Aston Martin Vanquish Returns With 824bhp Of V12 Goodness

It’s been a good couple of weeks for noisy, brash British things that, not that long ago, seemed like they’d never exist again. First, Oasis announced a reunion, and now there’s this: the new V12-powered Aston Martin Vanquish.

That’s a name that’s come and gone over the past 25 years or so, signifying a V12 grand tourer positioned above the DB-series cars. Now the DB12 and Vantage are both V8-only, it’s a more stark differentiator than ever.

The engine is a heavy reworking of Aston’s outgoing V12 and remains a 5.2-litre twin-turbo unit. Compared to the old mill, though, it has a stronger block and conrods, new cylinder heads with reprofiled cams, repositioned spark plugs, and fuel injectors that squirt the flammable stuff into the engine at a higher rate than before.

Perhaps most importantly, it has totally new turbochargers which spin 15 per cent faster than before. They also get a ‘Boost Reserve’ function that keeps them primed under a partial throttle, so that when pedal meets floor, there’s more instantly available power.

Ah yes, power. There’s 824bhp of it, giving the Vanquish 4bhp of bragging rights over the car it’ll inevitably be paired with in twin tests, the Ferrari 12Cilindri. Torque, meanwhile, is 738lb ft. That significant oomph is channelled to the rear wheels through the trusty ZF eight-speed automatic. All this propels the Vanquish to 62mph in 3.3 seconds, and on to a top speed of 214mph.

Built around a bonded aluminium chassis, the Vanquish is 75 per cent laterally stiffer than its predecessor, the DBS. Part of that comes from its wheelbase growing by 80mm, which, as well as emphasising its front-enginedness, allows the fitment of a beefier cross brace.

It gets double-wishbone suspension up front and a multi-link setup at the rear, while damping is handled by the same adaptive Bilstein DTX system as the DB12 and new Vantage, where it’s deployed to pretty remarkable effect. We’re promised more comfort with the dampers in GT mode and greater responsiveness in the Sport and Sport+ settings.

Out back, there’s an e-diff, which Aston has very deliberately opted for over a trad mechanical locking setup. It can not only go from fully open to 100 per cent locked in 135 milliseconds but is also able to be fully integrated with the Vanquish’s ESP system, allowing for finer, faster on-the-fly adjustments.

The brakes are predictably massive: carbon-ceramic items, the discs measure 410mm at the front and 360mm at the back. They get an updated Corner Braking system, which we’re told will more effectively make tiny adjustments when braking into corners, allowing the car to maintain a tighter line.

Aston says the Vanquish’s styling is influenced by its Project cars. No, not that shonky MR2 you swear’s going to be on the road next summer, or the sadly-departed video game series, but a run of sports racers the company built in the 1960s, based loosely on its road cars. Their influence is felt in the Vanquish’s loooooong bonnet and abrupt kamm-tailed rear end. Somewhat inevitably, Aston’s F1 efforts are also said to have inspired some of the styling – notably, the distinctive bonnet louvres.

Other clever aero stuff abounds, including a grille with 13 per cent more surface area than the DBS, new bumper vents to aid brake cooling, and a spoiler integrated into the shape of the squared-off rear.

Inside, the Vanquish is a strict two-seater, unlike the DB12 with its dinky rear buckets. It gets a further updated version of the new and much-improved architecture that underpins the latest Astons, featuring a pair of 10.25-inch screens: one for infotainment, and one for the driver. The panoramic glass roof is standard too, and comes with an anti-UV coating that eliminates the need for a retractable blind.

True to its previous announcement that its new V12 would be found strictly in low-volume range-toppers, Aston plans to build fewer than 1000 Vanquishes a year. How much it’ll cost is still unknown, but the DBS 770 Ultimate started at £314,000 – expect something comfortably north of that. Deliveries will begin before the end of 2024, meaning next year – if you’re quite wealthy – you’ll be able to drive your brand-new V12 Aston Vanquish to an Oasis gig. Bet you didn’t have that on your 2025 bingo card.