Nearly 25 years ago, a little boy in Melbourne unlocked a virtual version of the first-generation Aston Martin Vanquish that would immediately become his favourite car of all time.
2001 Aston Martin V12 Vanquish 
2013 Aston Martin Vanquish
Its timeless design, penned by Ian Callum, is arguably one of the most achingly beautiful of any car ever produced. Add to that its singing 5.9-litre V12 engine and leather-lined cabin, and it’s certainly one of the all-time greats.
The Vanquish was also a pivotal model for the Aston Martin brand, boasting advanced technologies for the time in its chassis construction and suspension systems; as well as reaching for new performance heights to take on the likes of Ferrari in the performance GT space.
Better yet, the first-generation Vanquish was the car of choice for Agent 007 himself. It featured as the hero car in the 2002 film Die Another Day, with ‘co-star’ Pierce Brosnan in the driver’s seat.
As with many car-obsessed kids that start their enthusiast journey with video games and movies, I spent two decades dreaming of one day being able to get behind the wheel of a real Aston Martin Vanquish – and lucky for me, that dream just came true.
WATCH: James Wong’s video review of the Aston Martin Vanquish
The third-generation 2025 Aston Martin Vanquish was revealed earlier this year retaining the front-engined V12 formula laid down by its forefathers.
It’s a very different beast to the 2019 Vision Vanquish concept, which would have seen a wholesale change to a mid-engined twin-turbo V6 and a design more targeted at the likes of the McLaren 720S.
But that’s not to say it’s old-school in any way other than perhaps concept, because this new Vanquish is a proper halo model for the Stroll-owned era of Aston Martin.
A substantially reworked version of the outgoing DBS Superleggera’s 5.2-litre twin-turbo V12 lives under the bonnet, which Aston Martin says is actually ‘all-new’ given not much is shared with the old engine bar the bore and stroke.
It has been massaged to deliver the most power out of any of Aston’s core V12 sports cars at 614kW (835PS), and it makes more power per litre than even the Valkyrie hypercar at 160PS/117.6kW per litre.
Further, its 345km/h claimed top speed is the fastest of any production car in the marque’s 111-year history.
So how is it? I travelled to the Italian island of Sardinia to get a first drive of Aston’s new hero at its international media launch.
How much does the Aston Martin Vanquish cost?
A lot. Base pricing for the 2025 Aston Martin Vanquish is $737,000 plus on-road costs and options in Australia.
| Model | Price before on-road costs |
|---|---|
| 2025 Aston Martin Vanquish | $737,000 |
Customers are expected to shell out even more to tailor their grand tourers as well. According to the brand, 65 per cent of Vanquish orders so far – albeit globally – have some form of bespoke specification through the Q by Aston Martin personalisation service.
So, once you order your dream V12 Aston Martin and then make it your own, you’re easily looking at around $1 million by the time its in your garage. But, has $1 million ever looked this good?
To see how the Aston Martin Vanquish lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool
What is the Aston Martin Vanquish like on the inside?
Unlike the DBS, which was effectively a spruced up DB11, the Vanquish gets its own bespoke interior design.
Having recently stepped out of a DB12 Volante (review coming soon), there have been quite substantial changes to the cockpit to create the Vanquish – still utilising the marque’s latest electrical and software arcthitecture.
Dual 10.25-inch HD displays serve as the driver’s instrument cluster and central touchscreen, running Aston Martin’s own bespoke interface instead of the previous-generation range’s repurposed Mercedes-Benz software.
It brings Aston Martin into the modern age as rival marques and nameplates continue to push the machine interface envelope, inspired by the latest gadgetry used in high-end luxury cars as well as motorsport.
While Aston’s layout is a little more conventional, and the software not always quite as responsive as the best systems in the market – irrespective of ultra luxury or not – it all feels contemporary and in line with the tastes of today.
The standard Bowers and Wilkins ‘Halo’ sound system offers 15 speakers and a 1200W output. While I’m sure it’s a cracking unit, I was too busy listening to the singing V12 to really test it out – can you blame me?
And while the software experiences is a big talking point over the DBS, in a car like this that stuff sort of feels irrelevant save for the standard inclusion of wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
It’s the detailing that really took me here, thanks to swathes of semi-aniline leather lining seemingly every surface imaginable in the cabin, the metal and carbon-fibre accents and trim inserts of the vehicles we drove – noting the endless customisation available via Q by Aston Martin – and the meticulous attention to detail.
Take a moment to look at some of the beautiful specifications on show in the press images, headlined by the wild Cote d’Azure Blue leather upholstery of the Neutron White car. It’s giving Ford GT90 vibes – if you know, you know.
