The dictionary says that the word vanquish means ‘to defeat thoroughly’. Whilst the car that bears this name has some tough competition to beat, it seems appropriate when you discover the latest version of Aston Martin’s range-topping coupe in the flesh for the first time. Its looks will conquer your heart instantly, the sound of the motor on startup will make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up, and then you realise how fast it is. Any doubts about whether this car can live up to expectations have been completely ‘vanquished’.
In fact, whilst Aston Martin does make low volume hypercars that are an even rarer sight on the road, and even faster, the Vanquish is also a member of its own exclusive club now that there are very few front-engined V12s on the market. Ever-increasing emissions regulations have forced manufacturers to downsize or switch to hybrid power, sometimes strangling the character of the car in the process. This particular engine is a 5.2 litre twin turbo V12 producing 835 horsepower and a massive 1000Nm of torque. If you can imagine what 835 real horses would sound like galloping past you, that gives you some idea of the engine noise the Vanquish produces – deep, thunderous and signalling the kind of power that will take it to 345 km/hr, if you have the nerve and a spare runway.
That is considerably faster than the speed at which a commercial airliner takes off, which emphasises the effort needed just to keep it on the ground, especially as everything has been done to reduce weight. Carbon fibre bodywork is draped over an aluminium chassis and when you lift the bonnet the amount of carbon fibre componentry on display is impressive. A car such as the Vanquish, with this level of performance, is always fighting contrasting forces – it needs to be structurally solid in order to handle well at speeds, yet it also needs to perform its traditional role as a grand tourer that can convey its passengers over long distances in comfort. A front-engined GT is a different car from a mid-engined supercar but the Aston manages to work well in all its guises, even if it feels a little firm at times.
Its considerable length (4.85m) helps improve the ride though, and in the twisty bits the long bonnet leads the way with great poise. Handling is aided by a new electronic differential and, whilst 835hp is a lot of power to have under your right foot, it translates to speed on the road with greater ease than you might expect. A 0-100km/h time of 3.3 seconds is closer to hypercar performance than grand tourer, so you have to be careful about how quickly the view through the windscreen rushes towards you when you stomp on the loud pedal. Fortunately, carbon ceramic brakes are standard and the whole car feels dependable, as though it really was designed to do this rather than just glide around Monaco looking gorgeous. It will sell on its looks alone, but it can also walk the walk.
The Vanquish is a tactile and visual ownership experience. Aston Martin’s Q division offers thousands of ways to personalise your car inside and out, and most customers will happily spend thousands at this stage of the buying process. The exterior lines of the Vanquish provides a great starting palette on which to make your mark (Supernova Red paint with gold wheels is a favourite of mine) so you may never see another car just like yours.
Inside, there are some design elements that really set the Vanquish apart from the competition. The huge glass roof that stretches down to the rear window adds a whole new dimension in a sports car that might otherwise be rather dark inside due to its low, sleek shape. There are beautiful rotary dials on the centre console that are a pleasure to behold, plenty of actual buttons to press and a glass starter button to fire up the V12. These elements act as a compliment to the modern touchscreen interface but they also create a classy combination of modern and traditional design that works very well. It is almost Steampunk styling.
The Vanquish is essentially a two seater, although you can specify rear seats that would, in theory, make this a family car. In practice, there is only room for a soft bag and a small dog in those seats, whilst the boot can take a set of (Aston-Martin branded) golf clubs, allegedly. If you and your friends are all pretty short, it would be a nice option to tick as it means you get to share the thrill with more people. Alternatively, Aston will make you a beautiful bespoke luggage set to maximise the storage space behind the driver and passenger. Whatever configuration you choose, the quality of the materials and the design of the interior are right up there with the best in the world.
The pleasure doesn’t stop when you climb out of the Vanquish because you get to look at it again. The rear of the car, with its Kamm tail and seven ‘light blades’ on either side is particularly successful, whilst the sloping roofline is reminiscent of designer Ian Callum’s original DB7 of over thirty years ago. At the front, the huge bonnet is streaked with two shark-like carbon fibre ‘Thermo Louvres’ that aid cooling, whilst also managing to look very cool.
Aston Martin’s range-topping flagship is very desirable, as it manages to combine the appeal of a coupe with the performance of a hypercar and the luxury of a high end jeweller. If you are a buyer at this price level (starting at 389,000€ and probably closer to 500k€ after adding the malus and options), it means you can afford to choose from almost everything on sale today. And once you experience it, I think you’d struggle to not buy it. After all, V12 petrol engines like this might not be around for much longer. So, if you have the means, treat yourself while you still can, that’s my advice.
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Main photo by Richard McCreery, Monaco Life