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Aston Martin Vanquish
The Aston Martin Vanquish was first launched in 2001
and had become the company's flagship car until its cancellation
after the 2007 model year. The Aston Martin Vanquish was always
the fastest, best performing, and most menacingly beautiful vehicle
in their lineup.
There have been generally two versions of the Aston Martin Vanquish
including the original, which ran largely unchanged until 2004,
and the Vanquish S.
A Vanquish Ultimate Edition was also released, as a slightly upgraded
form of the Vanquish S. The Ultimate Edition consisted of the last
40 Vanquish production cars to be built and featured a unique upgraded
interior and standard manual transmission gearbox.
The Aston Martin Vanquish is the fastest road vehicle the company
has ever produced. It is hugely powerful, dramatically stunning
and sits in a class all its own, turning heads wherever it passes.
A Super GT through and through, it provides one of the softest,
most comfortable rides at any speeds.
Handcrafted in many aspects, each Vanquish S released from the
factory takes an average of 800 hours to build, forty times longer
than an average car. The Aston Martin Vanquish retails for an average
of $270,000 with extra costs for additional components. The limited
Ultimate Edition retails for the same amount.
Features
Powered by an all-alloy 6.0-liter V12 engine originally designed
at Ford, the Aston Martin Vanquish generates output of 520 bhp at
7000 rpm. It offers maximum torque of 577 Nm at 5700 rpm. Heavyset
at over 4100 lbs, it manages amazing top speeds of 194 mph and acceleration
from 0 to 60 mph in 4.1 seconds. The engine features lower emissions
than many engines in the same output range.
The Aston Martin Vanquish sits on an incredibly rigid chassis,
providing for maximum handling power. It features a Sports Dynamics
suspension made of aluminum double wishbone both front and rear.
The Aston Martin Vanquish's body exterior is all-aluminum with
handcrafted individual panels, for exact fit. The car sports 19-inch
wheels and its interior is gorgeous leather with unmatched ultra-comfortable
seats.
Downsides
The Aston Martin Vanquish's biggest criticism has been the paddle-shift
gearbox, which requires extra attention to work seamlessly with
the engine. This was apparently noted by Aston Martin with the limited
Ultimate Edition sporting only a standard manual transmission. They
also offer the same gearbox for installation in previously sold
Vanquish models as a custom upgrade.
Rear visibility has always been a trade-off for many sports car
designs and the Aston Martin is no exception. The rear window is
a tad too small for ideal levels of rear sightline. The cabin is
just a bit too small, considering how big the car is. Both headroom
and boot space are a bit cramped. Some of the interior trim is also
made of aluminum-looking plastic, almost unthinkable for a car in
such a luxury price range.
Top-Notch
Road tests indicate the steering in the Vanquish is nothing short
of perfect, twisting through curvy passes with ease and control.
It is highly sensitive to speed levels and adjusts accordingly.
Handling on poor roads is amazing as well, hardly feeling bumps
and side winds. Braking power is strong.
The Aston Martin Vanquish's biggest draw is still the appeal and
prestige it carries. When you're driving James Bond's car, wouldn't
you feel like a million dollars too? Or perhaps you're more of a
Tomb Raider fan in which the car was also featured.
Overall
Despite the downsides, the Aston Martin Vanquish is one of the
most prestigious cars ever built. And, it will continue to be long
after its production is laid to rest.
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