(Motorsport-Total.com/Motor1) – The Monterey Car Week is once again the meeting place in 2026 for all those whose garages have more square meters than the houses of ordinary mortals. When collectors and enthusiasts gather on the California coast in August, Aston Martin is traditionally a must-have.
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The British use the 75th edition of the historic Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance to unleash their in-house refinement workshop “Q”. The result: a trio of specially made Aston Martin DB12 S, which delves deep into the motorsport history of the brand.
Because the inspiration for the three special models comes from the year 1951. Back then, Aston Martin’s factory team entered three DB2 race cars in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. These vehicles bore the British license plates VMF 63, VMF 64, and VMF 65. Each of these classic racers was also recognizable by its own striking radiator grille color. The Q department now picks up exactly this history and transfers it to the top models.
Black as a base, three colors as accents
This will be anything but an exclusive series, as the three new DB12 S VMF vehicles are strictly limited to exactly one example per color variant. The base color for all three coupes is a simple “Carbon Black”. The historical reference is only established by the colored details: VMF 63 comes with accents in “Rosso Red”, VMF 64 wears “Speed Yellow”, and VMF 65 relies on “Ellwood Blue”.
Visually, the vehicles stand out through painted radiator grille slats, start number circles with the number 75 on the fenders, as well as special carbon side skirts. At the rear, a painted Aeroblade and a wrap in the classic DB2 style complete the modifications.
Photo gallery: Aston Martin at the Monterey Car Week
Customization continues in the interior. The British provide the models with color-coordinated contrast stitching and a subtly embroidered DB2 silhouette on the front seat backs. The number 75 appears again on the rear seats, while the start-stop rotary switch and the ends of the shift paddles are also painted accordingly. Custom-made door sills further point to the historical inspiration.
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Aston Martin does not mention performance data or even a price in the preliminary announcement. So we assume that under the hood the 4.0-liter V8 biturbo of the DB12 S still rages with the usual output of 691 hp (508 kW) and a maximum torque of 800 Nm. In addition, the three individual examples have probably long since been sold to loyal collectors.
25 years of Vanquish
Besides the exclusive VMF trio, Aston Martin has another ace up its sleeve at the Monterey Car Week: the Vanquish 25 Special Edition. Exactly a quarter of a century ago, the original V12 Vanquish debuted. The new special edition, also designed by Q, picks up design details of the original Vanquish and combines them with modern craftsmanship. This model will also be built only in a strictly limited number.
The rest of the lineup for the brand’s clubhouse in Monterey consists of the current S range. Besides the DB12 S, the Vantage S and the performance SUV DBX S park on the lawn. The mid-engine hypercar Valhalla also makes an appearance on the West Coast. Those who are not among the handpicked guests can at least feast their eyes at the public “Astons On The Avenue” in Carmel-by-the-Sea, where the British line up historic and current sports cars.
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