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Complete configuration comparison

2027 Aston Martin DB12 S vs. 2027 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class

TrueCar's market data shows buyers currently pay $253,040 on average for the Aston Martin DB12 against $108,574 for the Mercedes-Benz SL, a $152,100 real-world gap, matching its $152,100 MSRP-based difference ($266,000 against $113,900). The DB12 backs up its price with more power: driving.ca lists the DB12 at 671 hp and 590 lb-ft, while AutoPadre lists the Mercedes-AMG SL 55 at 469 hp and 516 lb-ft, a 202-hp gap. Choose the SL-Class for the far lower price; choose the DB12 for the extra power if the budget stretches to it.

Which to choose, and why

TrueCar's market data shows buyers currently pay $253,040 on average for the Aston Martin DB12 against $108,574 for the Mercedes-Benz SL, a $152,100 real-world gap, matching its $152,100 MSRP-based difference ($266,000 against $113,900). The DB12 backs up its price with more power: driving.ca lists the DB12 at 671 hp and 590 lb-ft, while AutoPadre lists the Mercedes-AMG SL 55 at 469 hp and 516 lb-ft, a 202-hp gap. Choose the SL-Class for the far lower price; choose the DB12 for the extra power if the budget stretches to it.

Price

TrueCar (opens in a new tab) says its market data shows buyers currently pay $253,040 on average for the Aston Martin DB12 and $108,574 for the Mercedes-Benz SL, narrowing the real-world gap to $152,100, matching the MSRP-based gap of $266,000 against $113,900.

Power

driving.ca (opens in a new tab) says the Aston Martin DB12 comes with a gasoline powertrain making 671 horsepower and 590 lb-ft of torque. AutoPadre (opens in a new tab) says the 2025 Mercedes-Benz SL 55 is powered by a 4.0-liter engine producing 469 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque.

Questions buyers ask

How much more powerful is the DB12 than the Mercedes-AMG SL 55?

driving.ca (opens in a new tab) puts the DB12 at 671 hp against 469 hp for the SL 55 per AutoPadre (opens in a new tab), a 202-hp gap.

How much cheaper is the Mercedes-Benz SL than the Aston Martin DB12?

TrueCar (opens in a new tab) says $152,100 cheaper on average, $108,574 against $253,040.

Side-by-side matrix

The published fields that can change the decision.

Aston Martin DB12 S: 1 records · Mercedes-Benz SL-Class: 4 records.
Decision fieldAston Martin DB12 SMercedes-Benz SL-Class
Exact EPA records14
Model / option labels14
Drive layoutsRear-Wheel DriveAll-Wheel Drive, Rear-Wheel Drive
Engines / propulsion4L 8-cyl SIDI2L 4-cyl SIDI; Mild Hybrid, 4L 8-cyl SIDI
TransmissionsAutomatic 8-spdAutomatic 9-spd
Fuel typesPremiumPremium
EPA classesMinicompact CarsMinicompact Cars
Combined efficiency17 MPG/MPGe16–23 MPG/MPGe
Electric rangeNot listedNot listed
Annual fuel / energy estimate$4700 per year$3450–5000 per year

Background on each vehicle

What public sources say about the Aston Martin DB12 S and the Mercedes-Benz SL-Class.

2027 Aston Martin DB12 S

The Aston Martin DB12 is a grand touring car produced by the British car manufacturer Aston Martin. The car was unveiled in May 2023 as a replacement for the DB11.

Source: Aston Martin DB12 (Wikipedia)

Design. The DB12 is a major technological restyling of the DB11 with touches of the DBS. Compared to that, the DB12 has a larger radiator grille, wider track widths and new LED headlights. It also features a redesigned interior and an all-new infotainment system, which can support Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

Variants. The DB12 features a 4.0-litre M177 twin-turbo V8 engine with a power output of 680 PS (500 kW; 671 hp) and 800 N⋅m of torque. The increase in performance is achieved by optimized compression, larger turbochargers, and improved cooling.

Recent recalls (2 campaigns across the latest model years)

  • January 2025, Back Over Prevention:Display Function. Aston Martin The Americas (Aston Martin) is recalling certain 2024-2025 DB12, 2025 Vantage, and 2025 DBX707 vehicles. The rearview camera image may be obstructed by the infotainment home screen menu when the vehicle is placed in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail… Consequence: An obstructed rearview camera image can reduce the driver's rear visibility, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
  • September 2024, Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Oil/Lubrication:Pipes, Hoses, And Fittings. Aston Martin The Americas (Aston Martin) is recalling certain 2024-2025 DBX707, 2024-2025 DB12, and 2025 Vantage vehicles. The engine oil cooler hose may split during vehicle operation, resulting in a loss of oil and oil pressure. Consequence: A sudden loss of oil and oil pressure could lead to the engine stalling or seizing, increasing the risk of a crash or fire.

