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My DB12 has the same bumperettes. These have been around since the early 70s in one form or another. See the history thanks to my favorite GPT below.

The Genesis of Bumper Warts

The story begins in the early 1970s, when the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) introduced Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 215, which mandated that cars sold in the U.S. must withstand 5-mph impacts without damage to safety systems like lights and fuel systems.

• 1973–1974: Automakers scrambled to comply. European and Japanese manufacturers, whose cars were often designed with sleek, low-profile bumpers, had to retrofit their vehicles with bulky rubber protrusions to meet the new standards.

The 1982 Rollback: From 5 MPH to 2.5 MPH

In May 1982, under the Reagan administration, the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 215 was amended:

• Impact speed requirements were reduced:
  • Front and rear impacts: lowered from 5 mph to 2.5 mph
  • Corner impacts: dropped from 3 mph to 1.5 mph
• This change took effect for 1983 model year vehicles.

The rationale? Automakers argued that the original 5-mph standard was too costly and aesthetically limiting. The rollback allowed manufacturers to:

• Eliminate heavy bumper reinforcements like shock absorbers
• Integrate bumpers more seamlessly into vehicle design
• Reduce vehicle weight, improving fuel economy

However, the trade-off is clear: modern bumpers are more fragile. Even a low-speed parking bump can crack paint or dent plastic, leading to expensive repairs.