The starter button is glass, and housed in a metal ring that doubles as the drive mode selector. It’s chunky and has a very heavy action, something of a throwback to more analogue times.
And remember that, unlike its predecessors, the third-generation Vanquish is strictly a two-seater only.
In lieu of any rear emergency seats, there’s extended adjustability for the front seats – I rode shotgun for the first leg and the seat was so far back it was almost like a business-class airline seat. Keep in mind the Vanquish has an additional 80mm of wheelbase over the DB12 (2885mm).
There’s also heaps of room for storing bags and the like behind the seats. Aston Martin will even sell you a tailored luggage set that perfectly fits behind the front seats as an option – pictured above.
Speaking of the seats, the standard Sports Plus seats are immensely comfortable, and include 16-way adjustment in addition to being heated and ventilated.
My time with these seats was very positive, as while they’re very comfortable they also offer plenty of bolstering to keep you centred and well supported when cornering.
If they’re a little ‘soft’ for you though, and you’re wanting to save some weight or hit the track regularly, Aston Martin also offers a Carbon Fibre Performance Seat with six-way adjustment and heating, which really looks like it’s come straight out of the Valkyrie hypercar.
You can also opt out of the standard fixed panoramic roof for a carbon-fibre one, which then brings a full leather headliner. We noticed that our glass roof-equipped Supernova Red vehicle got a little hot in the Sardinian sun, so in Australia this might be something to consider.
While we’re talking about options, a quick look at the configurator shows a vast amount of different trims and options available to tailor your Vanquish to your personal tastes.
As you can see from the image gallery, the press vehicles were fitted with a selection of interiors including the aforementioned Cote d’Azure Blue, Centenary Saddle Tan, Onyx Black, and Forest Green.
You can choose between an array of trim inserts, including gloss and satin carbon-fibre, as well as a selection of woods and ‘interior jewellery’.
The Vanquish offers a quoted 248 litres of cargo volume under its bootlid.
| Dimensions | Aston Martin Vanquish |
|---|---|
| Length | 4850mm |
| Width | 2044mm – mirrors folded |
| Height | 1290mm |
| Wheelbase | 2885mm |
| Cargo capacity | 248 litres |
To see how the Aston Martin Vanquish lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool
What’s under the bonnet?
A stonking 5.2-litre twin-turbo V12 that is one of the most powerful engines in the marque’s history.
| Specifications | Aston Martin Vanquish |
|---|---|
| Engine | 5.2L V12 twin-turbo |
| Power | 614kW @ 6500rpm |
| Torque | 1000Nm @ 2500-5000rpm |
| Transmission | 8-speed auto |
| Driven wheels | Rear |
| Weight | 1774kg – dry |
| 0-100km/h | 3.3 seconds – claimed |
| Top speed | 345km/h |
| Fuel economy – claimed | N/A |
| Fuel tank capacity | 82 litres |
| CO2 emissions | 312g/km – WLTP |
To see how the Aston Martin Vanquish lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool
How does the Aston Martin Vanquish drive?
Now, the part we’ve all been waiting for… especially me.
I took the first leg as a passenger and thoroughly enjoyed the co-pilot experience, but was nervous getting behind the wheel of this $700,000-plus super GT in a foreign country and on the side of the vehicle I’m not used to.
But, after adjusting my mirrors and taking a deep breath, I set off from our picturesque lunch stop in the Sardinian hills and commenced the two hour-plus route back towards the stunning Hotel Cala di Volpe on Costa Smeralda – which, mind you, was where parts of 007: The Spy Who Loved Me were filmed.
To begin with I drove the standard GT mode with the transmission in D to get my bearings, respecting the 1000Nm that were very readily available under my foot.
In the GT setting, torque is shaped (not restricted) to be more polite for normal driving, with earlier shift points prioritised for efficiency and refinement. It often changed cogs around the 2000rpm point, and at one point we were doing 70km/h in eighth.
The Billstein DTX adaptive dampers have quite noticeable changes between modes, with the GT setting being quite compliant and almost wafty, whereas it really stiffens up in Sport and Sport+ – it’s never uncomfortable, though.
After my initial ‘break-in’ period behind the wheel, I flicked the Vanquish into Sport and pressed the ‘MANUAL’ button, allowing me to change gears myself via the lovely steering-mounted paddles, which are fashioned from real metal.
Letting the 5.2-litre V12 rev out, whether it’s at town speeds or out on the open road, gives you plenty of that brassy, smooth soundtrack that these engines are lauded for.
