# Aston Martin Vanquish (2001)

The Aston Martin V12 Vanquish is a grand touring car that represented the first generation of the Aston Martin Vanquish, a series of grand tourers produced by was produced by the British carmaker Aston Martin. Replacing the Virage, the Vanquish was produced between 2001 and 2007 as both a coupe and convertible.
At the North American International Auto Show in 1998, Aston Martin revealed the "Project Vantage"; initially, Aston Martin planned for it to remain a concept car, but its design inspired the Aston Martin executives, and the company began developing a production version in March 1998. The designer of the Vanquish was Ian Callum, who previously worked on the DB7's exterior. The official production version of the Vanquish debuted at the Geneva International Motor Show in February 2001, and manufacture of the car began in March at Aston Martin's facility in Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire. The vehicle uses aluminium extensively throughout its construction.
A facelift was implemented in 2004, which brought improvements to its power output, revisions to its design, and improved aerodynamic efficiency, as well as a name change to "Vanquish S". The car appeared in the 2002 film Die Another Day for which it received widespread public interest and earned the number three spot on the "Best Film Cars Ever" list. The Vanquish also appeared in the 2003 film The Italian Job. Aston Martin discontinued the production of the Vanquish in 2007 after a six-year production run during which 2,589 examples were produced; its replacement was the DBS. The Vanquish nameplate was resurrected in 2012 with a model based on the DB9's chassis and platform.

## Development

The Vanquish was conceived at a meeting in early 1997 between Jacques Nasser, chief executive officer (CEO) of Ford Motor Company; Bob Dover, CEO and chairman of Aston Martin; and senior executives at Jaguar Cars. Nasser proposed the idea of a concept car, to which the executives responded that they did not want one, but when the same proposition was presented to Dover, he expressed interest in the concept.
   What nobody actually knew outside Astons was that the Project Vantage was actually the prototype for the Vanquish. We knew that if we got a lot of support at the Detroit Show that we could build a car, which we obviously went on to do.
Nasser wanted the design of the Project Vantage completed in time for the January 1998 North American International Auto Show. This required selecting a design by October 1997 and completely finishing the project by mid-December. Dover quickly implemented plans and processes to ensure the concept car was finished within the given timeframe; one of the initial steps was to search for a designer. Aston Martin, lacking a design department of its own, commissioned a design from the Kidlington-based racing team Tom Walkinshaw Racing, whose chief designer, Ian Callum, styled the DB7. Callum completed the design of Project Vantage in approximately twelve weeks.
The development of the Project Vantage involved engineers and designers from Aston Martin, Ford Advanced Vehicle Technology, Magneti Marelli, AP Racing, Cosworth Racing and ITT. Aston Martin, Jim Clarke and Ford Advanced Vehicle Technology developed the engine, Magneti Marelli produced the paddle shift transmission, and AP Racing produced the braking system. The Project Vantage used several advanced technologies in constructing the body structure and chassis. The body shell was constructed of aluminium honeycomb, while the extruded aluminium chassis sections and roof pillar were reinforced with carbon fibre. These materials resulted in a weight saving of fifty per cent and a torsional rigidity increase of one hundred per cent.
Aston Martin debuted the Project Vantage at the North American International Auto Show in January 1998. Initially intended to remain a one-off concept car, its captivated the Aston Martin executives and plans were implemented to put the car into series production. Following the motor show, Dover and his team began assembling the financial plan for the production version of the Project Vantage. Development of the production version of the Project Vantage, later named the "Vanquish", began in March 1998. Ian Minards, whom Jaguar appointed as lead designer for the XJ8 project, was the chief programme manager. During development, the codename of the Vanquish was "Project Bolton" before it received its "AMV08" designation. Dover stepped down as Aston Martin CEO in mid-2000 and was replaced by Ulrich Bez in July of that year.
Due to the more advanced technology incorporated into the car, the Vanquish required more extensive pre-production testing than usual. The development costs were rumoured to be much greater than the initial budget; Aston Martin stated at the Vanquish's launch that fifty prototypes had been produced. These cars were tested worldwide, including hot-weather testing in Australia and cold-weather testing in Canada; temperatures were as cold as −40 °C (−40 °F) and as hot as 81 °C (178 °F). The Aston Martin engineers collaborated with Lotus Engineering and Ford to increase engine efficiency and output with the help of the suspension expert Richard Parry-Jones. The prototypes collectively amassed more than 1,500,000 miles (2,400,000 km).
The production version of the Vanquish was revealed to groups of potential customers and designated media representatives in October 2000. It debuted in February 2001 at the Geneva Motor Show. Replacing the Virage, official series manufacture of the Vanquish began in March 2001 at Aston Martin's facility in Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire. At launch, Aston Martin planned to produce between 200 and 300 examples annually.

