Aston Martin Vanquish (2012 - 2018, Mk2): a V12 super GT great

The second-generation Aston Martin Vanquish sits somewhere between the more sedate cruisers from Bentley and the volcanic, hyperactive front-engined V12 Ferraris of its time, and in doing so it offers a captivating blend of talents. It may not have achieved the Hollywood stardom of the original 2001 Vanquish, but by every other measure the 2012 version is a far more accomplished grand tourer, and one of Aston’s finest. 

Each element, from the engine to the steering and the fundamental chassis balance, has an old-school flavour without sacrificing the refinement and ease of use expected of a GT. There’s a measured response to all of its controls that makes long motorway jaunts a breeze, and while 568bhp might not sound like a towering number in 2024, the Vanquish never feels anything other than effortless. You can thank the 5.9-litre naturally aspirated V12 for that, which digs deep from any gear and erupts with a rich, multi-layered sound each time you extend it.

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Presented with tighter, more technical roads, the Vanquish doesn’t feel quite so at home, partly due to its size and also because of its lack of ultimate finesse, but it’s still indulgent and rewarding. You pour the Aston into corners, feeling the steering build with load, and it will indulge you if you choose to overwork the rear tyres with the throttle for a flurry of oversteer on the way out. To really make the most of its ability you need to switch to Sport mode to get extra control from the dampers; this gives a more jarring, thumping ride, but on the right road, this Aston is a delight.

Having said that, not every Mk2 Vanquish was created equal. While it quickly wormed its way into our affections at launch, it felt in need of a new gearbox to replace its slow-witted six-speed Touchtronic II auto. Thankfully Aston Martin agreed, installing a far more appropriate eight-speed ZF unit in 2014 and taking the opportunity to apply a host of changes to the car’s chassis. And this updated model is the one you really want. 

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What to pay

These start from around £80,000, and while this might seem like a lot for a nine-year-old Aston, it’s still seventeen grand short of a brand new (and far less glamorous) base Porsche 911 Carrera. With Aston’s AM29 V12 connected to the aforementioned ZF ’box, the Vanquish’s core components are familiar and robust, but its carbonfibre body panels are frighteningly expensive to repair. The front splitter in particular is prone to scrapes against kerbs and speed bumps, so make sure it’s intact. 

While we could just about forgive the car’s clunky pop-out Garmin satnav when new, it’s become harder to accept nearly a decade on. Thankfully, it’s possible to retrofit an aftermarket Apple CarPlay and Android Auto-compatible infotainment set-up for less than a grand, which provides a marked step up in ease of use and functionality. Typically of an Aston Martin, the Vanquish has a tactile, handmade feel inside with lovely attention to detail and a great driving position, although it’s not uncommon for ill-fitting switchgear and rattles to accumulate through years of use, so check carefully for such before agreeing on a price.

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What's it like to drive?

Immediately the Vanquish feels like a car transformed over the original. Whereas before the gearbox always felt like a weak link, now it’s central to the Vanquish’s personality: smooth and almost invisible at low speeds and then fast and punchy when you call for a maximum-revs upshift. You can sense it’s making the most of the V12’s might, too. Okay, so 568bhp is nothing more than ordinary at this price point these days but in isolation it’s hard to believe many people would want considerably more. The Vanquish still needs some revs to feel truly like a supercar but over 4000rpm or so it really flies and the new shorter ratios mean you can access that creamy, precisely delivered torrent of power readily. The ’box still lacks the scintillating response of the very best dual clutch transmissions but it’s close… and a million miles from the previous six-speed effort. The whole car has a new energy and tension.

That immediacy of response is felt elsewhere, too. As ever the Vanquish has been thoroughly evolved, from a revised steering system to a new brake booster system for the ceramics and those new springs and dampers. They’re not kidding about the ‘game-changing’ nature, either. The Vanquish is 15 per cent stiffer at the front and 35 per cent stiffer at the rear. That’s a big hike and reveals Aston’s desire to really elevate the Vanquish to the next level in terms of excitement and precision.

As before, the Bilstein dampers have three modes. Unlike before, however, you won’t immediately want to skip Normal and head straight for Sport or Track. The ride feels much firmer and despite claims about a new torque tube reducing road noise, the 305-section P Zero tyres thrum away on coarse surfaces. That’s ok though, because the steering is even sweeter than before: Clean and perfectly weighted and with real, genuine feedback. And although you feel more of the surface through the seat you also sense the added agility every time you aim the Vanquish’s nose towards a corner. It doesn’t feel as light and pointy as an F12 but there’s a really natural athleticism here and it’s the more intuitive car to just jump into and drive quickly.

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Over some pretty rough roads up in the Highlands the Vanquish shines in some areas and is wrong-footed in others. The way you can pour it into a corner, feel the front tyres load up and then start to slip, and play with the balance with the throttle, is lovely. There’s more precision to the way the rear differential works, less scrappy inside rear wheelspin than previously and greater resistance to body roll, too. However, to really tie down the chassis you need to select Sport mode for the dampers and accept that the ride is going to give you more than a few jarring thumps. Over the most testing roads the Vanquish can be quite a wild ride and that makes utilising the new agility difficult… The front end will bite but the stiff rear axle can feel unsettled. I’m glad Aston has ramped up the aggression but the new Vanquish feels a little lacking in fluency at times.

Away from the demands of Scotland’s ravaged B-roads, the Vanquish is altogether more composed. On wide, fast sweeping A-roads it feels imperious, indulgent and a very special place to spend time. Thankfully the depth of appeal we discovered in Italy last year has been retained. It’s still a car that takes time to fully appreciate and the added agility comes at a price in terms of comfort and, sometimes, fluidity. Yet that wonderful V12, the new sweet-shifting ’box and the information that flows through every pore of the Vanquish makes it a hard car not to love. It’s no F12, but it’s a pretty mighty Aston Martin. – Jethro Bovingdon

Aston Martin Vanquish (Mk2) specs

This story was first featured in evo issue 314.