Compare the2026 BMW 8 SeriesVS 2025 Aston Martin DB12

The 8 Series’ pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The DB12 doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

The BMW 8 Series has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags help prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The DB12 doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The 8 Series has a standard PostCrash iBrake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The DB12 doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The 8 Series offers an optional Active Park Distance Control that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The DB12 doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The 8 Series offers all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The DB12 doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

Both the 8 Series and the DB12 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors, available blind spot warning systems, around view monitors and rear cross-path warning.

The 8 Series comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire car and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The DB12’s 3-year basic warranty expires 1 year sooner.

The 8 Series’ corrosion warranty is 2 years longer than the DB12’s (12 vs. 10 years).

BMW pays for scheduled maintenance on the 8 Series for 3 years and 36,000 miles. BMW will pay for oil changes, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Aston Martin doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the DB12.

There are almost 10 times as many BMW dealers as there are Aston Martin dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the 8 Series’ warranty.

The M850i’s standard 4.4 turbo V8 produces 40 lbs.-ft. more torque (553 vs. 513) than the DB12’s 4.0 turbo V8.

On the EPA test cycle the 8 Series gets better mileage than the DB12:

Regenerative brakes improve the 8 Series’ fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The DB12 doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

All wheel drive, available in the 8 Series, provides the best traction for acceleration in wet, dry, and icy conditions. In corners, all wheel drive allows both outside wheels to provide power, balancing the car. This allows for better handling. The Aston Martin DB12 is not available with all wheel drive.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires available on the 8 Series can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The DB12 doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

The 8 Series M850i has active sway bars, which help keep it flat and controlled during cornering, but disconnect at lower speeds to smooth the ride and offer greater off-road suspension articulation. This helps keep the tires glued to the road on-road and off. The DB12 doesn’t offer an active sway bar system.

The M850i offers an available active suspension system, which counteracts cornering forces actively, limiting body roll and improving handling and stability. Aston Martin doesn’t offer an active suspension on the DB12.

The front grille of the 8 Series uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The DB12 doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

Because it has more passenger and cargo room, the EPA rates the 8 Series Coupe a Subcompact car, while the DB12 is rated a Minicompact.

The 8 Series has 9 cubic feet more passenger volume than the DB12 (81 vs. 72).

The 8 Series Coupe has .3 inches more front headroom and 2.9 inches more front shoulder room than the DB12 Coupe.

The 8 Series Coupe has a much larger trunk than the DB12 Coupe (14.8 vs. 9.3 cubic feet).

The 8 Series’ standard rear seats fold to accommodate long and bulky cargo. The DB12 doesn’t offer folding rear seats.

With its coupe body style, valet key, locking rear seatbacks and remote trunk release lockout, the 8 Series offers cargo security. The DB12’s non-lockable remote release defeats cargo security.

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the 8 Series. The DB12 doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier, especially for short adults, the 8 Series has a standard power trunk, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button or just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, completely leaving your hands free. The DB12 doesn’t offer a power trunk, so its trunk has to be closed manually.

The 8 Series has a standard remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The DB12 doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

The 8 Series has a standard heads-up display that projects speed, tachometer, warning and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The DB12 doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The 8 Series’ power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The DB12’s cruise control switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

Laser headlights, standard on the 8 Series, produce their light by firing blue lasers through phosphorus, a process that uses one-half the power of the DB12’s LED headlights. Laser headlights can have double the range of LEDs with a much smaller surface area.

The 8 Series’ sun-visors swivel front-to-side to block glare from the side windows. The DB12’s visors are fixed into the windshield header.

The 8 Series’ standard rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The DB12 has an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

The 8 Series has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the car heater warms up. A heated steering wheel costs extra on the DB12.

For greater rear passenger comfort, the 8 Series has standard rear a/c vents to keep rear occupants more comfortable. The DB12 doesn’t offer rear vents.

The BMW 8 Series has a standard Homelink wireless remote control system for garage door operation and device management, conveniently located on the rear view mirror. Homelink® eliminates the need for separate garage door openers and associated risks of losing, breaking, or having dead batteries. Aston Martin charges extra for Homelink® on the DB12.

The 8 Series’ optional Parking Assistant Plus can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The DB12’s automatic parking system requires operating the brakes and transmission to safely park.

The BMW 8 Series comes in coupe, convertible and sedan bodystyles; the Aston Martin DB12 isn’t available as a sedan.

The BMW 8 Series outsold the Aston Martin DB12 by over 8 to one during 2024.