The name Aston Martin DB12 is registered as a trademark.

Recent trademark applications suggest that an update to the Aston Martin DB11 model may include a new name.

A trademark application called "DB12", first spotted by CarBuzz, was filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) on March 17. According to CarBuzz, CEO Lawrence Stroll has stated that the updated DB11 model will be available in 2024. With the debut set to take place this model year, Aston said the existing model will be significantly updated to make it "like an all-new car."

Aston may be planning to give the updated DB11 a newer look by calling it the DB12 (the DB11 itself is for the 2017 model year), but it may just be trying to protect its intellectual property. In 2014, the automaker filed trademark applications in the United States for the DB10 through DB14; the DB10 name was used for a special car created for the James Bond movie Spectre, and the DB11 went into production as a successor to the DB9, but no other names were used.

These trademark applications helped Aston prevent other companies from copying their names. 'DB' was an abbreviation of the name of David Brown, who bought Aston from the original owners in 1947 and saved it from oblivion.

Aston mostly produced DB models in succession, but skipped the DB7 to DB9; the DB10 was a movie-only car, and for the first time in many years, Aston produced production models with sequential numbers.

Whatever the final name, spy shots show that the updated DB11 is likely to have a similar design to the current car. However, it is expected to get a redesigned dashboard with a more advanced infotainment system (the current version uses outdated technology borrowed from Mercedes), as well as Mercedes' current twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 and Aston's own twin-turbo 5.2-liter V12-cylinder. The 12-cylinder engine will also be fitted to the updated versions.

The updated DB11 could debut this year in time for Aston Martin's 110th anniversary. Aston Martin has said that the first of its next-generation sports cars will be unveiled this year. There are also plans for a limited edition called the DBS 770 Ultimate, which will mark the end of the DBS lineup, with new models planned for release in the coming years.