Under the Vanquish’s exotic and timeless exterior resides a V-12 made for music
Aston Martin has always been one of the top manufacturers in developing performance GT cars that look and sound like they could be million-dollar cars for a fraction of that price. With classic touring car styling, sonorous engines and exhaust, and enough history to make someone feel like an icon of the world, Aston Martin truly knows how to make its buyers feel special. One of its hallmarks, the V-12 engine, is one of the most thrilling motors to drive – even after it went from naturally aspirated to twin-turbocharged for an insane horsepower bump. Regardless of engine setup, Aston’s V-12 is still one of the best sounding engines ever, as the below video perfectly illustrates.
YouTube channel AutoTopNL has gotten to drive some epic cars including the Aventador SVJ, a Novitec-modified Ferrari 812, and many others, but in his newest video he got behind the wheel of the naturally aspirated six-liter Aston Martin Vanquish. While the Vanquish is no longer in production (having been replaced with the now-ending DBS Superleggera), the car was one for the history books. The V-12 mounted in the Vanquish was available in the Vantage as well, but the larger size of the Vanquish turned the high-performance motor from racing car to grand tourer. And the sound emanating from the rear exhaust is enough to make people fall in love with it.
The V-12 compliments the gorgeous bodywork perfectly, pairing a soulful exhaust note with a body filled with raked lines and streamlined styling. Aston Martin has been making V-12 engines for decades, and have worked with other automakers such as Ford, Jaguar, and Cosworth (the latter has joined Aston for its Valkyrie), and the results have been incredible exhaust notes, even if the reliability or performance have not always been their strong suit. That said, the Vanquish’s V-12 is immensely powerful for a naturally aspirated motor, making 580 horsepower at its peak. The Vanquish had a top speed of 183 mph and would run from 0-60 at just over four seconds.
The Vanquish Is The Ultimate Grand Tourer
This level of performance, while not necessarily the same as other big V-12 cars like the Aventador or 812 Superfast, is still more than impressive. In AutoTopNL’s latest video, the Aston easily blasts well past 100 mph in mere seconds, and the blaring V-12 pushes the car up to the top speed of 183 mph in under forty seconds – impressive acceleration for a car with no forced induction. With each acceleration, the Aston Martin shows what the brand is best for – blasting through countryside roads while making music from the exhaust pipes and doing so in style.
How Good Is The Vanquish Today
While Aston Martin may not make a naturally aspirated V-12 anymore, the Vanquish was made up until six years ago, and that means they are still able to be found for sale across the world with relative ease. These cars, in terms of their appearance and their sound, are some of Aston Martin’s greatest, and will most likely become future classics that get praised for these exact features. However, AutoTopNL showcases this now iconic car deserves to be driven as opposed to being stored away to collect value.
