Takes the Super GT to a whole new level
Today, most automakers lack a certain level of trust in their customers to handle the performance of rear-wheel drive vehicles. Hence the widespread move to all-wheel drive, particularly in hybrid and electric vehicles, with so much torque readily available. But not Aston Martin, which under Lawrence Stroll continues its surprising commitment to building outstanding driver’s cars equipped with booming internal combustion engines.
Apart from the DBX SUV and the upcoming Valhalla hypercar, every model in the range is still exclusively rear-wheel drive, including the Vanquish, which returned this year as Aston’s flagship, with an incredibly powerful twin-turbocharged V12 engine paired with a rear-mounted gearbox for improved weight distribution and lightning-fast gear changes.
Aston plans to limit Vanquish production to just 1,000 units per year, including coupes and convertibles. I’m not a convertible guy and we’ve already tested the soft-top Volante at the First Drive event in New York. Instead, I logged a few hundred miles a day driving the coupe, carving in canyons and on the highway. As I returned the keys, I realized that this breathtaking combination of luxury and performance, power and presence was undoubtedly one of my highlights for the 2025 model year.
The new third-generation design gives the Vanquish less beefy muscle than before, as the overall size increases but the shape is reduced to slimmer, almost slender and sinewy, athletic proportions. In pictures, the Vanquish rides so long and low that it almost looks like it was photoshopped. And my rental car’s paint, a brilliant supernova red, really pops whenever light hits a surface, mixing the dark elegance of burgundy with a reddish oxblood and a touch of metallic flake at just the right angle. However, a nice gunmetal silver or dark forest green might help the rear blend in better, where a subtle ducktail continues Aston’s recent design language, but the flattened rear panel definitely stands out as a separating detail.
With a dry weight of 3,911 pounds, or just over 4,000 pounds fully loaded with driver, this low-slung grand tourer truly exceeds the definition of this category, pumping out an incredible 824 horsepower and 728 lb-ft of torque from the 5.2-liter twin-turbocharged V12. In fact, the torque figure is almost more important than peak power, as the mill simply delivers a hard thump at any rpm before building into a loud cacophony with a swelling turbo boost towards redline. The optional titanium exhaust—a $14,900 extra—reverberates in every octave, from deep bass to a snarling midrange bark to screaming fury at high revs before fading into a satisfying thrusting sound after each upshift.
Meanwhile, out back, the best dual-clutch transmission sans Porsche’s eponymous PDK gearbox handles shifts with telepathic urgency. The transaxle layout helps Aston distribute weight at 50.6% front and 49.4% rear, so pushing hard only adds to the predictability and confidence in the vehicle’s handling characteristics. Shortly after my first “fun” ride in Malibu, I began fiddling with the Vanquish’s sophisticated, adjustable traction control settings, hoping to unlock even more of the playful character that such a wide and flat chassis allows. At the fifth TC intervention level, small bumps and inclines in the road no longer caused ignition interruptions, allowing the massive 325-millimeter rear tires to simply carry on.
Once I had completely turned off the nannies, I continued to steam in wide arcs, directing a little with my right foot and curbing the exuberance with long, gentle counter-steering strokes. The steering itself never lacks precision, and the steering wheel’s resistance puts the nose right on the desired line with ease. Ultimately, I preferred the Sport setting over Sport+ because a certain electrical numbness sets in right at the edge on rougher roads. Fortunately, the excellent brakes and the rest of the chassis communicate enough with each other to compensate for that last percent of perfection.
Part of the great suspension, which flies over bumps and absorbs shock without sending harsh reverberations into the cockpit, is due in part to Aston’s cautious decision to stick with 21-inch wheels rather than go larger for pure style reasons. The Pirelli P Zero tires can therefore help smooth out rougher sections of road with sidewall flex before the electronically controlled shock absorbers do the rest of the cushioning. But the Vanquish also manages to maintain a fine line between body tautness and body roll, although it does allow for a little of the latter, all the more illustrative of where tire grip and performance work together to enable acceleration, cornering and braking.
Inside, the Astons have clearly come a long way in terms of quality – almost every surface and material offers satisfying textures and weight. Even the vanity mirror sliders on the sun visors are absolute works of art. And my tester was equipped with a brushed metal center console trim that Aston calls “Satin Dark Chrome Interior Jewelry” (for $2,700), although many of the keys are an unfortunate piano black. The rest of the switchgear adopts the sculptural metal and knurled knobs familiar from the Vantage, DBX and DB12.
At 6’2″ tall with long legs, I fit quite well and felt roomy in the knees and shoulders, in addition to plenty of headroom and legroom. The padded seats fit my thighs and torso perfectly and are upholstered in Q All Centenary Saddle Tan Semi Aniline Leather (part of the $10,900 Inspire Monotone Interior and $3,000 Contrast Welt and Stitch). And the $22,3000 carbon fiber 2×2 twill interior package gives the entire cockpit a more modern aesthetic
justified by this breathtaking performance.
However, on some of my favorite canyon roads, the Vanquish kept scraping the front splitter. Through sections where Ferraris, Lamborghinis and McLarens never travel, so I never tried to park in my driveway for fear I’d damage my nose. The design no doubt guarantees a front axle lift, and at this price of $530,500 with options over a starting sticker of $442,000, there should probably be the option to raise the nose a few inches, if only for mental peace of mind. After all, it’s always better to have a front axle lift and not need it…
I also had a few issues with the new Apple CarPlay Ultra infotainment suite and audio systems. The seat adjustment also caused a bit of frustration every time. Hopefully owners can set it and forget it, but the placement of the controls low and to the right of my right knee meant I had to lean forward a bit and use my left hand. I also hate a full glass roof on a sweltering summer drive and prefer a slick top for any coupe – ideally one with a nice double dome. If I want to see the sky and deal with the constant glare of the sun, there’s the Vanquish in convertible form – Aston Martin calls it Volante.
Of course, no car is perfect. But the Vanquish comes incredibly close. As impressive as Aston’s revised AMG V8 engines have become, the prospect of a V12 at the end of the combustion engine far outstrips it all. How long Aston can delay the transition to hybrid and electric vehicles, as well as that all-wheel drive system, is definitely lurking in the back of our minds.
It’s always hard for me to avoid James Bond references on Aston Martins, but after a week with the Vanquish I’m really hoping to see this big-screen shape in the next film, where the spectacular design and stunning performance could double as either a Bond or a villain car, depending on color choice.
Images: Michael Van Runkle
