How right its statement may turn out to be.
The new Vanquish has finally been revealed – and it’s described as the “most potent flagship” in Aston Martin’s 111-year history.
Officially launched in the picturesque serenity of Venice, a location full of history and heritage, the irony has been lost on nobody that the latest version of a certain heritage-rich engine was possibly interrupting the city’s peace and tranquillity.
However, we got an exclusive visit to see the car at Aston Martin Birmingham instead. This state-of-the-art new location in Solihull follows a £10m investment from dealer partner Grange, part of the Cambria Automobiles group. The striking new site, with a unique exterior feature wall, covers a total footprint of 1204m2 and has created 30 jobs. So, you could say where we saw the Vanquish was as impressive - in its own way - as Venice.
Anyway, in an era where plug-in hybrids and electric cars are starting to dominate, the famous marque from Warwickshire is hailing the rebirth of its legendary V12. 5.2-litres, a twin turbo and a staggering 835PS – yes, you read that last figure right.
As if that wasn’t enough, a 0-62mph time of 3.3 seconds, 1000Nm of torque and a top speed of 214mph – the highest ever on an Aston Martin production car – tells you all you need to know. Even the Pirelli-supplied tyres are made from a compound custom-made for the new Vanquish.
Its cylinder block and conrods have been strengthened, and the camshafts reprofiled. The Vanquish also has higher flowrate fuel injectors, and reduced inertia turbochargers help increase throttle response. A new Boost Reserve function also raises turbo boost pressure above what's normally required for any throttle position, aiding performance across the rev range. This also means that burying your foot to the floor will deliver full power quicker than before.
The car is rear-wheel drive and sits on 21-inch alloy wheels. It features an eight-speed ZF automatic gearbox and an 80-mm-extended wheelbase. While this adds weight, Aston Martin has countered this with a carbon fibre body to keep the mass to a minimum, although the car's structure remains bonded aluminium as before.
An electronic rear limited slip differential maximises grip from the rear wheels, providing greater agility and better control of oversteer. It also increases the car's rotation in corners, making for faster cornering speeds.
Furthermore, the Vanquish has brand-new dampers, which, according to Aston Martin, will ensure the ride remains firm but comfortable. It has a double-wishbone front suspension setup and multi-link at the rear. Carbon ceramic brakes are included as standard, too.
The expansion of the front grille – a feature of a handful of recent Aston Martins – continues on the Vanquish, with the familiar horizontal lines now dominating even more of its face.
The rest of the car's silhouette is unmistakeably familiar, including bulging shoulders above the rear wheel arches.
The tail end, though, looks busier and may not be to everyone's taste. A curved black carbon fibre strip wraps around the back, and taillights consist of thin blades on either side. The number plate sits low, flanked by two pairs of large, slightly squared-off tailpipes. A titanium sports exhaust is also available to further improve the noise.
The interior is gorgeous, as you’d expect. It houses hand-trimmed leather and looks fantastic. It has plenty of piano black surfaces and a menacingly authoritative centre console full of buttons, some of them touch-sensitive.
The infotainment screen is slanted diagonally, bridging the gap between the centre console and the dashboard, while thin air vents sit above the touchscreen.
A second screen - the digital instrument display - replaces the more traditional analogue dials behind the steering wheel. Meanwhile, a full-length panoramic glass roof ensures plenty of light so you can fully admire the cabin’s beauty.
A Bowers and Wilkins premium audio system will add more impressive noises to the car, assuming you’re okay with the V12 symphony being accompanied by actual music.
A plethora of safety systems will keep you safe, including automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, adaptive cruise control with stop and go, plus speed limit adaptation, traffic sign recognition, and front and rear cross-traffic assist. You also get lane keep assist, lane departure warning and lane change assist, as well as a 360-degree 3D surround-view system.
You had better have deep pockets if you want a Vanquish, though. Aston Martin only makes 1,000 of them each year, and the model will cost upwards of £335,000.
The Vanquish looks like it’ll live up to its name then, certainly as far as your wallet is concerned.