It’s perhaps not quite as shouty as Astons past – the first- and second-generation Vanquishes were positively glorious – but in today’s world of downsizing, de-cylinderising and electrification, the Aston sounds like a real supercar.
As the roads opened up and threaded through the hills like spaghetti, I gave the Vanquish a little more beans to test out how manageable its performance is on winding B-roads, as well as how keen it is to carve corners.
Surprisingly, it’s a very quick and keen steerer, and manages to put down its power pretty well despite having so much grunt going solely to the rear axle. Then again, I imagine if I was on track in Sport+ with the traction control wound down, it would have probably tried to buck me.
Peak torque comes in at 2500rpm, but the Vanquish’s power and torque curves have been tuned to deliver the sort of rev-happy yet linear behaviour that was a signature of its old naturally aspirated engines.
The new Vanquish doesn’t feel particularly boosty, but the way it crescendos into a monstrous orchestral climax sounds ungodly, and the way it pulls hard all the way to the redline is just spectacular.
Get enough straight road ahead and the Vanquish will rocket you towards the horizon quicker than you can say “pip pip tally-ho”, while you’re cocooned in its sumptuous semi-aniline leather cockpit.
Aston quotes a 0-100km/h time of 3.3 seconds and a top speed of 345km/h – giving the Vanquish the highest top speed of any series production Aston Martin, ever.
Testing these claims wasn’t possible on the public roads of the Italian island, but believe me: this British coupe is mean when it accelerates. Properly mean.
It just doesn’t stop pulling and continues to get stronger as you surge towards its 7000rpm redline. Even better, the V12 really starts singing through the mid range, a long way before it reaches its limiter.
While the Vanquish shares a lot of common componentry with the latest Vantage and DB12, Aston Martin has given its new flagship GT plenty of special attention to ensure it’s not simply a ‘DB12 Plus’.
The slick-shifting eight-speed ZF automatic, for example, has been tailored for the additional torque the Vanquish offers over its siblings. It has also been optimised for top speed and, like the Vantage and DB12, the electronic limited-slip differential is built into the transmission unit.
Then there’s the tyres. The Vanquish gets bespoke Pirelli P Zero rubber with ‘AML’ designation, incorporating a unique compound exclusive to Aston Martin. Not only are they extremely grippy, but these tyres also have what’s called the Pirelli Noise Cancelling System to reduce road noise.
While I’d probably need to test them back-to-back with non noise-cancelling tyres to determine just how much of a difference they make, I can vouch for the fact that on some Sardinian highways with a bit of coarse-chip blacktop, the Vanquish was impressively refined for a supercar wearing 21-inch wheels and high-performance tyres.
Now you’d think a car this big and weighing nearly 1.8 tonnes might fall apart in the corners, but while the Vanquish is no Porsche 911, it is surprisingly adept at tearing up a winding B-road at decent clip.
You can certainly feel its width – not so much its weight – and while the steering is on the lighter side, it’s pretty quick and linear, making it very easy to point this big GT through an apex and then blast out the other end. Worth noting is the Vanquish’s 51:49 front:rear weight distribution, according to Aston Martin.
The standard carbon ceramic brakes, with 410mm front and 360mm rear discs, offer good stopping power and claim to save 27kg over equivalent cast-iron units. Aston Martin also claims these stoppers will better reduce fade at temperatures up to 800 degrees C.
While we didn’t take the Vanquish on track to really give these brakes a red-hot go, we found they did a good job at pulling up the 1774kg GT, albeit with an initial numbness to the pedal response. Carbon ceramic brakes can also get a bit squeaky in normal driving, as we found out when driving through some smaller towns enroute to our destination.
Once you’re cruising on the highway, the Vanquish can take some of the load off long-distance touring courtesy of the brand’s latest suite of driver assistance systems.
Adaptive cruise control with stop/go function, lane departure warning, lane keep assist, blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert are all things you’d expect from a modern luxury car, and all of them worked well during our time with the Vanquish on Sardinian highways.
Even better, the standard surround-view camera system ensures good vision if the mirrors don’t provide enough viewing angle, and should mean there’s no excuse for scraped carbon splitters or kerbed alloy wheels.
To see how the Aston Martin Vanquish lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool
What do you get?
While most Aston Martins are highly bespoke, there’s still a strong baseline standard specification for the Vanquish.
