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Aston Martin Vanquish car review – the gorgeously understated supercar

A vision in carbon fibre curves with towering, effortless performance. Costs? Don’t think about it.
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29 June 2013

Aston Martin Vanquish
Aluminium chassis, carbon fibre body, 565bhp – all the usual supercar stuff

Aston Martin Vanquish

What is it?

Apart from the million-pound limited edition Aston Martin One-77, the Vanquish is the pinnacle of what Britain’s legendary supercar maker has to offer.

It’s an absolutely gorgeous creation

In typical Aston style it’s an absolutely gorgeous creation, underpinned by some clever technology.

The chassis is made of aluminium, while the curvaceous body is made from carbon fibre, helping to keep the Vanquish as light as possible.

Underneath the bonnet is a development of Aston’s 6.0-litre V12, which here produces 565bhp – that’s 55bhp more than the Aston Martin DBS.

 

Aston Martin Vanquish
Dreamy looks, a wonderful grown-up sounding V12, and although it’s incredibly fast, it always feels manageable and in control

What’s hot?

  • The looks. Those stylish horseshoe taillights and carefully crafted lines will have people craning their necks to get a look wherever you go. You’ll find people regularly stop and chat to you, too.
  • There’s a lovely deep burble from the big V12 engine. It’s quite a grown-up noise, never overly loud or obnoxious but just loud enough to let you know there’s some impressive performance on offer.
    Aston Martin Vanquish
    Wonderfully comfortable too – with three suspension settings
  • A quicker ZF six-speed auto gearbox than any other Aston helps drop the 0-62mph time to 4.1 seconds.
  • That sounds really fast – and it is – but the performance is always manageable. Something like a Ferrari 458 or a McLaren 12C can feel frantic, but the Vanquish feels effortless.
  • You won’t believe how comfortable it is, either. Three-mode adjustable dampers allow you to choose how firm the ride is, and in its softest setting the suspension feels pillowy soft.
  • Refinement is also excellent at motorway speeds and there’s a pretty spacious 368-litre boot – almost the same size as a Golf.
  • Despite its size, the Vanquish feels responsive and agile. The steering is quick and talkative, with an immediate turn-in to corners and more grip than you could ever ask for on public roads.

 

Aston Martin Vanquish
The V12 sounds fabulous, and gets the Vanquish to 62 in just over 4 seconds. But green it is not. Fuel consumption is better than it used to be, but expect under 20mpg

What’s not?

  • Aston has improved its 6.0-litre V12 when it comes to fuel consumption but the official figure still stands at a pretty lowly 19.8mpg.
  • So far the Vanquish has proved itself to be pretty reliable but Astons in the past have had a few issues with electrics. Here’s hoping things stay solid for this latest model.
  • It’s absolutely fantastic to drive but a Ferrari F12 Berlinetta feels on a different level – it’s quicker, sharper and more intuitive to drive.

 

Aston Martin Vanquish
Of course it’s an indulgence, but if business is good, why not?

Business Car Manager verdict

Aston Martin Vanquish

Owning an Aston Martin feels a little different from owning a Ferrari or a Lamborghini; it’s an incredibly desirable car but the reaction from other drivers tends to be a positive one rather than negative.

But the Vanquish is about more than its striking looks – it delivers from behind the wheel too. 

No matter if you’re covering long distances, need to carry lots of bags or just want a car that feels like a lot of fun from behind the wheel, the Aston delivers on all counts.

As a business car it’s a obviously complete indulgence! You’ll have to pay nearly £200,000 for the privilege of owning one, but a desirable, capable and fun British supercar surely has to be worth it – assuming you and your business can support if of course.

 

The Low Down…

Doors and body style  2-door coupe
Engine/gearbox  6 litre V12/7-speed auto
CO2 Emissions  335g/km
Economy  19.6mpg
Power/torque  565bhp/620Nm
0-62mph/top speed  4.1secs/183mph
Insurance group 50 

…and what it costs

P11D Value  £190,866
Monthly business rental (ex VAT)  From £3331 (3yrs/30,000 miles)
Road tax (VED)  Band M
Company Car Tax Bands 2013/14 to 2015/16  35%, 35%, 37%
Benefit in kind 2013/14 to 2015/16  £66,803, £66,803, £70,620
Annual/Monthly fuel benefit (20%)  £1477/£123
Annual/Monthly fuel benefit (40%)  £2954/£246
Annual/monthly company car tax (20%)  £13,361/£1113
Annual/monthly company car tax (40%) £26,721/£2226 
Figures correct at time of posting 
For latest figures Use our company car tax calculator

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Matt Morton

Matt Morton

Matt Morton is an automotive content writer for Business Car Manager

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