For as long as the Vanquish has been around, it has never quiet been 100-percent an Aston Martin. It’s always been very Aston, but pieces were often borrowed from other places.
The very first Vanquish, the iconic 2001 model, used various Ford parts. The key, for example, was basically borrowed from a 2005 Ford Fusion. In fact, the V-12 was largely developed by Ford—at the time, Ford owned Aston Martin. The 2007 DBS used a Volvo infotainment system. Then, the 2018 DBS Superleggera used Mercedes-Benz electronics.
Finally, though, this latest Vanquish doesn’t borrow anything from other automakers. It is, possibly, for the first time ever, a thoroughbred Aston Martin.
The twin-turbo V-12 is fully Aston. Even though it is technically based on that original V-12 co-developed with Ford, the unit is so comprehensively reengineered that it’s practically all-new. As always, the chassis and dynamics are fully Aston, with its lovely bonded aluminum frame and dual wishbone suspension at all four wheels.
That gorgeous exterior is purely Aston Martin. Long. Low. Imposing. But what seals the deal is Aston’s new interior, with its thunk thunk thunk switches and knobs, and its native infotainment. Aston was also one of the first automakers to adopt CarPlay Ultra, which is a mixed bag.
Yet, the new Vanquish is almost beyond reproach. For a car fully developed by the small but well-funded automaker, it’s an Aston that represents a true world-class effort rather than the whimsy of a boutique automaker.
But in order to find out just how good it is, you’ll have to watch our latest video review—which you can see embedded above.
