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A few eyebrows were raised when Aston martin resurrected the Vanquish name for its new series-production flagship in 2012
The original, Newport Pagnell-built Vanquish had been a genuine game-changer, the car that heralded a new era for Aston with a new design language, new construction methods and performance and handling that took the brand to a whole new level. By comparison, the second generation Vanquish, a direct replacement for the 2007-2012 DBS, looked and felt very much like an evolutionary step.
That said, it was an undeniably good-looking evolution, its lines taking a number of cues from the One-77 hypercar, and, in something of a USP for the class, the outer body panels were made from carbonfibre, which had benefits for both rigidity and weight (despite being a shade longer, wider and taller than the DBS, the Vanquish was 56kg lighter than the car it replaced, though hardly a lightweight at 1739kg).
And as road testers – and early customers – soon discovered, it might not have been a mould-breaking car, but it was a beautifully complete and rounded machine, a scintillatingly rapid and accomplished one too, arguably the ultimate expression of the first era of Gaydon Astons.
Underneath was a further evolution of the aluminium VH platform that could be traced back to the DB9 of almost a decade earlier, while the engine was the latest iteration of the by-then well-known 5.9-litre quad-cam V12. Extensively reworked for the Vanquish, with particular attention paid to the cylinder heads, it produced 565bhp in its latest tune (a useful increase on the DBS’s 510bhp), which translated to 0-60mph in 4.0sec and a 183mph top speed.
Drive passed via a carbonfibre propshaft to an updated version of the well-proven ‘Touchtronic II’ ZF six-speed paddleshift auto, rear-mounted to help achieve a pretty much ideal 51/49 front/rear weight distribution. Other highlights included three-stage adaptive damping and carbon-ceramic brakes as standard and the first appearance on an Aston of a launch control system. It was an impressive spec befitting a flagship car, as was a list price of £189,995 (equivalent to around £275,000 today).
The Volante version, released in 2013 and featuring a triple-layer electrically folding soft-top, was even more expensive at £199,995. With both versions, customers could choose either 2+0 or 2+2 seating, though the tiny rear ‘+2’ seats were only really of use as an extra luggage platform or for very small, very compliant children. Speaking of luggage, the boots of both versions were usefully bigger than in the DBS, and the Volante’s didn’t lose any volume with the roof stowed.
In late 2014 a significantly revised Vanquish arrived for the 2015 model year, visually barely changed but featuring a new eight-speed ‘Touchtronic III’ auto. Not only did it give quicker shifts than the six-speed but, combined with new Bosch engine management and a slight uplift in power and torque, the revised gearing dropped the 0-60mph time to 3.6sec and raised the top speed to 201mph. It also improved fuel economy to the tune of around 2mpg. New Bilstein dampers and other suspension tweaks completed the package.
As ever, there were a number of special editions during the production run.
As ever, there were a number of special editions during the production run. The first – and still one of the most desirable – was the Centenary Edition, created to celebrate 100 years of Aston Martin in 2013, featuring a particularly striking ‘graduated’ colour scheme of Skyfall Silver blending into Meteorite Silver, an exposed carbonfibre roof panel and 20-spoke gloss-black diamond-turned wheels among many other unique features.
September 2014 saw the launch of the ‘Carbon’ editions, available in either Carbon Black or Stratos White coachwork with minimal adornment. Carbonfibre sidestrakes, additional black detailing and unique ten-spoke gloss-black 20in alloys gave a striking aesthetic, while inside there was herringbone-pattern carbon on the dash, black rotary controls, carbon sill trim, and black anodised speaker grilles for the Bang & Olufsen hi-fi.
For those seeking something even more exclusive, in 2015 Aston Martin Works celebrated the 60th anniversary of Aston production commencing at Newport Pagnell with six specially commissioned Vanquishes in eye-catching
liveries and incorporating actual material from classic Astons across the years – engine parts cleverly recycled as switchgear, for example.
