Photo: SH Proshots / Aston Martin on Instagram / edited
In May 2023, the DB11 was phased out in favor of the DB12. The smaller Vantage received a well-deserved facelift in February 2024, while Aston Martin's sole utility vehicle was updated in April 2024 for MY25.
Want to guess which model is next in line for an update? Replacing the DBS Superleggera, the Vanquish will debut on September 2 with more than 800 ponies to its name. Aston Martin says “everything will be defeated” most likely refers to the newcomer's maximum production values in relation to its direct competitors.
In May 2024, the British automaker from Gaydon confirmed 835 metric horsepower and 730 pound-feet of torque from a twin-turbo V12 engine. Although the displacement is unknown, everyone and their dog are looking forward to seeing the same 5.2-liters as before.
AE31 is Aston Martin’s name for the 5.2-litre engine that debuted in the DB11, the first application of the Second Century vehicle platform. The 5,204cc powerplant in the DB11 originally produced 608 horsepower and 700 newton metres, power figures that would read as 600 horsepower and 516 lb-ft in the US. The Vanquish, meanwhile, produces 824 horsepower and 738 lb-ft.
That’s a fair bit more than the DB11 and DBS Superleggera, and it’s also more than Bentley’s fourth-generation Continental GT. Now called the Continental GT Speed, Crewe’s four-seater grand tourer uses a twin-turbo V8 plug-in hybrid engine that generates 782 PS (771 hp) and 738 lb-ft (1,000 Nm) of torque.
Photo: Aston Martin
We must not forget the Ferrari 12Cylinder that replaces the 812 Superfast. Its free-breathing V12 delivers 830 horsepower (819 PS) at a whopping 9,250 rpm, while peak torque is 678 Newton metres (500 ft-lbs) at 7,250 rpm. Given the above, “everything will be defeated” This means that Aston Martin will soon take the title of best in class for maximum power.
Exterior styling-wise, the Vanquish can best be described as the DB12 with a larger front grille and sleeker taillights. Our spy photographers have captured prototypes wearing only Michelin performance tires, which is no surprise. Let’s not forget that both the DB12 and Vantage sport AML-badged Michelin Pilot Sport 5 S tires, with the revised Vantage sporting the wider rear tires at 325/30 by 21 inches compared to the 315/30 by 21 inches on the roomier DB12.
Instead of a manual, the Vanquish comes with a torque converter automatic transmission from ZF Friedrichshafen. It’s unknown if a special edition Valour will ever be made. For the future, we know from big kahuna Lawrence Stroll that electric assistance is coming to the big V12 and the smaller V8.
In terms of the cabin, expect few changes from the DB12 and Vantage. Compared to the DBS Superleggera, the biggest change, hands down, is the move from the Mercedes-Benz COMAND infotainment system to a touchscreen unit. Better late than never, eh?