The Aston Martin DB12 S VMF trio brings 1951 race-car colors and bespoke details to Monterey Car Week for Pebble Beach’s 75th.

Aston Martin DB12 S VMF Colors Carry the Story

Aston Martin will arrive at 2026 Monterey Car Week with three DB12 S coupes created by its Q personalization division. All three wear Carbon Black paint, but each carries a different accent color and the registration identity of a factory DB2 racer: VMF 63 in Rosso Red, VMF 64 in Speed Yellow and VMF 65 in Ellwood Blue. The treatment gives the cars a family resemblance without turning them into identical triplets.

That restraint matters. Painted grille vanes establish each color at the front, while matching details appear on carbon-fiber side strakes. A “75” fender roundel marks the anniversary, and a painted carbon-fiber Aeroblade with a DB2 foil graphic finishes the rear. The modern DB12 S shape remains in charge.

The mechanical base is serious enough to support the history lesson. Aston Martin rates the DB12 S at 700 metric horsepower, or about 690 horsepower, from a 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8. The company claims a 3.4-second run from zero to 60 mph and a 202-mph top speed, while carbon-ceramic brakes, revised chassis tuning and model-specific aerodynamics distinguish the S from the regular DB12.

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The 1951 DB2 Racers Behind the Tribute

The three modern cars take their names and colors from DB2 competition cars registered VMF 63, VMF 64 and VMF 65. Aston Martin built the trio in 1950 for that year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans, then continued racing them through the early 1950s as factory and private entries. By 1951, their individually colored grilles helped give three similar team cars distinct visual identities.

That timing makes the idea particularly well judged for Pebble Beach. The first Pebble Beach Road Race and the first Concours d’Elegance were held together in 1950, with the car show initially serving as the more social companion to the competition. For its 75th running, the 2026 Concours will emphasize early sports racers and the event’s road-racing origins.

This is more than the usual heritage paint exercise. The original DB2s were working race cars, and the DB12 S is the sharper, faster derivative of Aston Martin’s modern front-engine grand tourer. The line from race entry to collector commission is unusually direct.

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Q by Aston Martin Turns History Into Detail

Inside, Q by Aston Martin repeats the red, yellow or blue identity without overwhelming the cabin. Contrast stitching coordinates with each exterior theme, Aston Martin wing logos appear on the front seats, and DB2 silhouettes are embroidered into the front seatbacks. Rear passengers see “75” roundels, while the driver gets a color-matched start-stop rotary controller and painted paddle-shifter tips.

Bespoke sill plaques complete the package and identify the DB2 inspiration. Those details are important because they make each car feel commissioned rather than decorated. A stripe and a badge can be added quickly; a coordinated cabin, historically specific embroidery and carefully repeated materials suggest someone has edited the whole car.

Aston Martin has not disclosed pricing or said whether the three DB12 S VMF cars will be offered for sale. That will matter to collectors because Q commissions derive much of their appeal from scarcity and provenance. Even without a price, the project uses history as a design brief rather than merely applying an old color to a current model.

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A Bigger Monterey Car Week Program

The VMF trio will sit inside a much larger Aston Martin presence. Astons on the Avenue will bring cars from the owners club to Ocean Avenue in Carmel-by-the-Sea on Wednesday, Aug. 12, while supporting the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation. Aston Martin will also participate in The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering, on Friday, Aug. 14, before the Concours on Sunday, Aug. 16.

Invited guests will have access to the House of Aston Martin near Poppy Hills Golf Course. Its display will include a historic DB2 alongside the Valhalla, DB12 S, Vantage S and DBX S. The original shape should make the VMF connection clearer than any plaque can manage.

The Vanquish 25 will also make its Monterey show debut. Q by Aston Martin will build 50 examples worldwide, split evenly between coupe and Volante body styles, to mark 25 years since the original V12 Vanquish appeared in 2001. It uses special Skye Silver paint, unique foil and metal details, anniversary badging and a cabin with model-specific embroidery and trim; first deliveries are planned for the fourth quarter of 2026.

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Why This Tribute Deserves Attention

Monterey Car Week has no shortage of costly cars wearing historical references. The VMF trio’s details reward a second look: colored grilles communicate the idea immediately, while registration numbers, DB2 silhouettes and racing chronology give enthusiasts something deeper to uncover.

There is also a useful discipline in creating three related cars instead of one overloaded special. Red, yellow and blue divide the story into distinct chapters, yet Carbon Black keeps the set visually coherent. Aston Martin could easily have buried the idea under commemorative graphics; instead, the best details appear to be the smallest ones.

For Pebble Beach’s 75th running, that balance feels appropriate. The Concours grew beside a road race, and these Aston Martins remember the competition cars without pretending to be them. They are modern, fast and lavishly finished, but their most interesting feature may be three old British registration numbers.

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