Revealed: Aston Martin Vanquish roars back with 835hp V12

2024 Aston Martin Vanquish

Aston Martin has unveiled a new flagship V12 GT car, marking the return of the Vanquish nameplate for the first time since 2018.

With huge horsepower, plus the highest top speed of any series production Aston Martin, the 2024 Vanquish is a glittering halo model for the British marque’s range.

Read on to delve into the details of the reborn Aston Martin Vanquish – including that mighty V12 engine.

A new Aston Martin flagship

The 2024 Vanquish sits at the top of the Aston Martin GT range, replacing the DBS Superleggera.

Given its importance, the Vanquish has been treated to bespoke body styling to differentiate it from other front-engined Aston models.

Design boss Marek Reichman said: “Vanquish is an iconic halo model for our sports car portfolio and we’re always designing for beyond the expected, rational and thoughtful.

“We captured the immensity of its performance and the imperiousness of its intended purpose while tempering the drama of Vanquish with a rare and unmistakable sense of elegance.”

An elegant and toned physique

Underpinning the new Vanquish is a chassis that is extended by 80mm compared to the related DB12. This has elongated the car’s bonnet, emphasising the presence of its new engine.

A unique front bumper offers greater cooling than the DBS Superleggera, while matrix LED headlights provide a new lighting signature. The Vanquish also sees the first use of a panoramic glass sunroof in a V12 Aston Martin.

At the rear, the motorsport-inspired ‘Kamm’ tail features an integrated spoiler, along with an aggressive diffuser designed to aid high-speed stability.

A bespoke chassis for exceptional poise

Compared to its predecessor, the Vanquish boasts a 75 percent increase in lateral stiffness. This is aided by a new strut brace between the front suspension towers, which contain Bilstein BTX adaptive dampers.

For the first time, the rear-wheel-drive Vanquish comes with an electronic limited-slip differential as standard, designed to work alongside Aston Martin’s dynamic stability control. For those wondering, the latter can be fully switched off for track use.

Aston Martin says the electrically assisted power steering will offer ‘optimum precision and detailed surface feedback’, being speed-sensitive and only 2.27 turns from lock to lock. The new Vanquish tips the scales at 1,774kg.

Pushing the limits of V12 power

The Vanquish’s heart is a twin-turbocharged 5.2-litre V12 engine. With 835hp and 738lb ft of torque, it delivers the highest specific power output of any Aston Martin V12, at 160hp per litre.

The engine also boasts redesigned cylinder heads and turbochargers that spin 15 percent faster. A new ‘Boost Reserve’ function provides a quicker reaction from the blowers when full power is needed.

A ZF eight-speed automatic transmission is fitted as standard, with steering wheel-mounted paddles for manual shifts.

The fastest series production Aston Martin

That huge power, combined with aerodynamic styling, makes the new Vanquish the fastest series production model in Aston Martin’s history.

A top speed of 214mph propels the Vanquish deep into supercar territory, with 0-62mph dispatched in just 3.3 seconds.

For comparison, the previous Aston Martin DBS 770 Ultimate ran out of steam at 211mph.

Celebrating the V12 howl

Fitting a new V12 would be almost pointless without celebrating the sound of all 12 cylinders. To this end, Aston Martin will offer a choice of exhaust setups.

The Vanquish comes with a stainless steel exhaust as standard, which features four tailpipes. It is said to deliver a ‘range of frequencies and resonant behaviour that continues the Vanquish bloodline’s tradition of emitting a fabulous V12 howl’.

For those who want the ultimate in aural excitement, a louder titanium exhaust will be on the options list. As an added bonus, it also slices 10.5kg from the car’s kerb weight.

Just how ‘characterful’ the exhaust sounds can be changed via buttons on the centre console, selected independently from the car’s driving modes.

Forged wheels and carbon ceramic brakes

Aston Martin will equip the new Vanquish with 21-inch forged alloy wheels, in a choice of two designs and multiple colour options. Black and diamond-turned finishes are available, should the Satin Bronze seen here not appeal.

Bespoke Pirelli P Zero tyres are fitted, with acoustic foam inserts said to halve the amount of noise transmitted to the cabin.

A carbon ceramic brake setup sees six-piston callipers grabbing 410mm discs on the front axle. At the rear, four-piston callipers are combined with 360mm discs.

A true two-seat flagship inside

Unlike the original Vanquish, forget any ideas of 2+2 seating here. The new model only offers space for two people, with a different interior layout than the DB12.

The centre console has been lowered, said to give a ‘greater feeling of clarity, space and luxury’. Instead of traditional leather stitching, a chrome line runs across the dashboard, drawing the eye lower down into the cockpit.

Alcantara and semi aniline leather upholstery will be standard, but the ‘Q by Aston Martin’ service will offer plenty of scope for personalisation.

Latest Aston Martin technology included

The Vanquish becomes the fourth model in the Aston Martin range to feature the company’s new infotainment system, developed in-house. This combines a 10.25-inch central touchscreen with a 10.25-inch digital instrument panel.

There are, thankfully, still plenty of proper switches on the centre console of the Vanquish, along with Aston’s now-trademark illuminated glass engine start button.

