Vanquish
Vanquish

Vanquish

VH310  (2012 - 2016)

2013MY, 2014MY, 2015MY, 2016MY

The 'new' Vanquish was announced formally on the 20th June 2012 as the flagship or 'halo car' of the 'regular' AM car range, as opposed to the super exclusive cars such as the One-77 and V12 Zagato. The Vanquish, which replaces the outgoing DBS and is described as the ultimate Super Grand Tourer. It is now obvious that the Project AM310, shown a few weeks previously at Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d'Este was indeed exactly the same car although with arguably less flattering red coachwork.

Vanquish

The body is a significant and deeply sculpted evolution of the DB9/DBS/Virage line with many design queues from the One-77. It sits on a skirt of exposed carbonfibre which is also a nod to it being the first series production Aston with all the outer body panels formed of carbonfibre. Of special note is the rear wing or ‘Aero Duct’ as AML call it on the rear boot lid, plus the elongated side strakes and LED rear light blades both influenced by the One-77.

The V12 engine, with the codename AM11,  still displaces 5935 cc but has been totally re-engineered with double variable valve timing, new heads, fully machined combustion chamber, bigger inlet valves and throttle bodies, and new ‘big wing’ manifolds. This has launched the power output from 510 bhp, (DBS and V12 Vantage) to 565 bhp and torque up by an additional 30lb ft across the rev range. The engine is mounted 19 mm lower in the chassis, principally to provide greater bonnet clearance in impacts with pedestrians, but usefully drops the centre of gravity of the car by 10mm. Power is transmitted to the rear wheels by an aluminium torque tube and carbon fibre prop shaft transferring power to the latest version of the ZF six speed Touchtronic 2 automatic gearbox. This was chosen above a traditional manual or automated manual as the Vanquish is principally a GT car rather than out-and-out sportscar. The early cars had a top speed is 183 mph with brisk acceleration to 62mph in only 4.1 seconds. The new AM11 engine also featured lower CO2 emissions and improved fuel economy.

The Vanquish is based on a revised and stiffer 4th generation (Gen4) VH architecture, the tub has evolved to be a carbon and bonded aluminium hybrid along with a new design of engine brace, improved anodising and bonding which has increased structural stiffness by 30%. Indeed, the evolution of the VH architecture is 75% brand new. Despite being a shade longer, wider and taller than the outgoing DBS, the Vanquish is, at 1739 kg, 56 kg lighter than the car it repalced.

The interior has received the total redesign, not dissimilar to the One-77, in an effort to bring it right upto date but also to physically increase space for passengers. The prominent centre stack is beautifully formed with brand new B&O audio, navigation, telephone and ventilation controls. The Vanquish has been made more spacious, principally by moving the facia 20mm away from the occupants and reducing it’s volume. This has liberated more legroom and knee room and by mounting the doors higher, has made more elbow and shoulder room too. Just like the original V12 Vanquish, the new version is available as a 2+0 or optional 2+2 seating. In addition, the boot has been made significantly larger too, a massive 60% larger than the outgoing DBS.

Deliveries began for UK and continental European customers towards the end of 2012, with a UK listed price from £189,995. From 2013, the Vanquish was also available with bespoke enhancements from ‘Q by Aston Martin’.

Announced in August 2014, the 2015MY Vanquish may look virtually the same as the previous model year but under the carbon coachwork the changes are most significant. The most significant update has been the adoption of a new 8 speed gearbox by ZF, the Touchtronic III which allows for gearchanges in as little as 130 m/s. Also the engine, now to AM29 spec has been revised with a little more power and torque but incredibly less emissions and better fuel economy due to the new Bosch engine management system. Quoted top speed rose to 201 mph and the 0 to 60 acceleration times dropped to just 3.6 seconds mostly due to a final drive ratio of 2.73:1. Aston Martin engineers also worked to produce an all-new torque tube to transfer power from the AM29 engine to the Touchtronic III gearbox. It’s unique new outer case design produced a 2kg weight saving whilst reducing driveline noise and vibration felt by passengers.

