Why the Vanquish is Proof the V12 Will Live On In 2022, Aston Martin promised that the 333 lucky individuals who’d been allocated a V12 Vantage were promised a future classic. The final front-engine Aston to use a V12, an engine that had only been part of the brand for 23 years at that point. Only for a later them contradict themselves massively with a modified-exclusive variant of the DBS Superleggera. Called the Ultimate, and with a limited build production of just 499, Aston once again promised that, ignoring the Valkyrie hypercar, this was indeed the final Hurrah of the V12. And with production ending in 2024, there would be no better car to send off the engine that had been at the heart of Aston for 25 years. Only for that same year, them to launch their third generation of Vanquish, which low and behold also utilised the same 5.2L Twin-Turbocharged V12 as both the V12 Vantage and DBS Ultimate. And at that point, the company decided to no longer promise a V12 Swansong as it was pretty clear, like with many other manufacturers, that the V12 was truly unkillable. There’s no denying that the Vanquish, like all Astons, is a thing of exquisite beauty, possibly the most beautiful car on sale. But it’s not just all looks and no trousers. Its 5.2L twin-turbo V12 was refitted with new camshafts and the turbos were repositioned in the V of the engine. The result was a planet smashing 824 horsepower and 738 lb-ft of torque. Couple this with the 8-Speed ZF gearbox and the all-new E-differential, this big British beauty will rocket its way from 0-62mph in 3.2 seconds and keep on going all the way to a mind-blowing 214mph, making it the fastest production Aston of all time. In fact, horsepower and top-speed wise, it’s faster than its frantic Italian nemesis, the Ferrari 12Cilindri. Now this car’s predecessor, the DBS Superleggera, had a tendency to wheel slip and spin out in circles every time you went near the throttle. Now whilst that made it incredibly exciting it also made it rather terrifying. So to harness its Cathedral amount of horsepower, the Vanquish is fitted with an array of aerodynamic advancements. Its enormous vane grille isn’t just there for show, it actually increases airflow by 13%, alongside a distinctive "Kamm tail" real design which integrates a rear spoiler. In addition, the Matrix LED headlights, vertical taillights and flaring nostrils in the bonnet all ensure maximum airflow to the enormous V12. In addition, the Vanquish uses a bonded aluminium chassis, together with a double-wishbone suspension setup at the front and a multi-link configuration at the rear. In addition, there’s an all-new electronic stability program (ESP) with multiple dynamic modes—On, Track, Off, and Wet. Read More 2025 Aston Martin Vantage Roadster: The Most Desirable Car on Sale To ensure the car stops as quickly as it accelerates it's fitted with enormous Carbon-ceramic brakes. And with the various driving modes (GT, Sport and Sport+) tailored to optimise the ride quality and the responsiveness to the preference of the driver, through the corners, this big old brute can half handle itself, with none of the DBS terror. However, when you’ve finished clowning around, it’s very quiet, comfortable and well-equipped with items like adaptive cruise control, lane assist, and parking sensors controlled by the new ADAS shortcut system. Now of course such performance and engineering isn’t cheap, in fact, it's $433,000. And now the Vanquish has only become more desirable and expensive by having its head chopped off recently. How Aston created the Vanquish Volante? It’s undeniable that with no roof, the new Volante is way more desirable than the hardtop Vanquish. Aston clearly made several modifications to enhance the styling of the Vanquish Volante with Striking 21-inch forged alloys. Not to mention, it features an all-new type of roof called the K-fold fabric. The roof can be operated at speeds up to 31mph and retracts in just 14 seconds whilst it closes within 16. In addition, despite Aston’s bonded aluminium, the Volante weighs a whopping 95kg over the coupe. However, due to the other aero-tweaks, the Volante matches the Hardtops acceleration and top speed, only now with that V12 bleeding your ears out. Then there’s the Interior. The Volante’s interior seems to be a blend of craftsmanship and synchronised tech. One also has the option to choose what type of seats they’d want, either the semi-hard sports seats or the full-fat Buckets. There’s a 10.25-inch digital driver display, the Pure Black infotainment touch screen and a Bowers & Wilkins 15-speaker premium sound system. In addition, Aston can opt for the Vanquish to be put through their “Q by Aston Martin" personalization services, which allow owners to tailor their Vanquish Volante to their exact specifications. Then again, when one is spending nearly $435,000 on his 1000 units per year limited Aston, this kind of personalisation is to be expected. Vanquish Volante v 12Cilindri Spider Since the mid-00s, Aston’s Halo GTs have gone head to head with Ferrari’s flagship V12s. And with the new Vanquish and 12Cilindri, that Rivalry continues. We’ve already determined that the Vanquish Volante is more powerful and has a higher top speed but it’s worth noting the 12Cilindri Spider is lighter and quicker from 0-62mph. However, it’s worth noting that where the Aston uses a cloth roof, the Ferrari is far more advanced with its metal-folding roof. But as a result, though both cars take 14 seconds to lower their roofs, the Ferrari can only achieve this at 28 mph, nearly 3 mph slower than the Aston. Read More 6 Comprehensive Truths about the Ferrari 12Cilindri That Make it the Prancing Horse’s Most Important Car However, one mustn’t ignore the hybrid-powered Bentley Continental GTC Speed, which appears less powerful than these two V12 monsters but with its clever hybrid tech, can easily match both of them in terms of performance. We at F1rstMotors that these three Super-GT Convertible will go head to head in due time. Celebrating 60 Years of Aston Volantes Ever since the first DB5 Volante rolled off Gaydon’s production line in 1965, Aston have been perfecting the recipe for their super-GT cabriolets for 60 years. The new Vanquish Volante is the latest iteration of this line-up. Like with the hardtop Aston have limited production to under 1000 units per year. Which truly makes this 824 horsepower V12 retaining monster a truly special car. A celebration of 60 years of Power, Beauty, Soul and Open-Top Desirability. And proof the V12 at Aston, isn’t going anywhere. F1rstMotors Facts and FiguresManufacturerAston Martin Lagonda Global Holdings PLCModelVanquish VolanteYear of Release2025Engine5.2L Twin-Turbo V12Horsepower824 horsepowerTorque738 lb–ft0–62mph (100km/h)3.2 secondsTop Speed214mph (344 km/h)Weight1,869kg (1.9 tonnes)Power to Weight441 hp per tonneGearbox8–speed ZF AutomaticDriven WheelsRear-Wheel-DriveRivalsFerrari 12Cilindri Spider, Bentley Continental GTC Speed Source: Aston Martin
