- Aston Martin revives the Vanquish to serve as the flagship of the brand's sports car lineup.
- Also marks the return of the twin-turbo V12, now with 824 horsepower.
- Production is capped at 1,000 units globally per year, with deliveries beginning at the end of 2024.
We last saw the Aston Martin Vanquish in 2018; since then, the DB11, DBS Superleggera and then the DB12 have worn the brand's performance crown. But the top-dog Vanquish returns for 2025, as does the return of a ferocious 12-cylinder engine producing more than 800 horsepower.
Welcome back, V12
The heart of the Vanquish is a twin-turbocharged 5.2-liter V12 that produces an astounding 824 hp and 738 lb-ft of torque. That's nearly 200 hp and roughly 220 lb-ft more torque than the last V12-powered Aston, the 2023 DB11. It's also a ton of power to route through a front-engine chassis with a rear-wheel-drive layout. That might explain why the Vanquish is only slightly quicker in a 0-60 mph sprint. Aston says the Vanquish hits 60 in 3.2 seconds, compared to 3.5 seconds for the DB12 and 3.4 seconds for the Vantage, both of which use turbocharged V8 engines.
That is, if you're flooring it from a dead stop. If you want an extra boost of power while already driving, you could always zap the throttle and let the eight-speed transmission sort everything out. Or you could activate the new Boost Reserve function, which gives the driver an immediate shot of power. During everyday driving, the throttle flap position restricts the turbochargers' boost pressure; when Boost Reserve is active, the flap releases the pressure in reserve to provide more power right now. Massive carbon-ceramic brake discs measuring 16.1 inches up front and 14.2 inches at the rear (with six-piston front calipers and four-piston rears) help slow the Vanquish from its 214-mph top speed.
But the Vanquish isn't only about straight-line speed. Stiffness is the name of the game for the new model; Aston says a bonded aluminum chassis, a new engine cross-brace and additional strengthening materials give the Vanquish a 75% increase in lateral stiffness compared to the previous range-topper in Aston's sports car lineup, the DBS 770 Ultimate.
Aston's interiors continue to be a highlight
It should come as no surprise that this high-end GT's interior resembles those in other Astons and then kicks it up a notch. Every surface is coated in rich leather, sporty carbon fiber and machined metal. As renowned dino entrepreneur John Hammond might say, Aston spared no expense.
The Vanquish carries forward the button-heavy center stack from the Vantage and DB12, and after being trapped in the touchscreen-only hell of other high-end cars, the tactility is a breath of fresh air. There's still a 10.3-inch display, of course, with requisite wireless Apple CarPlay for smartphone connectivity. But physical buttons to press, knobs to twirl and toggles to toggle — this is true luxury.
Top-dollar sports cars aren't really the place to debut new advanced safety features, but automakers realize owners will want to protect their investment. The Vanquish comes standard with forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot warning, a 360-degree camera system and more. The only thing we don't see on the options list? A front-axle lift system. There's nothing we hate to see more than an elite grand tourer with a beaten-up carbon-fiber front lip.
Edmunds says
Long live the V12! Aston's new flagship revives the high-output engine for its production-series road cars, and we can't wait to hear its howl in person.
from Edmunds.com Car News https://ift.tt/3t6NcZX