  • Body/Coachwork:
    • Two door body style with tailgate and 2 sports seats

    • Extruded bonded aluminium and Carbon-fibre VH body structure
    • Carbon-fibre body panels
    • Cast-magnesium door structures
    • Single bi-xenon headlamps with integrated LED side lights and direction indicators
    • LED light blade tail-lamps
    • Exposed Carbon-fibre splitter, diffuser and sill blade
    • Powerfold exterior heated mirrors
    • Front and rear parking sensors
    • Titanium bonnet and side strake meshes, optional Magnum Silver or Black Mesh finish
    • Bright aluminium front grille, optional Black vaned grille
    • Chrome side strakes, optional exposed Carbon-fibre side strakes
    • Chrome tailpipe trim, optional Black textured tailpipe
    • Optional exposed Carbon-fibre roof panel
    • Optional Exposed Carbon-fibre door mirror caps
    • Optional exposed Carbon-fibre door handles
    • Optional rear parking assist camera, later made standard
  • Interior:
    • Full-grain Luxmil leather interior
    • Alcantara headlining
    • Electrically operated front seats with side airbags
    • Memory front seats and exterior mirrors (three memory positions)
    • 2+0 seating configuration with flexible rear environment storage, optional 2+2 seating
    • Satin chrome jewellery pack, optional Shadow Bronze jewellery pack
    • Cruise control
    • Tyre pressure monitoring
    • Alarm and immobiliser
    • Remote-control central door locking and boot release
    • Automatic temperature control
    • Heated front seats
    • Curtain side head airbag
    • Dual stage driver and passenger front airbags
    • Pelvis and thorax seat mounted airbags
    • Seat belt dual-pretensioners and digressive load limiters
    • Trip computer
    • Cobra Tracking device (standard in UK only, optional elsewhere)
    • Laminated windscreen with clear noise-insulation layer
    • Glass ECU, second glass ECU optional
    • Heated rearscreen
    • Black gearshift paddles with colour keyed leather trim, optional Full Carbon-fibre gearshift paddles
    • In Car Entertainment, Infotainment system (AMi) with capacitive switching
    • From 2016MY, Infotainment system (AMi III) with capacitive switching
    • 1000W Bang & Olufsen BeoSound 13-speaker audio system
    • Garmin satellite navigation system 2
    • 6.5” LCD Screen
    • iPod® and iPhone® integration and USB playback 4
    • Satellite radio system (USA only)
    • AM/FM radio 1
    • A2DP Bluetooth® audio and phone streaming
    • Optional 6CD auto-changer
    • Optional Black Luxmil leather part Alcantara steering wheel
    • Optional Colour-keyed Luxmil leather steering wheel
    • Optional Black or colour-keyed One-77 leather steering wheel with black Alacantra inserts
    • Optional Colour-keyed One-77 Leather Steering wheel with Obsidian Black leather inserts
    • Optional Centre stack facia in Carbon- fibre 2×2 Twill and Piano Black, Herringbone Carbon-fibre, Piano Red, and Piano Ice Mocha. Later options added:- Satin Cuprum Copper Carbon
    • Optional headrest embroidery – AM Wings or Vanquish logo
    • Optional Black hardware pack
    • Optional personalised sill plaque
    • Optional Auto-dimming mirror with garage door opener
    • Optional heated and ventilated seats
    • Optional smokers’ pack
    • Optional alarm upgrade
    • (Volumetric and tilt sensors)
    • Optional toolkit
    • Optional First-aid kit
    • Optional AML Touring Pack
  • Engine:
    • All alloy quad overhead cam 48-valve 5935cc V12

    • Code number AM11, 2015MY on AM29
    • Front mid-mounted engine, rear-wheel drive

    • Fully catalysed stainless steel exhaust system with cross pipes

    • Compression ratio 11:1

    • Dual variable camshaft timing

    • Knock-sensing

    • Fully CNC machined combustion chambers

    • 94bhp/litre at 6750 rpm

    • Maximum power (AM11) 421 kW (565 bhp / 573 PS) at 6750 rpm

    • Maximum power (AM29) 424 kW (568 bhp / 576 PS) at 6650 rpm
    • Maximum torque (AM11) 620 Nm (457 lb ft) at 5500 rpm

    • Maximum torque (AM29) 630 Nm (465 lb ft) at 5500 rpm
  • Transmission:
    • Rear mid-mounted ‘Touchtronic 2’ six-speed automatic gearbox by ZF with electronic shift-by-wire control system
    • From 2015MY, rear mid-mounted ‘Touchtronic III’ eight-speed automatic gearbox by ZF with electronic shift-by-wire control system
    • Alloy torque tube with Carbon- fibre propeller shaft
    • Limited-slip differential
    • Final drive ratio 3.46:1
    • From 2015MY, final drive ratio 2.73:1
    • Launch control
  • Steering:
    • Steering rack with 15:1 steering ratio
    • Speed-dependent rack and pinion power-assisted steering, 2.6 turns lock-to-lock
    • Column tilt and reach adjustment
  • Wheels and tyres:
    • 20” 10-spoke silver painted alloy wheels
    • Optional 10-spoke alloy wheel in a Graphite finish
    • Optional 20-spoke alloy wheel in a Liquid Silver, Silver finish with diamond-turning, Graphite finish with diamond-turning, Gloss Black with diamond- turning and Satin Black with diamond-turning finish.
    • Front tyres 9J x 20” Pirelli P-Zero 255/35 ZR20
    • Rear tyres 11.5J x 20” Pirelli P-Zero 305/30 ZR20
  • Suspension:
    • Front independent double wishbone, coil springs, anti-roll bar and adaptive dampers
    • Rear independent double wishbones, coil springs, anti-roll bar and adaptive dampers
    • Adaptive Damping System (ADS) with normal, sport and track modes
  • Brakes:
    • Front ventilated CCM brake discs 398 mm diameter with six- piston calipers
    • Rear ventilated CCM brake discs 360 mm diameter with four piston calipers
    • Carbon-fibre brake cooling ducts
    • Dynamic Stability Control (DSC)
    • Anti-lock braking system (ABS)
    • Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD)
    • Emergency Brake Assist (EBA)
    • Traction Control (TC)
    • Hydraulic Brake Assist (HBA)
    • Positive Torque Control (PTC)
    • Choice of Black, blue, yellow and red calipers
  • Dimensions:
    • Length: 4692 mm, 4728 mm (including number plate plinth)
    • Width: 1912 mm (excluding door mirrors), 2067 mm (including door mirrors)
    • Height: 1294 mm
    • Wheelbase: 2740 mm
    • Fuel tank capacity: 78 litres
    • Weight: 1739 kg
    • Weight Distribution: 51%/49% (Front/Rear)
  • Performance:
    • Acceleration 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) in 4.1 seconds, 2015MY on 3.8 seconds

    • Maximum speed 183 mph (295 km/h), 2015MY on 201 mph

    • CO2 335 g/km, 2015MY on 298 g/km

  • Price at launch:
    • 2012: £189,995