While Lamborghini was working on a new hybrid flagship and Rimac was making its electric hypercar even faster, Aston Martin was busy eking even more power from its V12 motor and fitting it into a brand new Vanquish.
That’s right, the Vanquish name is back on an Aston Martin six years after the last Vanquish rolled off the production line in the UK, coming in as a replacement for the DBS Superleggera. This new 2025 Vanquish is a a bit of a beast, with no hybrid power or electric motors anywhere to be seen. Instead, it’s a V12-powered monster that’s longer, more powerful and more expensive than any Vanquish before it.
Starting on the outside, the new Vanquish is notably longer than its DBS predecessor, with designers squeezing an extra three inches into the wheelbase on the new car. This gives the third-gen Vanquish that distinctive long-hood shape, which is accented by some gaping vents to feed cool air to the car’s beating heart. Also feeding that V12 with cool air is an enormous grille up front, which practically fills the car’s face with that signature Aston design.
In profile, there are the usual smooth lines and slick styling that we’ve come to expect from new Astons. There’s a similarity to the DB12, which launched last year, as well as cues from halo models like the Valiant, which launched this year. At the rear, there are further similarities to models like the Valiant, with a flat back end filled in with black trim and the distinctive hatched tail lights of that car.
It looks pretty cool from some angles, and from others it’s a bit too grille-heavy for me. But what do you think? Does the new Vanquish live up to the name, or would you have preferred a rear-engined creation like the one Aston teased previously.
When it comes to the power in this thing, Aston hasn’t messed with the formula too much. There’s no electric power or hybrid options, and instead the car uses an evolution of the V12 engine that Aston Martin has been using for years. But this time, instead of the 600 hp that was produced when the twin-turbo, 5.2-liter V12 debuted in the DB11, it now kicks out a beastly 824 HP.
All that extra power is courtesy of a new, stronger block capable of withstanding the extra output, as well as new larger turbochargers that spin faster and offer increased compression. Aston also fitted new camshafts, new cylinder heads and new intake runners, which all adds up to that extra oomph. This means the Vanquish now boasts a top speed of 214 mph.
The evolution made to the V12 motor mean that Aston expects it to stick around for a good few years more. In fact, Autocar reports that Aston Martin may keep building V12-powered cars until 2030 “and possibly even later.”
That new engine is joined by further mechanical updates on the third-generation Vanquish, with Aston pairing the car’s eight-speed automatic gearbox with an electronic rear limited slip differential (e-diff) to aid stability.
The Vanquish also comes with a new ABS system to provide “significantly improved” braking, and stopping is handled by a set of carbon-ceramic discs – 16” up front and 14” at the rear.
Inside, there’s an all-new interior that comprises a 10.25-inch infotainment touchscreen and a second similarly-sized screen that replaces the dials and gauges you’d normally see behind the wheel. Those screens are built into a new dashboard and center console design that retains physical switches for important tasks like setting the audio and climate.
All of that, plus the seats and other touchpoints, are ensconced in premium fabrics like Alcantara and leather, and there’s also a new quilted pattern available on the seats.
There’s no word yet on pricing for the new car, but expect it to be a kind of “if you have to ask, you can’t afford it” affair. However, one thing Aston has confirmed is that the new car will be built soon and deliveries will begin before the end of 2024.
