Aston Martin Vanquish
The Aston Martin Vanquish or the Aston Martin V12 Vanquish was the predecessor of the Virage/ V8 Vantage, and ran from 2001-2007. Its short-lived life did not take anything away from the popularity and fame that came to this car, primarily due to its thrust into the limelight after being featured in the James Bond twentieth movie production “Die Another Day” as the official vehicle.
Other than that forum, for the 7 years of its life, it was
Aston Martin’s emblematic, prime production car. Designed by Ian Callum and is in the class of a “grand tourer” manufactured by “Aston Martin Lagonda Limited”. Sadly, it was discontinued in 2007 and would be replaced temporarily by the Aston Martin DBS V12 as Aston Martin’s flagship vehicle until 2010, when a suitable permanent replacement will be made.
The style and elegance of the Vanquish could never be mistaken for anything or anyone else, it screamed classic performance and vintage looks from the new car on the block. With a FR layout with the basic Coupe body style, the Vanquish specifications were finely and carefully tuned. A wheelbase of 2690mm (106in); a length of 4666mm (184in); a width of 1923mm (76in); a height of 1318mm (52in); and a curb weight of 1835kg (4045 lbs).
The Vanquish’s force consisted of 5.9 litre (5935cc), 48-valve, 60º V12 engine with a max power of 460bhp (343kW) at 6,500 rpm with a torque of 542 N•m (400 ft•lbf) and runs at 0-62mph in 4.9 seconds with a top speed of 186mph. The engine is controlled by a “fly-by-wire” throttle with a six speed “clutchless, sequential, manual transmission”. The braking system consists of 355mm (14in) ventilated and drilled disc brakes with ABS, along with electronic brake distribution. The technology of the Vanquish engine is similar to the design and elements of the 3.0 litre Duratec 30 V6, even down to the stroke and bore dimensions.
The car was entirely untampered with until 2005, when the second model came out under the name Vanquish S, which was presented at 2004 Paris Auto Show. The changes to this model included substantially more power, delicate styling modifications, and all new wheels. The model also gave an option for a sportier look with the “Sports Dynamic Pack” with stronger braking features, powerful, sportier suspension, and enhanced steering capabilities. The V12 engine of the Vanquish S was engineered by Ford and issued a max power of 520bhp (388kW) at 7000 rpm, a torque of 577N m (426ft lbf), accelerating 0-62mph at 4.8 seconds with a top speed of 200mph. The Vanquish S also had a larger braking system of 378mm (15in) at the front and 330mm (13in) back rotors, and it was wrapped in 19-inch wheels.
The Vanquish was the result of combing the foundations of two concept cars: the Zagato Roadster, and the Bertone Jet 2, both showcased at the 2004 Geneva Motor Show. Aston Martin Vanquish’s production closed of in July 2007, and the end of a short-lived era was celebrated with the production of the last 40 cars under the alias of the “Vanquish Ultimate Edition”, which would have an “Ultimate Black” exterior, higher-quality interiors, and customized sill plaques embedded in the dash.
The Ultimate Edition was the first to come with a manual transmission, which was highly praised by the critics, because the original auto-shift manual gearbox was met with many naysayers, and widespread disapproval. The Vanquish would never be forgotten, and will quickly become an instant classic with everyone of its critic and fan alike.