Aston Martin’s legendary Vanquish makes a comeback at Venice world premiere

George Clooney was there. So was Benedict Cumberbatch, Michael Douglas and Adrien Brody. And, of course, Daniel Craig, the seventh and latest actor to play James Bond, as the secret agent film franchise and the British marque inextricably, and iconically, linked in pop culture history commemorate its 60th year of collaboration. Just a couple of effortlessly distinguished gentlemen hanging out to celebrate the original silverfox: Vanquish.

In car years, Vanquish is a modern-day legend. The original 2001 edition was driven in the 2002 James Bond film Die Another Day, appearing also in Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001) and The Italian Job (2003).

Now, the new third-generation Vanquish is set to steal the spotlight once again as the new flagship and new halo model of Aston Martin – a full circle moment in the brand’s renaissance and completing its new line-up under the ownership of billionaire Lawrence Stroll who acquired the carmaker in 2020.

The legendary nameplate, which vanished from production lines in 2018, made its glorious return in a stunning reveal on the waters of the Venetian Lagoon amid the starlit backdrop of the Venice International Film Festival in early September 2024.

When developing Vanquish, the brief was to create a flagship with crushing capability; a super GT sports car that felt effortlessly relaxing and secure on long drives, says Aston Martin.

“Vanquish makes an emphatic statement,” said Stroll. “One that further delivers on our mission to create the most potent, most beautiful and most exciting cars in the ultra-luxury sports car market. As such, Vanquish is the truest of Aston Martins. Immaculately designed and impeccably engineered, it sets extraordinary new standards of performance, style and luxury for a new generation of connoisseurs”.

VANQUISHING THE COMPETITION

You have to love a brand that dares to defy convention; one with the cojones to boldly continue producing V12 after V12 in the new Stroll era, when the rest of the automotive industry has been in reverse gear. At the very least, you ought to respect that streak of rebelliousness, especially when the product looks as gorgeous as this exceedingly elegant two-seater flaunting a certain Grace Kelly-esque poise; one that joyfully does little to quell the dynamic sensibility that speaks to its power.

“It was inconceivable that a new Aston Martin flagship should be powered by anything other than a state-of-the-art V12,” assured Aston Martin chief technical officer Roberto Fedeli. “With ambitious targets for gains in power and torque, plus equally tough goals for improvements in driveability, efficiency and global emissions compliance, the result is a modern masterpiece – one which delivers performance characteristics unmatched by any other car in its category.”

The modern masterpiece in question delivers 835PS (823hp) and 1000Nm of torque via a front mid-mounted 5.2-litre twin-turbo V12 engine arming the rear wheels with relentless power; the kind of projectile power that smashes the century dash in 3.3 seconds flat, hurtling up to a top speed of 344 km/h – the highest of an Aston Martin series production car to date.

That sense of being fiendishly fast is surmised by Vanquish’s compelling yet supple aluminium form capturing the immense flow of propulsion from front to rear, as an all-new front bumper, fender and grille design crown the anterior. Meanwhile, its extended wheelbase, which lengthens the bonnet by 80mm, further boosts the vehicle’s assertive countenance and commanding road presence as compared with any of its predecessors.

“We’re always designing for beyond the expected, rational and thoughtful,” said executive vice president and chief creative officer Marek Reichman, as he weighed in on Aston Martin’s aesthetic universe.

The teardrop exterior features an all-new surface language and amplified front-engine proportions, and the interior environment combines the focus of a true driver’s car with elevated luxury and state-of-the-art technology. “We have combined next level, ultra-luxury performance with British-cool sports car styling to deliver a crowning Aston Martin V12 flagship for the ages,” he continued.

The drama of Vanquish’s design reaches its crescendo at the rear thanks to its broad, powerful haunches and ruthlessly abrupt Kamm Tail with integrated decklid spoiler providing aerodynamic balance front to rear. Beneath which, the ‘Shield’, designed to appear to float and potently emblazoned with the Aston Martin wordmark, caps off its derriere.

Finally, there’s more drama to be had at the rear, as a unique muffler and gorgeous split quad tailpipe geometry complete the Vanquish bloodline’s V12 tradition. Now to just hear that ferocious howl when the Vanquish comes round…