Equipment highlights include:
Exterior
- Matrix LED headlights
- Lower Body Package – Gloss Black
- Upper Body Package – Body Colour
- Extended Body Package – Body Colour
- 21-inch Y-spoke alloy wheels – Liquid Silver
- Grille in Satin Chrome
- Brake calipers – Black
- Carbon ceramic brakes
- Tail-lights – clear
- Panoramic glass sunroof
- Stainless steel exhaust system
Interior
- 10.25-inch HD digital instrument cluster
- 10.25-inch HD touchscreen infotainment system
- Wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto
- Aston Martin app connectivity
- Satellite navigation incl. real-time traffic
- Alcantara and Semi Aniline leather upholstery
- Sports Plus Seat
- Heated
- 16-way power adjustable
- Black Alcantara headliner
- Black carpet
- Bright Brushed Metal trim inlays
- Satin Chrome interior jewellery
- Sports steering wheel with paddles
- Bowers and Wilkins audio
- 1200W output
- 15 speakers
As you can see from the diverse range of specifications pictured throughout this review, just about every aspect of the Aston Martin Vanquish is customisable through the Q by Aston Martin bespoke program, and even before that there are plenty of factory options and accessories.
There’s an array of exterior paints, interior upholsteries, trims accents and the like to wade through. You can opt for monotone or multitone interior colourways; different coloured stitchwork; exterior liveries; a titanium exhaust system; and you can even change the finish of the rear panel under the bootlid to gloss, satin carbon-fibre or body colour.
You can select from a number of base alloy wheel designs too, all with different finishes available. The opportunities really are endless, and if you go through the bespoke route Aston Martin will hold your hand through the process and even make suggestions to help you create your dream GT.
To see how the Aston Martin Vanquish lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool
Is the Aston Martin Vanquish safe?
Like most high-end vehicles, particularly sports cars, the Vanquish hasn’t been independently crash tested and likely never will be.
Still, the new Vanquish features Aston Martin’s full suite of driver assistance systems.
Standard safety features include:
- Adaptive cruise control with stop & go
- Auto high beam
- Autonomous emergency braking
- Blind-spot monitoring
- Door Open Assist
- Driver drowsiness detection
- Forward collision warning
- Lane departure warning
- Lane keep assist
- Rear cross-traffic assist
- Traffic sign recognition
- 3D surround camera view
To see how the Aston Martin Vanquish lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool
How much does the Aston Martin Vanquish cost to run?
Aston Martin covers its current range with a three-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty in Australia.
It also offers an extended warranty for 12 to 24 months via its dealers, and roadside assistance cover is also available.
Service pricing is available upon enquiry through your preferred Aston Martin dealership.
To see how the Aston Martin Vanquish lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool
CarExpert’s Take on the Aston Martin Vanquish
The seven-year-old boy in me is happy crying, while the 30-year-old automotive journalist on the outside is thoroughly impressed with this wonderfully capable ultra-luxury GT.
Childhood dream and life-long bias aside, Aston Martin has created an achingly beautiful and desirable V12 grand tourer that is as capable of tearing your face off with its sheer power as it is tootling through the city and suburbs looking like a million-dollar daily-driver for the elite.
Cars like these are often hard to objectively critique because of their specificity to a target demographic, and the exclusivity of high-end products that few lucky people will ever actually get to experience. But by any measure, the new Vanquish is bloody brilliant.
Every stint behind the wheel feels incredibly special, and while it boasts the fastest top speed of any production Aston Martin, it can be thoroughly enjoyed at everyday speeds. It’s a pretty agreeable thing to drive in town and you can still experience that glorious V12 soundtrack by flicking it into manual and holding onto gears that little bit longer.
Being an Aston Martin, it’s endlessly customisable, meaning that no two vehicles are likely to be the same. Should exclusivity be a key factor for you, the fact that annual production is capped at 1000 vehicles globally also means you won’t often pass another one on the road – especially in Australia.
These days there are a lot of fast cars, and there are a lot of expensive cars.
The Vanquish is both of these things, but what Aston Martin – like many other ultra-luxury brands – does so well is offer a distinct flavour to the execution that makes it special and desirable. And that runs more than just skin-deep.
It’s the entire experience, from firing up the brassy V12 via the glass starter button, to using the metal shift paddles to help you rocket towards the horizon. It ignites the senses and makes you feel so, so good.
And if that isn’t enough, gorgeous details like the semi-aniline leather, carbon-fibre and metallic accents, and the meticulous stitch work make this feel like a work of art.
I think Aston Martin has really nailed its brief on this one. The Vanquish is sharper and sexier than something like a Bentley Continental GT, while also being more luxurious and more daily-driveable than a McLaren GTS. They’re brilliant cars in their own right, but each is tailored to a very specific kind of customer.
So this is not only the best Vanquish ever – it’s a dream come true.
Interested in buying a Aston Martin Vanquish? Get in touch with one of CarExpert’s trusted dealers here
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