Aston Martin Vanquish Makes Glorious Return With New 824-hp V12
Hot on the heels of the new Vantage, here comes the successor to the DBS. More than an evolution of the latter, this brand new Aston Martin brings back a legendary nameplate: Vanquish.
Positioned above the DB12, which the company previously lauded as the world’s first “super tourer,” the 2025 Vanquish becomes the new flagship for Aston Martin. Accordingly, a fully re-engineered V12 is part of the mix.
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Eschewing the trend of smaller-displacement and electrified powerplants, engineers at Aston Martin are keeping the V12 alive and plan to do so at least until the next decade. What’s more, the new unit won’t be transferred to lesser models, thus preserving the special character and appeal of the latest Vanquish.
While still displacing 5.2 litres, the V12 shares nothing with its predecessor. Everything from the engine block to the turbochargers is new. Said turbos are not electrically driven but incorporate an overboost function. Compared with the DBS 770 Ultimate, output is increased from 759 hp to 824 hp and peak torque is now rated at 738 lb-ft instead of 664 lb-ft. Acceleration from 0-60 mph (97 km/h) is achieved in 3.2 seconds, while top speed is 344 km/h.
The 2025 Vanquish also makes use of an eight-speed ZF automatic transmission that’s mounted in the rear to help with the car’s near-perfect weight distribution (49-51). For the first time, the V12’s rear differential is electronically controlled. Elsewhere, two exhaust systems are available: the stainless steel one delivers a lower frequency and the titanium one produces a higher-pitched sound.
When it comes to the chassis, Bilstein DTX dampers from the DB12 are a key component of the suspension, while the 21-inch wheels are wrapped in Pirelli P Zero tires that were specifically developed for the Vanquish. Electronic stability control has been retuned, traction control offers eight levels of intervention (but can also be turned off) and carbon-ceramic brakes are included as standard.
Sexy and Timeless
All of the above is rolled up into a gorgeous package with carbon fibre body panels. Marek Reichman, Aston Martin’s Executive Vice President and Chief Creative Officer, says the new Vanquish embodies the brand’s past, present and future at the same time. One thing’s for sure, it has more presence and character than the Vantage and DB12 while integrating sophisticated touches like multi-element taillights that are invisible until illuminated.
The traditional vaned grille boasts a 13-percent increase in surface area over the DBS 770 Ultimate to aid cooling and the wheelbase is 80 mm longer for a more powerful stance and more stable handling. There’s a fixed glass roof up top, but customers can specify a carbon fibre roof that saves just over 10 kg (23 lb).
Moving inside, the environment is largely inspired by the DB12 and Vantage. Critically, Aston Martin designers have retained physical switches and buttons for the key mechanical operations of gear selection, drive selection, heating and ventilation. Meanwhile, the wide but low-mounted 10.25-inch touchscreen is integrated with the repositioned centre console and features full capacitive single- and multi-finger gesture control.
Deliveries of the 2025 Aston Martin Vanquish in North America are scheduled to begin by the end of this year or early next year. In Canada, pricing will start at $514,800 (MSRP). A Vanquish Volante convertible is expected to come at a later date.