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2018 Aston Martin Vanquish S Spied, a 600 HP V12 Swansong Before Twin-Turbo Era

We may have shown you the 2017 Aston Martin DB11 and it AMG-sourced twin-turbo engines, but Gaydon won't let its Ford-supplied naturally aspirated V12 go without a bang. And you are now looking at that bang.
2018 Aston Martin Vanquish S Spied 11 photos
Photo: CarPix
2018 Aston Martin Vanquish S Spied2018 Aston Martin Vanquish S Spied2018 Aston Martin Vanquish S Spied2018 Aston Martin Vanquish S Spied2018 Aston Martin Vanquish S Spied2018 Aston Martin Vanquish S Spied2018 Aston Martin Vanquish S Spied2018 Aston Martin Vanquish S Spied2018 Aston Martin Vanquish S Spied2018 Aston Martin Vanquish S Spied
For an untrained eye, the test car we have here might seem like a Vanquish such as the one you can find in a showroom, but this is actually the prototype for an upcoming Vanquish S.

While that moniker hasn't been officially confirmed, the first Vanquish was also gifted with the sporty letter before being replaced by the current model.

Following the path of its predecessor, the 2018 Aston Martin Vanquish S features a number of styling tweaks, with the elegant details aimed at increasing performance.

The front air intake is now more generous, but you'll need to check out the rear end (it's an Aston, after all) to notice the greater changes. We're talking about the racing-inspired diffuser and twice the number of exhaust tips packed by the standard Vanquish, if we may call it so.

As for the now-senior 5.9-liter atmospheric V12 mentioned in the intro, the current Vanquish sees the engine delivering 568 hp. Nevertheless, as the Vanquish Zagato has shown, the British engineers can easily push the unit to 592 hp, while making its soundtrack even more delightful in the process.

This can be considered a naturally aspirated swansong. The company is entering a new era, one that sees the DB9-replacing DB11 borrowing AMG power (a 5.2-liter V12 and a 4.0-liter V8) and that will bring us the astounding AM RB 001 hypercar being created together with the Red Bull.

Dubbed the Second Century plan, the company's up-the-ante strategy will give Aston Martin its much-needed polish - for instance, when we drove the 2014 Vanquish, we couldn't ignore the dated cabin and the questionable interior and exterior detail fit and finish. Those were bits and pieces that, for instance, an also-imperfect Ferrari F12berlinetta had sorted out and it's a pity that such small things can affect the bewildering presence of a Vanquish.

So, instead of grieving the death of Aston Martin's naturally aspirated V12, those in the market for such a British Grand Tourer should work on their finances, as the automaker will have plenty of stunning machines to offer.
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About the author: Andrei Tutu
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In his quest to bring you the most impressive automotive creations, Andrei relies on learning as a superpower. There's quite a bit of room in the garage that is this aficionado's heart, so factory-condition classics and widebody contraptions with turbos poking through the hood can peacefully coexist.
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