NEW YORK — Guy Ritchie has a delightful TV series called “The Gentlemen.” As Guy Ritchie, these “gentlemen” (including one particularly badass woman) are well-dressed but volatile British criminals with hidden sources of power. One is played by Giancarlo Esposito, whose (similar) role as Gus Fring on “Breaking Bad” has become a classic of a solid fictional trope: The seemingly calm, law-abiding character who hides a deeply dangerous man. Gus, of course, drives a Volvo V70 wagon.
I thought of “The Gentlemen” when Aston Martin pulled the Union Jack cover off the 2025 Vanquish at its Q showroom on Manhattan’s Park Avenue, during a public preview in July ahead of today’s official unveiling. Discussing Aston’s increasingly colorful cast of characters, design chief Marek Reichman bluntly described the front-engine Valour as a shameless brute, and the Valiant—whose manual transmission link resembles a chrome-plated weapon—as its even more ferocious big brother. After several delays, Aston expects to deliver the first Valhalla to U.S. customers in the fourth quarter; it’s a mid-engine, 998-horsepower hybrid hypercar that James Bond could walk past and never notice. his Aston car
The Vanquish has another role to play, too. It must follow in its third-generation family tradition and retain its status as a gentleman’s GT, even if its V12 engine is more ferocious than either the Valour or the Valiant. The Vanquish must also establish itself as the clear flagship of the production range, moving upmarket to separate itself from its DB12 sibling and other supporting models. That separation seems important to justify a starting price of $429,000, compared to just $248,000 for a DB12 coupe. (Aston charges around $418,000 for its DBS 770 Ultimate, due in 2023.)
Notably, the new Vanquish offers a decent amount of knee sway. This is The two-seater is beautifully designed, from its authentic 007 bodywork to its handsome new interior, which does away with the corporate exigencies that have marred previous Astons. Compared to the old DBS’s clunky, dated dashboard and haphazard controls, this Aston GT finally looks ready for the big leagues. And it’s definitely “two plus zero,” says Reichman, not two plus two.
Beneath the elegant styling and 111-year heritage, this Aston is a demanding customer. A polite brand that shies away from public brawls has suddenly spoken out, declaring that all The new model will lead the segment in terms of horsepower and dynamic performance. The DBX 707 SUV has proven that claim, at least until the more expensive Ferrari Purosangue surpasses it in both aspects.
Like Ferrari and its upcoming, front-engined 12Cilindri GT, Aston’s V12 is an unmistakable middle finger to the prevailing trend of electrification and downsizing engines. Speaking of middle fingers, the Aston’s 824 horsepower versus the 819 horsepower of Ferrari’s larger, naturally aspirated 6.5-liter.
Here, the bragging rights at the bar include a staggering top speed of 214 mph, beating the 770 Ultimate to set a new record for a production Aston. That requires an all-new twin-turbo V12 with 738 pound-feet of torque, compared to the Ferrari’s 500 pound-feet of unturbo. That 158 horsepower per liter is a high mark for a V12 of this power.
A hood large enough to cover a Four Seasons balcony juts out to reveal the mid-mounted engine, beneath a V-shaped shock absorber tower brace. Lateral stiffness is up 75% over the previous DBS. A new cooling system that aggressively draws more air through a massive grille isn’t just there to satisfy styling trends. It allows for 50% more engine cooling, which engineers say helps the Vanquish deliver its full power and torque reliably, even in high ambient temperatures.
Aston’s vehicle engineering director, James Owen, says the only thing the V12 shares with its predecessor is its 5.2-litre displacement. New components include the engine block, connecting rods, heads, turbochargers, fuel injection system, exhaust manifold and intake ports. Compared to the previous V12, combustion pressure is up 15 per cent, injector pressure is up 10 per cent, with the turbochargers spinning 15 per cent faster. A new exhaust system uses the previous Vanquish S as the acoustic benchmark for its signature sound. Customers can choose a stainless steel unit or a titanium version that shaves 23 pounds and produces a throatier, higher-pitched sound.
