VENICE: Aston Martin Lagonda Global Holdings Plc launched the Vanquish, a new car that will top their lineup in price, power and prestige, at the Venetian Lagoon during the Venice International Film Festival.
The two-seat coupe marks a comeback for the Vanquish nameplate that Aston Martin has used sporadically since 2001, with the most recent Vanquish models ending production in 2018.
With a 5.2-litre, twin-turbo V12 that produces 823hp and 1,000Nm of torque, the car shows that the 111-year-old brand hasn’t forsaken internal combustion even as most other automakers have downsized engines and transitioned to hybrid and electric vehicles.
"It was inconceivable that a new Aston Martin flagship should be powered by anything other than a state-of-the-art V12,” Roberto Fedeli, Aston Martin’s chief technical officer, said in a statement about the car.
Reception of the Vanquish will be crucial as the automaker looks to a new chief executive officer, Adrian Hallmark, formerly of Bentley Motors Ltd., to lead it to stronger financial footing amid uneven business performance in the past few years.
The front-engine V12 sports car follows other Aston Martins with similar engine placement, including the Valour and DBS.
It comes with an eight-speed automatic gearbox controlled by a central lever that selects drive, neutral and reverse; a separate manual button allows an override of the automatic function for steering with wheel-mounted paddle shifters.
Top speed on the Vanquish is 344kph - the highest of any series production Aston Martin has offered.
The teardrop-shaped coupe with a prominent rear lip comes with a wheelbase that’s 80mm longer than the previous DBS.
It offers carbon fibre bodywork, 21-inch forged alloy wheels and Pirelli P Zero tyres as standard.
It also introduces Bilstein DTX dampers to help absorb road vibration and an electronic rear differential that allows wheel slips to be managed across the rear axle, for the best traction in inclement conditions.
A panoramic glass roof covers the same infotainment system found in the recent DB12, Vantage and DBX 707 SUV; dual digital screens define the interior.
As the brand seeks to elevate its premium luxury status, with average prices more than four-and-a-half those of BMW’s and twice those of Porsche’s, the Vanquish price tag is expected to be the highest of the road series cars currently topped by the US$429,000 (RM1.9mil) DBS Volante Ultimate.
A spokesman declined to confirm pricing.
Limited to fewer than 1,000 units produced annually, the Vanquish is available for sale now. Deliveries begin later this year.
