Aston Martin is responsible for some of the prettiest GTs of all time, but it’s worth remembering the British manufacturer had a bumpy ride over the years, changing owners extremely often ever since the early ‘70s.
Financially speaking, Aston Martin was in dire straits when Michael Jackson released Ease on Down the Road featuring Diana Ross. In order to survive in the long term, the company was purchased by Ford in 1987, a symbiosis that would last until 2007 when a consortium led by David Richards acquired the British automaker for £475 million (make that $925 million at that moment).
The first serious project under the Blue Oval’s leadership was the mass-produced DB7, which slotted below the hand-built Virage. Based on a modified Jaguar XJS platform, the DB7 is the first-ever Aston Martin penned by Ian Callum. He’s also the man responsible for the Vanquish, which flexes a free-breathing V12 borrowed from the DB7 V12 Vantage.
Manufactured exclusively at the historical Newport Pagnell site in Buckinghamshire with a great deal of hand assembly, the Vanquish was presented before a raving audience at the 2001 Geneva Motor Show. The most sophisticated and technologically-advanced Aston Martin in the marque’s history up ‘til then, the dignified grand tourer was only available as a fixed-head coupe. Production came to a halt in 2007 after a total of 2,589 examples were delivered with a somewhat jerky six-speed automated manual instead of a torque-converter automatic transmission.
We’re taking drive-by-wire throttle control and gearshift paddles for granted now, but when the Vanquish was brand-spanking new, those were a big deal for the British outfit and the automotive industry alike.
Inspired by the Ian Callum-designed Project Vantage concept that was publicly revealed at the Detroit Motor Show in 1998, the Vanquish features a light aluminum tub complemented by composite body panels. Offered in two-seat and two-plus-two configurations, the Vanquish further boasts a carbon-fiber transmission tunnel, carbon-fiber windshield pillars, a flat underbody, and a Venturi section at the rear to improve the car's aero.
Photo: Aston Martin
“The original Vanquish represented an important and timely development for our marque,” said Paul Spires, the president of Aston Martin Works, on the nameplate’s 20th anniversary. “It was, and is, a great super GT with all the character, style, and power that is rightly expected of an Aston Martin.”
Marketed with a 6.0-liter displacement although it actually measures 5,935 cubic centimeters, the V12 engine is rocking a 60-degree V angle and two cams per cylinder head. Much obliged to rev to 7,200 rpm, the wailing powerplant was originally rated at 460 horsepower (466 PS) and 400 pound-feet (542 Nm) at 5,000 revolutions per minute. Capable of hitting 190 miles per hour (306 kilometers per hour) and zero to 60 in 4.5 seconds, the Vanquish was upgraded in 2004 with more suck-squeeze-bang-blow.
Subtly revised from the standpoint of exterior design as well, the Vanquish S was advertised with 520 horsepower (527 PS), 425 pound-feet (576 Nm) of torque, and a top speed of 200 miles per hour (322 kilometers per hour). The Vanquish S also incorporated the goodies included in the Sports Dynamic Package for the Vanquish. The list kicks off with stiffer springs, quicker steering, and larger front brake rotors with six-piston calipers.
Come 2007, Aston Martin said farewell to the Vanquish S with the Ultimate limited edition. Only 50 vehicles were made available by special request to customers wishing to celebrate the ultimate iteration of a significant car.
Finished in a unique metallic shade called Ultimate Black, the Vanquish S Ultimate was trimmed in semi-aniline leather upholstery with coarse stitching. Personalized sill plaques with the car’s number, leather headlining, and black chrome fittings pretty much sum up the swan-song model.
Aston Martin revived the Vanquish nameplate in 2012 with DB9 underpinnings, and the Vanquish will be revived again by the British company in the form of a mid-engine supercar with a Mercedes-AMG V8. In parallel, Ian Callum and R-Reforged decided to improve every nook and cranny of the original Vanquish to create the supremely magnificent Vanquish 25.
“The Vanquish remains a proud part of the marque’s heritage which we celebrate at Newport Pagnell. It is an exceptional piece of our history, a car that we can rightly look back on with considerable pride,” added Paul Spires.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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