More than a quarter of a century since writing the first chapter of its V12 story the third-generation Aston Martin Vanquish has been released. Hitting the mark as the most powerful, capable and desirable series production flagship in the ultra-luxury brand’s 112-year history.
Limited to 1,000 units per year that will be built in Aston Martin’s Gaydon facility in the United Kingdom, I couldn’t help but feel that this Aston Martin was just a little bit more special than those that I have previously driven. It is very pleasing that Aston Martin has committed to continuing its 25-year dynasty of V12-engined vehicles with this being the most powerful V12 engine yet seen from the brand in its core sports car range.
From a visual standpoint Vanquish receives an all-new front bumper, fender and grille design rendering a nose lift kit unnecessary. The new outer bumper vents channel air around the nose and cool air into the front wheel arches to assist with brake cooling. But the key to achieving such compelling presence of the Vanquish is an increased wheel base; the distance between the A Pillar and the front axle being extended by +80mm to lengthen the bonnet for a rakish and indulgent profile. The sculpted bonnet has F1 inspired thermos louvres to help cool the V12 engine, with distinctive headlights. One comment I received on Instagram about the Vanquish was, “I thought the first pic was an artwork”. In these photos the Vanquish appears as though its carbon fibre panels have been chiselled from the stone itself.
This 5.2-litre twin turbo V12 engine is only available in Vanquish and is hand built in Great Britain and this example had its final inspection done by Luke Wensley. The front mid mounted engine has water-to-air-charge cooling for the new higher speed turbochargers and delivers a maximum of power of 614kW at 6,500rpm and maximum torque of 1,000Nm between 2,500–5,000rpm. This is also the highest specific power output ever from an Aston Martin V12 engine at 118kW/litre. The new Boost Reserve function technology allows for even more reactive power delivery, particularly beneficial for overtaking manoeuvres as well as dynamic driving and the power delivery is simply lovely.
It goes without saying that, in Australia at least, you would never be able explore all the Vanquish has to offer on the road, so I for one would love to drive it on the track to appreciate how special the V12 engine truly is. The Vanquish will do 0-100km/h in just 3.3 seconds, but for Aston Martin the more important aim was how the Vanquish reaches its top speed of 345km/h.
Performance gains have also been found with the help of Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team technical partner, Valvoline, who have supplied the latest high performance engine oil for Vanquish and the fully synthetic engine lubricant is kept at its optimal operating temperature, helping to maintain optimum engine oil pressure in all situations. Combined with rear wheel drive, all of that power is an immense amount of responsibility under your right foot and I don’t think I fully explored the potential during my time with this magnificent coupe. My fuel use reflects this as I used a somewhat modest 16.1L/100km for my time with the Vanquish and the official combined fuel consumption is 13.7L/100km.
The illuminated glass engine start/stop button sits centrally within the centre console providing an engaging start procedure that has become iconic to Aston Martin. The initial hesitation when you push the start button delays the pleasure momentarily and then the V12 fires just in front of you behind the firewall, so you physically experience its power. Under hard acceleration you can feel the nose pitch up as the V12 unleashes its power and the fabulous V12 howl and turbos whistling before the soft-cut rev limiter kicks in at 7,000rpm between gear changes. This Vanquish was fitted with the optional Titanium exhaust system and it delivers the ultimate aural experience from the V12. It utilises a smaller muffler to give a clearer, louder and even more engaging V12 sound character whilst also achieving a 10.5kg weight reduction.
For the first time on an Aston Martin front-engined V12 sports cars, the renowned ZF 8-speed automatic gearbox has been paired with an electronic rear limited slip differential (e-diff). Affording near-limitless configurability and fully integrated within the Vanquish’s global dynamic control systems, the e-diff enables each drive mode to deliver a distinct character. The drive modes are selected by twisting the start button, with GT mode being the default delivering effortless comfort and speed. But you also have Wet, Sport, Sport+, and an Individual mode that allows you to adjust the Drive from Wet to Sport+, as well as the Exhaust, Steering, and Suspension.
