla AMR delivers 0–100 km/h in 2.5 seconds, a 350-km/h top speed, and more than 600 kg of downforce at 240 km/h–numbers that allow it to target a sub-6:30 lap at the Nürburgring.

A key year for Aston Martin

Everything indicates that 2026 will be a decisive year for Aston Martin, both on the road and on the track. The DB12 S, scheduled for the first half of the year, will strengthen the sports range with its most forceful proposal to date. The Valhalla AMR, arriving in the second half, will push the brand to the technological and performance limit with the clear ambition of turning its hypercar into the fastest production vehicle on the planet at the Green Hell. Two launches that reaffirm the British brand is entering a new era–more ambitious and radical than ever.