Satellite navigation with 3D mapping is included, along with wireless Apple CarPlay smartphone connectivity.

Built for continent-cruising comfort

‘Sports Plus’ seats are standard, with carbon fibre ‘Performance’ buckets available on the options list. The seating position is deliberately set low, with scalloped door panels ‘ensuring the driver’s arms are not hindered during dynamic driving’.

Should owners want a break from listening to the V12 engine, the Vanquish has a Bowers & Wilkins 15-speaker, double amplified surround-sound audio system.

All of this should make for a hugely effective grand tourer, capable of rapidly dispatching long distances without issue.

2001 Aston Martin V12 Vanquish

The new Vanquish is the latest model in a lineage that can be traced back to the turn of the new millennium. The first-generation Vanquish was unveiled in production form at the 2001 Geneva Motor Show.

A 5.9-litre V12, also found in the DB7 Vantage, offered 460hp and 400lb ft of torque. Controversially, Aston Martin opted to fit a then-fashionable automated manual transmission, with no true manual gearbox available.

With 0-60mph taking around five seconds, plus a top speed in excess of 190mph, the original Vanquish delivered true supercar performance.

2004 Aston Martin V12 Vanquish S

The 2004 Paris Motor Show saw the launch of the Vanquish S, with a subtle redesign for Aston Martin’s flagship. A deeper front splitter was the most obvious exterior change, along with a larger rear spoiler integrated into the boot lid.

Upgraded brakes and revised suspension also bolstered the package, but the biggest difference was the V12 engine.

Although it remained a 5.9-litre unit, power now peaked at 526hp. This allowed the Vanquish S to reach a top speed of 200mph.

2004 Aston Martin V12 Vanquish Zagato Roadster

Aston Martin and Zagato have a long history of collaboration. The Italian design house revealed this Vanquish Roadster concept at the 2004 Geneva Motor Show.

A fully working prototype, the one-off Vanquish Roadster was later purchased by an American collector, who registered it for limited road use.

Despite the car attracting plenty of positive attention, however, Aston Martin never built a production Vanquish Roadster.

2021 Callum Vanquish 25 by R-Reforged

Legendary car designer Ian Callum was responsible for penning the original Vanquish. Following the launch of his own company (simply called ‘Callum’), his first project was to revisit and enhance the Vanquish.

More than 100 detail changes were made to the Callum Vanquish 25, updating the aerodynamics and thoroughly modernising its interior. The V12 engine received a boost to 580hp, too.

Production of the restomod Vanquish was capped at 25 examples.

2012 Aston Martin Vanquish

The first Vanquish bowed out in 2007, coinciding with the closure of Aston Martin’s famed Newport Pagnell factory. Some five years later, a brand-new Vanquish was launched, making use of the VH platform shared with the DB9.

A 6.0-litre V12 engine was now beneath the bonnet, offering 573hp and 460lb ft of torque. Stiffer and lighter than its predecessor thanks to extensive use of carbon fibre, the second Vanquish could reach a top speed of 183mph.

2013 Aston Martin Vanquish Volante

Unlike with the first-generation model, Aston Martin did not mess around when it came to releasing an open-top version of this Vanquish.

Announced at the 2013 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, the four-seat Vanquish Volante came with a triple-layer fabric roof and retuned suspension.

2016 Aston Martin Vanquish Zagato family

The 2016 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance saw no less than four coachbuilt versions of the Aston Martin Vanquish revealed, all designed by Zagato.

Coupe, convertible, speedster and shooting brake models were all shown, each one looking quite different to the base Vanquish. Limited production makes them among the most special modern Aston Martins.

2017 Aston Martin Vanquish S

Aston Martin was hard at work in 2016, unveiling a new Vanquish S at that year’s Los Angeles Auto Show. After the launch of a then-new DB11, the company had to ensure the Vanquish retained its top billing.

As before, the S version upped performance, with 600hp available from a bellowing 6.0-litre V12 engine. A new bodykit with plenty of exposed carbon fibre was also fitted, which helped to improve the car’s aerodynamics.

2019 Aston Martin Vanquish Vision Concept

The 2019 Geneva Motor Show saw the shock unveiling of a mid-engined Vanquish concept. Announced alongside the AM-RB 003 hypercar concept, the Vanquish was scheduled to begin production in 2023.

Designed to compete with the Ferrari 296 GTB and McLaren 720S, the mid-engined supercar would have used a 700hp V6 engine. A manual transmission was promised, too.

However, a change of ownership at Aston Martin saw the Vanquish concept canned, leading us to the new front-engined model announced today.

The next chapter in the Vanquish story

Speaking at the launch of the new Vanquish, Aston Martin executive chairman Lawrence Stroll said: “With the introduction of Vanquish we have crowned Aston Martin’s next-generation sports car portfolio. A true halo model in every respect, Vanquish makes an emphatic statement.

“It further delivers on our mission to create the most potent, most beautiful and most exciting cars in the ultra-luxury sports car market. As such, Vanquish is the truest of Aston Martins.”

Orders can be placed for the new Vanquish now, with the first deliveries to customers expected by the end of 2024. Aston Martin will cap production at a maximum of 1,000 cars per year.