The chassis has received a stiffer engine cross brace to provide greater torsional rigidity and lateral stiffness between the front suspension towers. This translates into improved mounting stiffness for the Bilstein DTX dampers; new to Vanquish and with a bespoke calibration, enabling more efficient damping performance and enhanced refinement. I only noticed the firm ride of the Vanquish on rougher roads and found for the rest of the time it was very comfortable.
As the marques flagship sports car, Vanquish features a Carbon Ceramic Brake (CCB) system as standard. Comprising 410mm discs on the front axle and 360mm on the rear, the CCB system offers increased braking performance, reduced brake fade at temperatures up to 800°C and a significant reduction in unsprung weight (-27kg compared to cast iron brakes), which also benefits ride quality and dynamic handling behaviour. My Vanquish had the optional bronze brake calipers and these contrasted well with the optional lower pinstripe finished in gold.
One of the most iconic design features of any Aston Martin is the distinctive side strakes and on Vanquish the only external feature that indicates what’s under the bonnet is the red ‘V12’ motif located on them. As standard the side strake is finished in bright chrome standing out from the gloss black side infill panel, but this can be customised like this Vanquish, as part of the optional exterior upper packs.
These wheels are also lighter than previous Aston Martin 21” rims and this Vanquish is fitted with the optional Multi Spoke Wheels finished in Satin Black and wrapped in bespoke Pirelli P Zero AML tyres 325/30 ZR21 (108Y) on the rear and 275/35 ZR21 (103Y) on the front. The broad rear arches stretch over the wheels and wrap around the rear-end with its full-width diffuser that manages low-pressure airflow beneath the car for improved high-speed stability. The Kamm Tail with integrated decklid spoiler also provides aerodynamic balance front to rear.
A pure styling element of the rear-end is the ‘Shield’, which has been designed to appear as though it is floating at the rear of the car. This statement panel proudly displays the Aston Martin wordmark and I like the shield on this Vanquish finished in carbon fibre as this was one feature, I wasn’t sure about when I saw the Vanquish at the launch, which had a shield finished in the body colour. The rear taillights also deserve a special mention as they look like rubies sparkling in the sky at a certain angle.
As you grasp the solid feeling key fob, you can feel the weight in your hands as well as your heart as you approach Vanquish. Touch the flush door handle and it releases, allowing you to open the unique Aston door that swings slightly upwards to prevent scrapes, and then you step inside the stunning Vanquish cabin.
The interior utilises a blend of materials to create sections with bold visible lines to boost the feeling of luxury and quality. Regardless of jewellery pack specification, this Vanquish has Dark Chrome, a subtle bright chrome horizon line replaces a traditional stitch line across the dashboard. This optional interior with carbon fibre with metal fibres running through it added to the special feeling I felt when driving this Vanquish. With the carbon, metal and leather finishes used throughout the cabin, these real natural resources echo the rawness of V12 the engine under the bonnet.
Another unique feature of the Vanquish is the fixed panoramic sunroof that has been tinted to allow 6% light transmission and uses a low-e coating to protect occupants from harmful UV-A and B rays, so the need for a traditional blind is negated to ensure the sense of space and speed can be enjoyed at all times.
As with most Astons every surface you can see is covered in leather, and probably most you can’t see as well, because you can hear the leather-on-leather rubbing and the cabin is filled with its lovely aroma. This interior is the optional Inspire – Duotone with Onyx Black – Semi Aniline/Oxford Tan – Semi Aniline leather and some of my favourite features were the cargo cover, the smooth operating vanity mirror covers and the leather lined shallow door cubbies. Even my feet felt spoiled thanks to the optional heavy pile floor mats in this Vanquish.
Both seats have powered adjustment for recline, forward/back, side bolster support and four-way lumbar control with three memory positions. The driver’s seat also has front and rear seat height/tilt adjustment and if I lowered the seat down into my preferred seating position, I couldn’t actually see over the front of the bonnet. The seat controls are located on the side of the transmission tunnel for easy access, so you don’t need to fiddle with controls on the side of the seat. The seats are also heated and cooled and both functions work well although the cooling was a little noisy while operating.