That 824 horsepower is sent through a new carbon fiber propeller shaft and an eight-speed ZF torque converter automatic transmission.
Aston quotes 0-62 mph (100 km/h) in 3.3 seconds, and then things get really interesting: 100 mph (6.2 seconds) and 124 mph (200 km/h) in 9.0 seconds. Aston boasts its new “Boost Reserve” technology, which can overboost the turbocharger and store chamber pressure behind the throttle, where the driver can summon boost without delay and without waiting.
That power goes all the way to the rear wheels. Old school.
As you might expect, and as Owen confirms, it takes a lot of clever tech to keep the Vanquish on track. The brand considered but rejected AWD, largely due to concerns about weight and balance; the Vanquish carries 51% of its weight at the rear.
So the Vanquish sees Aston pair its V12 engine with a smart electronic differential for the first time, with a version of the differential from the all-new Vantage. Bilstein DTX smart dampers with Skyhook sensor technology are fitted to the Vantage, with Aston touting a 500% increase in force distribution bandwidth.
The damping settings (and other performance parameters) offer three modes: GT, Sport and Sport Plus, selectable via a beautifully knurled control knob that doubles as a Start button. The idea is to keep the Vanquish flat in corners, with sports car levels of agility, but without sacrificing the ride. A new traction control system offers eight selectable stages for increasing skill and boldness, including a completely off setting.
Standard carbon ceramic brakes pull this heavy GT down. Pirelli P Zero summer tyres meet Aston’s exclusive specification for this car, only available in 21-inch sizes, with 325/30/21R at the rear.
Design-wise, the Vanquish has a more streamlined silhouette than the DB12, but it’s also more dramatic, detailed and bold. The wheelbase is 3.1 inches longer and the overall length is slightly longer. The ground-sniffing grille appears as wide as a lane, deeply recessed into a sculpted snout. It’s where traditional elegance meets modern aggression. The deeply sculpted doors and trimmed waistline are Vanquish hallmarks, as is the subtly designed rear window. Things get wilder at the rear, but not too crazy. The swooping hips are as sexy as ever, accentuating the slim glass, sloping roofline and bold integrated trunklid spoiler. At the rear, a dramatic “cladding” – also known as a “surfboard” in the design studio – hovers over the rear, framed by a cluster of curved LED taillights. Aston is using those LED diamonds in a number of models, effectively made with a single manufacturing tool; Aston simply rearranges or renumbers them for different applications. The carbon fiber panel, available in other materials, neatly conceals the trunk opening. The dramatic wings on either side show that this is a solid carbon fiber sculpture, not just a covering.
The Vanquish on display in New York was finished in a stunning paint called Magneto Bronze, a stylish blend of plum and bronze, accented with precision-sprayed mica particles. It’s paired with a coffee-scented “Centenary Tan” interior, including patterned leather seats.
The dashboard is noticeably slimmer, with a quick turn that creates a more open view, enhanced by a tinted glass roof. A neat driver’s binnacle houses a pair of round digital instruments, with a discreet central screen curving from the dashboard. Physical console switches for driving modes, heated seats and other functions are a welcome touch, with the central screen providing backup monitoring. The dashboard and upper console are framed in carbon fibre, a choice entirely up to the owner. Bowers and Wilkins provides the soundtrack to what is undoubtedly a magical experience. And there’s no trace of Benz’s COMAND left.
Sprinkle in a few options, and buyers can expect to pay around $500,000 for an Aston. The base price of $429,000, before shipping, is nearly $100,000 more than a circa-2023 Aston DBS, and about $130,000 more than a Bentley Continental GT Speed coupe.
If Aston seems determined to compete directly with Ferrari’s 12Cilindri engine on power and performance, it will also be priced on par with Ferrari. Exclusivity is clearly part of that competitive bidding, with executives saying Aston plans to produce only about 1,000 Vanquishes a year for global consumption. If the performance is as monstrous as the price, this Vantage could become the new British grand prix.
