Aston Martin sees value in the old tools. While most of the world’s exotic automakers are building eyeblink-quick electric cars or replacing their gas-powered monster with hybrids, Aston would like to introduce you to the charms of the V12 engine.
This week, the company unveiled a new range-topping flagship performance car that uses all the tricks and tools of the gasoline car era.
This 2025 Aston Martin Vanquish has one battery, and it’s the old-fashioned kind you can buy at an auto parts store. The Vanquish replaces the retired DBS as the alpha in the Aston Martin lineup.
Aton Martin will build “under 1,000 production examples each year.” The company has not provided hints about pricing.
A New 12-Cylinder Heart
Aston Martin positions the Vanquish as a sort of detox from the disconnected feeling some drivers complain about with today’s heavily electrified cars.
Under the hood is an all-new 5.2-liter twin-turbo V12, which produces 824 horsepower and 738 lb-ft of torque. The engine sends power to the rear wheels through an 8-speed ZF automatic transmission and an electronic rear limited-slip differential.
Aston says the combination can hit a top speed of 214 mph.
“Vanquish is built around a bonded aluminum body structure with double-wishbone front suspension and multi-link rear suspension,” the company says. Additional underbody stiffening makes it 75% more rigid than the final version of the DBS.
A suspension built around Bilstein DTX dampers allows for a highly customizable driving character. “Ultra-fast damper response times ensure that GT mode retains a compliant ride quality while delivering improved levels of agility and response. Defining a new dynamic character, the Sport and Sport+ modes provide progressively more response and tighter body control,” Aston says.
Power steering is electrically assisted – one of the few concessions to the electric era. Aston promises the rack has been tuned for dynamic feel. The steering column is not isolated from the body structure like in many of today’s supercars. That direct connection should enhance the driving feel, according to Aston.
The 12-inch rear wheels come wrapped in custom Pirello P Zero tires developed just for this car. Buyers get two sets: one for summer and one for winter.
Classic Aston Looks, Stretched
You’d never mistake the Vanquish for anything but an Aston Martin. It wears the brand’s classic long hood fastback proportions and feline musculature. That hood, if anything, is longer this time.
A gaping black maw of a grille is mirrored in the back with a black panel across the hatch. Cartoonishly huge vents behind the front wheels come painted black and run so long they’re cut into the doors.
Old-World Luxury Inside
If the engine seems like a throwback, wait until you see the cabin. Rivals may have gone to bare carbon fiber and minimal upholstery to emphasize the technology in their cars, but Aston still believes in quilted leather. Everywhere. You can even get matching saddle leather luggage as an accessory.
Screens are a requirement in our era, so the driver faces a 10.25-inch display screen with a matching touchscreen in the center. According to Aston, a new companion app allows owners to ” update and upgrade vehicle features from the comfort and safety of their mobile phone. “
The Vanquish comes prepped for wireless Apple CarPlay, but Aston doesn’t mention Android Auto compatibility.
The Peak, Then The End?
The Vanquish almost appears outdated. However, in many respects, it is the pinnacle of Aston Martin’s accomplishments in gasoline. The company is already accepting orders for a hybrid supercar, the Valhalla, with deliveries set to begin late this year.
