Aston Martin has revived the Vanquish name for a new flagship sports car that will boast 824bhp from a twin-turbo V12, making it the firm’s most powerful pure-combustion engined model yet.
Originally planned to use a plug-in hybrid set-up based around a smaller V8, the British car maker’s £300,000 two-seat GT, which is due in October, instead keeps the engine layout that has long powered Aston Martin flagships. This started with the 1998 Project Vantage – the prototype of the first-generation Vanquish, which was launched in 2001.
The move to a V12 was requested by Lawrence Stroll, with the Vanquish being the first all-new Aston to be developed entirely during his time as company chairman.
The 5.2-litre engine “defines the car”, according to chief engineer Simon Newton, with its lofty power reserves augmented by an “experience dominating” 738lb ft to give a 3.2sec 0-62mph time and a top speed of 214 mph. That’s faster than any road-going Aston bar the 250mph Valkyrie hypercar and broadly in line with the capabilities of the 6.2-litre engine in the nose of its closest rival, the recently revealed Ferrari 12Cilindri.
The Vanquish’s V12 engine is an evolution of the unit that powered its DBS predecessor, although Newton said every element of its architecture “has been revisited”.
He added: “This is the perfect interpretation of a V12 sports car, celebrating that engine.”
Headline mechanical changes amount to a new, stronger block to cope with the extra output, larger turbochargers that spin 15% faster and at up to 15% higher compression, new camshafts, new cylinder heads and new intake runners. “Bar the cranks, pretty much everything is new,” Newton said.
He also confirmed the torque management system has been “taken to the next level” compared with the outgoing DBS 770 Ultimate flagship GT, with the revised set-up now offering better everyday usability.
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Just 1000 per year? Thats an ambitious target for a £300k car.
Assuming they build that number, what's going to happen to them when they get old and need expensive maintenance - or maybe most will get written off avoiding the issue.
Who actually needs a 200mph 2-seater burning fuel like there's no tomorrow anyway?
Come on Autocar, it's a poorly kept secret that the 2035 ICE ban is being walked back. There will be a version of this V12 avaiable at your local Aston dealer well past 2035!
good
hope the ICe ban is put back furtehr and further...
I'd have to admit that in another two decades I think Reichman might actually design a good looking car. I think he might have learned by then, but I'm not sure Aston will survive any more of his failures.
It's better, but not great. The rear is probably the best angle. Front doesn't look slick, still a Reichman mess of unconnected lines and random shapes, and the sides? What is that blob???
As for the car, two seater but longer than the four seat DB12. Seems strange.