2027 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class

The Mercedes-Benz SL-Class (marketed as Mercedes-AMG SL since 2022) is a grand touring sports car manufactured by Mercedes-Benz since 1954. The designation "SL" derives from the German term "Super-Leicht", which translates to "Super Light" in English. Initially, the first 300 SL was a racing sports car built in 1952 with no intention of developing a street version.

Source: Mercedes-Benz SL-Class (Wikipedia)

Open both dossiers

Resolve the exact engine, drive and EPA ID.

01 · 2027Aston Martin DB12 S1 configurations →02 · 2027Mercedes-Benz SL-Class4 configurations →

Comparison answer desk

13 answers for this exact pairing.

Q01Which is more efficient: the 2027 Aston Martin DB12 S or the 2027 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class?
Efficiency

The 2027 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class lists the higher combined-efficiency midpoint in this snapshot (19.5 vs. the 2027 Aston Martin DB12 S's 17 MPG/MPGe).

Source: FuelEconomy.gov current vehicle table
Q02How large is the efficiency gap between the 2027 Aston Martin DB12 S and the 2027 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class?
Efficiency

2.5 combined MPG/MPGe separates the 2027 Aston Martin DB12 S from the 2027 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class at the midpoint, a relative difference of 14.7%.

Source: FuelEconomy.gov current vehicle table
Q03Do the 2027 Aston Martin DB12 S and 2027 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class share any drive layout?
Drivetrain

Yes. The 2027 Aston Martin DB12 S and the 2027 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class both list Rear-Wheel Drive among their current drive designations.

Source: FuelEconomy.gov current vehicle table
Q04Do the 2027 Aston Martin DB12 S and 2027 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class share an engine or propulsion description?
Powertrain

Yes. The 2027 Aston Martin DB12 S and the 2027 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class both list 4L 8-cyl SIDI among their current descriptions, though shared wording does not guarantee identical output or calibration.

Source: FuelEconomy.gov current vehicle table
Q05Do the 2027 Aston Martin DB12 S and 2027 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class share a transmission type?
Powertrain

No shared transmission description between the 2027 Aston Martin DB12 S and the 2027 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class in this snapshot. 2027 Aston Martin DB12 S: Automatic 8-spd. 2027 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class: Automatic 9-spd.

Source: FuelEconomy.gov current vehicle table
Q06Do the 2027 Aston Martin DB12 S and 2027 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class run on the same fuel type?
Fuel

Yes, entirely: the 2027 Aston Martin DB12 S and the 2027 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class both run on Premium and nothing else in this snapshot.

Source: FuelEconomy.gov current vehicle table
Q07Do the 2027 Aston Martin DB12 S and 2027 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class use comparable propulsion technology?
Electrification

Yes, at least partly: the 2027 Aston Martin DB12 S and the 2027 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class are both categorized under Conventional in this snapshot.

Source: FuelEconomy.gov current vehicle table
Q08Which is cheaper to run: the 2027 Aston Martin DB12 S or the 2027 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class?
Ownership cost

The 2027 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class lists the lower annual-cost estimate midpoint than the 2027 Aston Martin DB12 S ($4,225 vs. $4,700).

Source: FuelEconomy.gov current vehicle table
Q09What is the annual running-cost gap between the 2027 Aston Martin DB12 S and the 2027 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class?
Ownership cost

$475 per year separates the 2027 Aston Martin DB12 S from the 2027 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class at the midpoint under EPA's standardized assumptions.

Source: FuelEconomy.gov current vehicle table
Q10Which lineup has more internal efficiency variation: the 2027 Aston Martin DB12 S or the 2027 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class?
Fuel economy

The 2027 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class spans a wider combined-MPG range across its own current configurations than the 2027 Aston Martin DB12 S does (7 points vs. 0).

Source: FuelEconomy.gov current vehicle table
Q11Are the 2027 Aston Martin DB12 S and the 2027 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class in the same EPA size class?
Dimensions

Yes: both the 2027 Aston Martin DB12 S and the 2027 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class are certified only as Minicompact Cars, so their efficiency figures are compared inside the same class boundary EPA uses.

Source: FuelEconomy.gov current vehicle table
Q12Which offers more certified configurations, the 2027 Aston Martin DB12 S or the 2027 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class?
Choosing a configuration

The 2027 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class, with 4 certification records against the 2027 Aston Martin DB12 S's 1.

Source: FuelEconomy.gov current vehicle table
Q13Which has more cargo volume, the 2027 Aston Martin DB12 S or the 2027 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class?
Cargo

The 2027 Aston Martin DB12 S, at a 9 cubic-foot midpoint against the other's 6.

Source: FuelEconomy.gov current vehicle table

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