The all-new V-12 produces 824 hp and 738 ft lbs of torque.
The Aston Martin Vanquish is ready for its comeback. The British marque has just pulled back the curtain on the third iteration of the long-running nameplate. The powerful coupé will retake its spot atop the brand’s grand tourer lineup when it goes on sale later this year and offers up the best proof yet that the company is listening to its customers.
Earlier this year, company chairman Lawrence Stroll announced that Aston Martin was backtracking on a previous pledge to phase out internal combustion engine powertrains. The executive said it had become clear that a big part of the draw of its cars was the “sound and smell” of their potent gas engines, and, as such, the automaker was shifting its development focus from EVs to hybrids.
The new Vanquish, which is the first all-new model that’s been unveiled since Stroll’s comments, may not be a hybrid, but it does have one of those big ICE mills that the brand’s customers are so enamored with. The two-door is powered by an all-new twin-turbocharged 5.2-liter V-12 mated to a ZF eight-speed automatic gearbox. The engine can make a very impressive 824 hp and 738 ft lbs of torque, making it significantly more potent than the V-12 in the Vanquish’s predecessor as Aston Martin’s top GT, the DBS 770 Ultimate, which made 759 hp and 664 ft lbs of torque. Thanks to all that raw power, the Vanquish can sprint from zero to 62 mph in just 3.2 seconds and hit a top speed of 214 mph. The mill has also been designed and engineered to meet new stricter emission requirements.
“When you talk about some of those figures, in terms of the differences from the old [V-12] and the new engine, you’re not talking about 10 percent,15 percent, actually we’re talking about 30, 40 percent improvements in efficiencies.” James Owen, senior manager of vehicle engineering operations, told us in July. “Because the challenge is there, from a legislative [standpoint], to keep an ICE engine in production, we have to make those steps.”
Of course, performance is only part of the grand tourer equation. Fortunately, the Vanquish more than looks the part. The car’s body, which features more carbon fiber and has a longer wheelbase than previous Aston Martin GTs, is both sophisticated and powerful. It’s not a dramatic style departure by any stretch, but it’s also got more edge thanks to a shark-like front end, sculptural insets on the hood and side panels, and Kamm tail rear. It’s the kind of car that looks as comfortable parked at the country club as it does covering winding roads at speed.
Inside, the Vanquish offers all the luxury amenities that drivers have come to expect from the brand. The cushy two-seat cabins are covered in premium materials, like quilted leather. The space is equipped with an Aston Martin-designed digital gauge cluster and infotainment system, plenty of physical buttons and switches, and a standard glass roof (though a carbon-fiber upgrade is available).
The new Vanquish will be limited to just 1,000 units per year. Deliveries of Aston Martin’s latest flagship are set to begin before the end of the year. The powerful coupé will start at $429,000 (€388,000), which is about $10,000 (€9,000) more than the DBS 770 Ultimate cost last year.
