Aston Martin Vanquish

Generations at a glance

From the first car to the third, power rose by 271 kW, which by our calculation is an increase of 79 %.

First generation: Ian Callum's design (2001–2007)

The Vanquish began as Project Vantage, a concept shown at the Detroit motor show in January 1998. The production car, designed by Ian Callum, appeared at the Geneva Motor Show in 2001. Its chassis combined bonded aluminium with a carbon-fibre backbone, developed with Lotus, which made it advanced for a hand-built British GT.

The 5.9-litre V12 produced 343 kW (466 PS) and 542 Nm. Instead of a conventional manual, it used a six-speed automated manual gearbox with paddle shifters and an electro-hydraulic clutch. The car reached 306 km/h, and Aston Martin quoted 0–60 mph in 4.6 seconds. The cabin kept traditional touches, such as a starter button and analogue clocks, among aluminium trim.

The Vanquish S followed at the Paris Motor Show in 2004. Its engine produced 388 kW (527 PS) and 578 Nm, lifting top speed to 322 km/h and cutting 0–60 mph to 4.2 seconds. Production totalled 1,492 Vanquish and 1,086 Vanquish S cars. The last 50 were the Vanquish S Ultimate Edition, and production ended on 19 July 2007, when the Newport Pagnell factory closed after 49 years.

In 2002 the car played a starring role in the James Bond film Die Another Day. Callum's firm later offered the Vanquish 25 by R-Reforged, a restoration and upgrade of 25 first-generation cars with 432 kW (588 PS).

Second generation: carbon body and VH platform (2012–2018)

The second Vanquish was previewed by the Project AM310 concept at the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este in 2012. Designed by Marek Reichman and built at Gaydon, it used the VH platform of the Aston Martin DB9, but every body panel was made of carbon fibre.

Its 5.9-litre V12 delivered 421 kW (573 PS) at 6,750 rpm and 620 Nm. The kerb weight was 1,739 kg, 0–100 km/h took 4.1 seconds and top speed was 295 km/h. A six-speed Touchtronic II automatic was fitted at first, and the eight-speed Touchtronic III arrived for the 2015 model year. It was the first Aston Martin with launch control.

The Volante convertible came in 2013. The Vanquish S, announced on 16 November 2016, raised output to 444 kW (603 PS), with 0–100 km/h in 3.5 seconds and 324 km/h. More than 4,200 second-generation cars were built before the DBS Superleggera replaced the model in 2018.

Third generation: twin-turbo V12 (2024–)

Aston Martin brought the name back on 2 September 2024. The new Vanquish has a 5.2-litre twin-turbo V12 with 614 kW (835 PS) and 1,001 Nm, driving the rear wheels through an eight-speed ZF automatic. It reaches 100 km/h in 3.2 seconds and has a top speed of 344 km/h. It is the fastest Vanquish so far.

The structure is an extended bonded aluminium frame, with a Kamm tail at the rear. The coupé weighs 1,774 kg. The Vanquish Volante followed on 25 March 2025: it weighs 1,869 kg, needs 3.4 seconds to 100 km/h and keeps the same top speed. Production is limited to fewer than 1,000 cars a year.

By our calculation, the 2012 coupé carried 4.13 kg per kW, while the 2024 coupé carries 2.89 kg per kW. That is roughly the gap between a fast GT and a supercar.

Concepts and one-offs: Zagato roadster and Vision concept

Aston Martin and its partners also built special versions. A one-off Vanquish Zagato Roadster was shown in 2004 on the first-generation car. For the 2018 model year, twelve Tom Brady Signature Edition Volantes were made. The Vanquish Vision concept of 2019, a mid-engined car with a 3.0-litre V6, was meant to fight the Ferrari F8 Tributo and McLaren 720S in 2023, but the project was cancelled.

Cabin, practicality and running costs

All three generations are long-bonnet coupés with two seats or a 2+2 layout, depending on version and market. The rear seats in the 2+2 cars are only for children or bags. Boot space is small, so the Vanquish suits touring for two rather than family use.

Running costs match the V12: fuel use is high, and the early automated manual gearbox needs a specialist who understands its clutch. No Vanquish has been tested by Euro NCAP, which is usual for low-volume sports cars. To see how a Vanquish compares on power and weight with any other GT, use the 1cars comparison tool, and browse the 1cars rankings for the fastest and most powerful cars.

Rivals from Ferrari and Bentley

The Ferrari is sharper on a circuit, while the Bentley is heavier and has four usable seats. The Vanquish sits between them as a two-door GT with a strong sporting edge.