New Aston Martin Vanquish: The 2013 Vanquish officially arrives

The new Aston Martin Vanquish has officially arrived with sharp new looks, more power, less weight and a bigger price tag. 

AM may not have been thrilled, but we all knew the AM310 from Villa D’Este was dusting off a moniker from Aston’s recent past to become the new Aston Martin Vanquish. And here it is – officially.

In Aston’s best Porsche imitation, the DBS evolves in to the Vanquish without tampering too heavily with its looks, as AM310 already demonstrated. But that’s a good thing; there is no current car that pleases the eye more than an Aston Martin.

But this is a DBS after a diet and weights regime. The Vanquish gets a carbon fibre body for lower weight with clear influences from the One-77. It gets a sharp new front splitter and shallower grill, extended side strakes and a complex looking rear wing with One-77 lights and a diffuser. It’s a convincing look, even if it doesn’t really move the DBS design anywhere new.

Under the carbon fibre skin Aston are still using the only platform they have, but they have increased the VM platform’s torsional rigidity by using hollow-cast aluminium and carbon fibre. This, and the carbon fibre skin, helps reduce the Vanquish’s weight by around 55kg from the DBS.

Inside will still be very familiar to Aston Martin owners, although there are a few touches from the One-77 and stuff like touch-sensitive pads on the centre console. There’s also more space in the Vanquish than the DBS and you can have it as a 2+2 or just a two seater with space behind for luggage.

Under the bonnet is an evolution rather than a revolution too. Aston Martin don’t have a prayer of competing with the Ferrari F12, lumbered as they are with just one engine at their disposal and nothing really new on the horizon.

So they’ve done their best by squeezing 565bhp out of the old 6.0 litre V12 by giving it a new block, bigger intake manifold and variable valve timing. Aston has also lowered the engine by a smidge to sharpen the handling, given the six-speed auto ‘box a tweak for faster shifts and fitted a quicker steering rack.

All that adds up to an Aston Martin Vanquish that can scoot to 62mph in 4.1 seconds and on to 183mph. Quicker off the mark than the DBS, but slower at the top end. And, although AM hasn’t given us any figures, you can probably expect economy and emissions to be a touch better than the DBS.

The new Aston Martin Vanquish goes on sale later in 2012 with first cars in Aston Martin showrooms in early 2013. How much is the new Aston Martin Vanquish? £189,995, around £15k up on the DBS.

By Cars UK