The 214-MPH Aston Martin Vanquish Is British Automaker’s Fastest GT Yet
“All will be vanquished.”
Aston Martin’s great grand touring legacy continues with the next-gen Vanquish, introduced with the aggro tagline, “All will be vanquished.” The flagship front-engine supercar’s initial 2004 debut was greeted with higher-than-usual visibility thanks to its starring role in Die Another Day—the final Pierce-Brosnan-led James Bond movie—and two decades of performance automobile evolution have raised expectations significantly.
This third Vanquish generation’s 824-horsepower 5.2-liter V12 comes close to doubling the original’s 460-horsepower rating and significantly improves over the 595-hp rating that came with the final version of the second-gen Vanquish, which reigned from 2012 to 2018.
Aston is bucking trends by eschewing supplemental power from a hybrid system, instead opting for a pure ICE…for now. Alex Long, head of Aston Martin’s product and marketing division, told Car and Driver, “The engine will see us at least until the end of the decade. It’s an engine for today, but it’s also one we can further evolve.” Conceivably, a further evolution could mean the addition of electric motors to the axles. But for now, the V12 gets the spotlight. It’s “a new engine from the ground up,” James Owen, senior manager of vehicle engineering operations, added in a statement to C&D. “There is nothing that is carried over [from the previous V-12]. It’s got a new block, new heads, new intakes, new exhaust ports, new turbos.”
Blistering performance ensues. The 214-mph top speed is the highest achieved by any Aston-badged GT, while 60 mph comes in a claimed 3.2 seconds followed by 100 mph in 6.2 seconds. And just as the 12-pot formula remains, so does Aston’s quintessential design language. The alluring elongated shape comes from a stretched wheelbase that increases distance between the A Pillar and front axle. The fastback-like, drag-reducing Kamm Tail—an feature famously used on the the classic DB6 and reinstated on the special-edition Valour—is accentuated by a powerful shield panel embossed with the name “Aston Martin” and flanked by futuristic new LED light blades from the Valkyrie hypercar. New to the Vanquish is a panoramic roof and a grille offering a 13 percent more surface area over that of the outgoing DBS 770.
Like the DB12 and Vantage, Vanquish is built around a bonded aluminum body structure with double-wishbone front suspension and multi-link rear suspension. Power is delivered through a ZF eight-speed automatic, but for the first time, that transmission is paired with an electronic rear limited slip differential, as opposed to a mechanical limited slip differential. In theory, the e-diff will work with the Aston’s computer to make power delivery adjustments in milliseconds, thereby greatly improving agility when cornering. This, in combination with Pirelli tires engineered specifically for the Vanquish, could translate to one of the most drivable V12-powered cars on the market.
Speaking of the new Vanquish, Aston Martin Executive Chairman Lawrence Stroll said, “With the introduction of Vanquish we have crowned Aston Martin’s next-generation sports car portfolio. A true halo model in every respect, Vanquish makes an emphatic statement. One that further delivers on our mission to create the most potent, most beautiful and most exciting cars in the ultra-luxury sports car market. As such Vanquish is the truest of Aston Martins. Immaculately designed and impeccably engineered it sets extraordinary new standards of performance, style and luxury for a new generation of connoisseurs.”
Priced from $429,000, the new Aston Martin Vanquish will hit dealerships by the end of 2024.