Another limited run of note was the Red Arrows Special Edition of 2018, a series of ten cars, each paired with a Red Arrows jet and including matching military serial numbers throughout the car plus switchgear made from recycled Red Arrow Hawk parts among many other special features, and finished in Eclat Red pearlescent paint to match the aircraft. The Q by Aston Martin bespoke division was heavily involved, as it would be in many other personal commissions.
Editions aside, the last really significant landmark in the gen-2 Vanquish story came in the late autumn of 2016, when the Vanquish S replaced the regular car, bringing an uprated 595bhp V12 along with revisions to the aerodynamics, interior, transmission and suspension. It was a thorough revamp, one that sharpened both the looks and the driving experience, and the starting price in the UK was £199,950.
This uprated spec would also be shared with no fewer than four Zagato models: Coupé, Volante, Speedster and Shooting Brake, with prices ranging from £600,000 to £1m. It was the first time Aston Martin had launched a whole ‘family’ of Zagato models, and they were generally well received even if some commentators thought their sheer number diluted the specialness that had marked previous collaborations between Aston Martin and the Italian design house.
The Zagato Coupé was the first to be released, followed by the Volante, with production limited to 99 examples of each. Rarest of the quartet was the ‘Speedster’, of which just 28 were made, but perhaps the most striking and desirable was the Shooting Brake, of which again 99 were built.
The gen-2 Vanquish was nearing the end of its production run. The final iteration was the Vanquish S Ultimate, launched in late 2017, loaded with all manner of bespoke options and carbonfibre goodies, of which just 175 examples were sold. It was a fitting conclusion for a truly fine Aston Martin.
Neal Garrard, commercial director of Nicholas Mee & Co, is a big fan of the gen-2 Vanquish. ‘The last of the first-generation Gaydon models, and of course the last with the naturally aspirated V12 engine, many consider it to be peak Aston Martin,’ he tells us.
‘There was a degree of cynicism when it was launched, a feeling that it was just a development of its DBS predecessor and didn’t really justify the Vanquish name. But that faded as the press and public discovered just what a fine car the gen-2 Vanquish was.’
And that goes for all versions. The coupé was always the staple of the range, whether the six-speed original, the revised car with the eight-speed box from MY2015, the more powerful S model or the run-out S Ultimate. Almost 3000 coupés were built in all, compared with 1341 Volantes, including a final run of 54 Volante S Ultimates.
By the time the second-generation Vanquish went off sale in 2018, some 4500 had been sold across all variants (compared with 3400 DBSs and around 2600 first-generation Vanquishes). Which means that while it’s still rare enough to be a genuine event when you see one in the wild, there’s always a good selection available at all price points.
So, how much do you need to spend to put a really nice example of the last of the big naturally aspirated V12 Astons on your driveway? Browse the classifieds and you might see an early six-speeder for as little as £60,000, but before you splash your tax-free pension lump sum, a few words of wisdom from Neal.
‘You do see them for £60-65k, but at that level it’s probably with higher mileage or gaps in the history. Our advice is look to spend at least £75k to get the right car; and add around 10 per cent extra for a Volante.’
Post-2014 cars do generally fetch more (think £85k plus), but Garrard advises not to get too hung up on insisting on a car with the eight-speed ’box. ‘Some people actually prefer the gearing of the six-speed,’ he says. ‘Personally it wouldn’t be a red line for me. I’d just want the best car, with the right number of owners and service history, and the colours I wanted.’
Further up the price ladder, a really nice Vanquish S is £110k-plus, an Ultimate around £130k – and currently undervalued at that, reckons Neal, given the market performance of the original Vanquish S Ultimate. Zagatos today are around £300k for Coupé and Volante, up to £450k for the more exotic Shooting Brake and Speedster.