In an era of technology where touchscreens can dominate vehicle interiors, Vanquish continues to blend technology with tactile surfaces that retain the feeling of luxury. The fully digital 10.25” driver display has been designed to deliver information with maximum clarity and offers custom display configurations. This digital element is contrasted with the smooth leather steering wheel with powered adjustment, and heating on my Vanquish. Using the steering wheel mounted carbon fibre paddle shifters to ‘manually’ change the gears the Vanquish felt aggressive under hard acceleration.
The 10.25” touchscreen system provides user control for all infotainment, climate and general vehicle settings and is well balanced with the tactility of solid metal rotary dials, rollers and exposed fixings which are cold to the touch. These physical switches and buttons are retained for the key mechanical operations of gear selection, drive selection, heating and ventilation. There are also override switches for Chassis, ESP and Exhaust, Lane Assist and Park Distance Control, ensuring the most used controls can be operated intuitively and without the need to take your eyes off the road.
Vanquish is the fourth model to feature Aston Martin’s next-generation infotainment, an entirely bespoke system and developed in-house from scratch, following its first introduction on DB12, Vantage and DBX707. It may still need some further tweaking as the wired Android Auto did drop out on me a couple of times and then would not auto reconnect until I stopped and restarted the Vanquish. The voice control worked well for me though for making phone calls, changing the radio station, and setting a destination on the sat nav. In the slim cubby under the arm rest there’s a cooled wireless phone charger, two USB-C ports, and one 12V socket.
It is only fitting that Vanquish is equipped with the very best audio system from Aston’s audio partners Bowers & Wilkins, as standard. Seamlessly integrated and expertly tuned for the Vanquish, the 15-speaker, double amplified surround sound system delivers the most enthralling sound experience, but it’s still pales into insignificance compared to the symphony from the V12 engine if you ask me.
There are multiple storage ledges behind the seats for your handbag or you can order a luggage set that has been tailored to maximise the available space. The boot is a good size with cut outs behind the wheel arches and there are straps to secure your umbrella. The power assisted boot can be opened using the buttons externally, in the cabin and on the key fob to release it. There are two storage cubbies at the back of the boot area with one containing the tyre repair kit.
The Vanquish is fitted with a suite of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) including Forward Collision Warning, Autonomous Emergency Braking, Adaptive Cruise control with Stop & Go function, Lane Departure Warning, Lane Keep Assist, Blind Spot Monitoring, Rear Cross Traffic Assist, and Traffic Sign Recognition. You can adjust driver assistance as well with Full Assistance engaging all safety or a custom mode that allows you to turn on/off all safety features except the autonomous emergency braking. For convenience you also get front and rear cameras and a 360-degree view camera with 360-degree parking sensors because you really would cry if you dinged those wheels. Plus, auto matrix headlamps, auto wipers, and auto high beam.
All new Aston Martin vehicles come with a three-year unlimited kilometre with roadside assistance and an extended warranty can also be purchased. The service interval for Astons is every 12 months or 16,000km whichever occurs first and a major service is completed every four years.
Vanquish customers can explore endless bespoke and customisation possibilities via the Q by Aston Martin personalisation service. Enlisting the skills of Q’s designers and crafts people, customers take an unforgettable personal commissioning journey that can encompass everything from a single small distinguishing detail to full-scale engineering and production of entirely bespoke components to create a true one-off like this Vanquish, which is finished in Q – special paint called Oberon Black, and is among a long list of optional extras on this Vanquish.
Pricing for the Aston Martin Vanquish Coupe start at $737,000 excluding on road costs and as tested this unique Vanquish was $940,250 excluding on roads. You can configure your Vanquish Coupe online or visit your nearest Aston Martin dealer for more information.
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| Pros | Cons |
| The V12 engine performance | You can’t utilise all of the power on public roads |
| The cabin finish and details | The Android Auto dropped out |
| Most driver safety aids can be turned off | The cooled seats were a little noisy when operating |
Photographs by Driven Women Magazine.