Whatever your budget, a gen-2 Vanquish makes an excellent purchase today. Buy well and there shouldn’t be any nasty surprises in store. ‘Fundamentally, the Vanquish was based on tried and tested technology and engineering,’ says Neal, ‘being an evolution of the original VH platform and the V12 powertrain that had already been well-proven in the DB9 and DBS. The cars just continued to evolve and refine and improve.’
The gen-2 Vanquish is a model we know well, and we’re delighted to maintain a significant number of examples for our national and international client list,’ says Chris Green, Service & Aftercare manager at Nicholas Mee & Co. ‘Our experience is that the Vanquish is a robust and reliable model, generally requiring only regular maintenance and servicing.’
So, unsurprisingly, that service history is key. These were £200,000 cars when they were new, the production flagships of their day, and you want to be certain that no corners have been cut in their upkeep. So the first thing to look for is an unambiguous record of regular servicing, either within the official dealer network or by recognised specialists.
The official service intervals are every 12 months or 10,000 miles, whichever comes sooner, so in reality most cars receive an annual service ‘though we can live with 18-month intervals,’ says Chris. Nicholas Mee & Co charge from £970 for a standard service to £1392 for a major one, which is every four years.
‘They’re the same servicing costs that would apply to a V12 Vantage, DBS or DB9,’ says Chris. But you also need to factor-in wear and tear items. The adaptive dampers are £2000-plus for a pair; a set of front brake pads will be £1250, and while tyre prices vary depending on brand, a set of new rears could cost up to £600. Taking everything into account, Green reckons on an annual maintenance budget of £2000-£2500 averaged out over four years.
The good news is that component failure is relatively rare. The basic construction of that wonderful V12 engine stayed pretty similar right through its life, and despite power outputs growing from 420bhp in the DB7 Vantage to 595bhp in the gen- 2 Vanquish S, it has proved a resilient unit. ‘The V12 is pretty bombproof,’ says Chris. ‘We rarely see an issue with the unit itself; the only failures we’ve seen have been down to lack of servicing. And the gearboxes are similarly robust.’ Coil pack failures are one of the few recurring issues with the V12, usually revealed by an engine warning light. ‘They just deteriorate with age, and there’s no particular pattern. Some cars go five or ten years without issues, some need a replacement after two or three years.’ It makes sense to replace all the coils on each bank at the same time, which means you’re looking at up to four hours’ labour and a bill of around a grand per bank. So it’s well worth checking the history of any potential purchase to see if they’ve been done recently.
Also check the condition of the carbon-ceramic brakes (which Aston refers to as CCM, for Carbon Ceramic Matrix). Generally they last longer than the cast-iron equivalents, but Chris says they’ve seen a few cars with damaged/cracked discs, replacement of which can run into several thousands. ‘If treated correctly, they provide both improved braking performance and longevity compared with traditional discs,’ says Green. ‘We strongly advise owners to avoid using any wheel cleaning products that may contain corrosive materials; washing with soap and water, Autoglym being our ‘go to’ supplier, is sufficient.’
One of the Vanquish’s USP’s is, of course, its carbonfibre bodywork, which means it doesn’t suffer from the localised paint bubbling and corrosion that can be found on other Gaydon-era Astons. And combined with the aluminium platform, it means that your only concern from a structural point of view is accident damage, so check the underside – every surface should be crisp and straight – and the bodywork for any unevenness that could point to repairs. The front splitter is quite vulnerable and a replacement will cost more than three grand (six grand for the S version, plus fitting). As ever, if you’re not confident of spotting any flaws, a survey by a well-known specialist will always be money well spent.
Approaching a gen-2 Vanquish today, it remains a breathtakingly seductive shape, blending voluptuous curves with sculpted flanks and chiselled aero in naked carbonfibre. And inside is every bit as special. All that leather and Alcantara certainly hits you as you pop the flush-sitting handle and swing the door open. Don’t you just love the smell of a chilled Aston Martin cabin first thing in the morning?
The next assault on your senses is the explosion of sound when you push the familiar sapphire lozenge into the centre of the dash. It’s a reminder, if any were needed, of the immense potency of the final iterations of the 5.9-litre V12, a
very different beast to the 420bhp engine that first appeared in the DB7 Vantage back in 1999.
The post-2015 car I’m driving has the revised Bosch engine management system that saw a small rise in peak power and torque to 568bhp at 6650rpm and 465lb ft at 5500. Thanks largely to the more tightly stacked lower ratios afforded by the eight-speed ZF-sourced ‘Touchtronic III’ gearbox, and the introduction of a ‘launch control’ function, the Vanquish’s claimed 0-60mph time was cut from 4.1sec to just 3.6, while a new final drive allowed it to reach 201mph. Crikey.
The chunky steering wheel is quite busy, with controls for a Bluetooth phone and cruise control, along with the button for tautening the adaptive dampers and another for Sport, which sharpens the throttle and gearshifts and unleashes even more aural fury. On the centre console, below the buttons for Park, Reverse, Neutral and Drive and the ‘haptic’ controls for radio, satnav and phone functions are the switches for loosening DSC and activating the aforementioned launch control.
Having already risked the ire of the neighbours with the Aston’s opening fusillade, I resist the temptation to investigate the latter, although as I navigate the village streets I can’t resist winding the window down, all the better to hear the gargling exhausts. Conversely, on the first section of dual-carriageway, I’m struck by the civility of the Vanquish, and not just the turbine-like smoothness of the V12, which in 8th gear at an indicated 85mph is turning over at barely 2000rpm.
It’s the quality of the damping, too. The ride is actually pretty robust – in town and on the motorway there’s not a hint of slop or slack in it – but there’s no crashing or jolting either, even when one of those alloys smeared with Pirelli P Zero drops into a sunken manhole cover. It doesn’t even get agitated by the smaller, pimply stuff. And the whole car feels as tightly constructed as any Aston of the modern era.
The gearbox, too, is making all the right moves. I’m leaving it in auto mode for now; I reckon it’s how most Vanquish drivers will use it most of the time, and honestly, you can barely tell when it’s shifting. The uncanny smoothness is actually most impressive when you floor the throttle from jogging pace, when you can savour the V12’s wondrously linear delivery, the way it keeps pouring in with barely any noticeable steps, all the way from 10mph to ten times that speed with just a slight hardening in engine note and a corresponding increase in urgency towards the upper end of the rev-range.
Even when you kick down a gear you can barely feel as it slots home; there’s just a slight rise in the engine note and a flick of the tacho needle as you’re pressed ever more firmly into the embrace of the winged bucket seat. For my money it trumps the robotised manual in the likes of the V12 Vantage, not just for smoothness but also for speed of response. On the way across country, the road finally clears and opens up into the distance and I can’t resist selecting Sport and pinning the throttle. The first time you unleash the full 568bhp, it’s like entering a slightly different dimension, an ever-so-slightly scary one, as a titanic force absolutely launches you along the tarmac. Even in third gear and on a bone-dry road you can feel the tyres fighting to contain the torque.
If you’re fortunate enough to have driven any of the current breed of supercars, this is no more than par for the course; if your reference points are rather more prosaic (i.e. merely fast), it takes a few moments to mentally recalibrate. Anything significantly quicker, like the current gen-3 Vanquish for example, and you really need race-driver reactions (not to mention a track) to be able to drive them anywhere close to their true potential. On regular roads, this gren-2 Vanquish feels monstrously rapid.
On sinuous and undulating tarmac, while grip is formidable, the Vanquish’s chassis is anything but inert. You can really feel all four tyres working, especially the rears. It’s communicative, engaging, and flows beautifully. And if the chassis just lacks that ultimate edge of steely control that you might find in, say, a current Vantage, it’s just a brilliant compromise between GT and super-sports car. The brakes are mighty, too, and far more progressive than some carbon ceramic set-ups.