## Design and construction

The construction of the Vanquish employed techniques derived from the aerospace industry to produce a strong and rigid platform without incurring extra costs. Its body structure is composed mainly of aluminium, composite materials and carbon fibre. At a factory in Worcester, England, pre-cut aluminium extrusions were riveted and bonded around the car's carbon fibre backbone. In comparison to the Vantage, the Vanquish reduced over fifty per cent of its weight and had a torsional rigidity increase of 100 per cent. The car has a boot capacity of 220 litres (7.8 cu ft).
The Vanquish is considered both a grand touring car and a sports car. A two-door coupe, the Vanquish is a two-seat vehicle, though a four-seat option was also available. The car measures 4,665 millimetres (183.7 in) in length, 1,318 millimetres (51.9 in) in height, 1,923 millimetres (75.7 in) in width, with a wheelbase length of 2,690 millimetres (106 in). It has a kerb weight ranging from 1,820 to 1,835 kilograms (4,012 to 4,045 lb), and a gross weight of 2,175 kilograms (4,795 lb). With a drag coefficient of Cd=0.33, the Vanquish incorporates 19-inch (480 mm) wheels held by Yokohama tyres.
   It had the purest line of thought and execution of any car I've ever worked on before and since.
The 5.9-litre V12 engine, as fitted to the Vanquish, generates 450 brake horsepower (340 kW) at 6,500 revolutions per minute (rpm) and 410 newton-metres (300 lbf⋅ft) at 5,000 rpm. The Vanquish is a rear-wheel drive vehicle, and its engine is positioned at the front. The Vanquish offered a choice between two six-speed transmissions: a manual option or an automated manual. The car can accelerate from 0 to 97 km/h (60 mph) in approximately five seconds and possesses a top speed of 306 km/h (190 mph).
The Vanquish features 355-millimetre (14.0 in) and 330-millimetre (13 in) Brembo anti-lock disc brakes positioned at the front and rear, respectively. The Vanquish features variable-ratio power steering and independent suspension that incorporate forged aluminium wishbones.

## Facelift and discontinuation

The facelifted version of the Vanquish, called the "Vanquish S", debuted at the 2004 Paris Motor Show. The upgraded engine generates a power output of 520 brake horsepower (390 kW) at 6,500 rpm and a torque output of 576 newton-metres (425 lb⋅ft) at 5,800 rpm, sufficient to give the car a 0 to 97 km/h (60 mph) of 4.9 seconds and a top speed of 322 km/h (200 mph). Its transmission was also modified with a larger clutch plate and a higher ratio rear differential. The Yokohama tyres also are slightly larger and eleven-spoke wheels were standardised. A spoiler on the boot, as well as a redesigned front grille and sizeable front splitter, were implemented. It is 5 millimetres (0.20 in) lower than the previous Vanquish, with a steering rack that is 20 per cent quicker and firmer springs and dampers. The aerodynamic alterations decreased the car's drag coefficient to Cd=0.32. The Vanquish S also incorporated the features of the Sports Dynamic Package—which was optional for the previous Vanquish—including stiffer suspension, revised steering, and larger brakes.
The production of the V12 Vanquish ended on 19 July 2007, coinciding with the closing of the company's Newport Pagnell factory after 49 years of operation. Over almost six years, 2,589 units were produced; its sucessor was the DBS.

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## Print sources
### Newspapers

* "007 will reclaim his Aston Martin". The Charlotte Observer. 5 September 2001. p. 56. Archived from the original on 10 May 2024. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
* "2003 Aston Martin V12 Vanquish". Palm Beach Daily News. 20 February 2003. p. 18. Archived from the original on 24 April 2024.
* "2005 Aston Martin V12 Vanquish". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. 1 April 2005. p. 298. Archived from the original on 25 April 2024. Retrieved 25 April 2024.
* "2005 Aston Martin V12 Vanquish". The Baltimore Sun. 29 April 2005. p. W3. Archived from the original on 24 April 2024.
* "2006 new vehicle preview: Aston Martin V12 Vanquish S coupe". The Daily Herald. 11 November 2005. p. 45. Archived from the original on 24 April 2024.
* "Advantage, Aston". The Sydney Morning Herald. 17 January 1998. p. 59. Archived from the original on 24 April 2024. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
* "Aston attack: Vanquish leads supercar assualt". The Age. 19 October 2000. p. 53. Archived from the original on 24 April 2024. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
* "Aston Martin offers velocity for $228,000". Lansing State Journal. 13 April 2001. p. 19. Archived from the original on 24 April 2024. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
* "Aston-Martin raises flagship". Chicago Tribune. 19 April 2001. p. 77. Archived from the original on 24 April 2024. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
* "Aston Martin V12 Vanquish". The Journal News. 24 March 2002. p. 106. Archived from the original on 10 May 2024. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
* "Aston Martin V12 Vanquish is 'the James Bond car'". The Philadelphia Inquirer. 22 August 2003. p. N18. Archived from the original on 25 April 2024. Retrieved 25 April 2024.
* "Bond – James Bond – and his Aston Martin wheels". The Gazette. 23 November 2002. p. 122. Archived from the original on 25 April 2024.
* "Canadian technology wins roll in new supercar". The Gazette. 11 December 2000. p. 58. Archived from the original on 27 April 2024. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
* "Edgy Aston has supercars in its sights". The Sydney Morning Herald. 17 August 2001. p. 70. Archived from the original on 24 April 2024. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
* "Hot sports cars". The Post-Cresent. 15 June 2005. p. 47. Archived from the original on 2 June 2024. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
* "Importer seeks exclusive dealers for Aston Martin". The Age. 19 February 1998. p. 34. Archived from the original on 23 May 2024.
* "Motoring: The pleasure of driving the new Aston Martin DB7 convertible is almost too much to bear, says Neil Lyndon". The Sunday Telegraph. 6 July 1997. p. 167. Archived from the original on 16 May 2024. Retrieved 14 April 2024.
* "New Bond car Vanquishes tedium". The Windsor Star. 4 July 2002. p. 40. Archived from the original on 27 April 2024. Retrieved 25 April 2024.
* "New drivers for Land Rover". The Age. 8 July 2000. p. 54. Archived from the original on 24 April 2024.
* "No one chooses a car for the planet's benefit". The Independent. 11 January 2005. p. 59. Archived from the original on 2 June 2024.
* "The people car show". The Hamilton Spectator. 8 March 2001. p. 57. Archived from the original on 25 April 2024. Retrieved 25 April 2024.
* "Savile Row suit, Ford underpinnings". The Sydney Morning Herald. 27 October 2000. p. 74. Archived from the original on 24 April 2024.
* "Smartire". The Vancouver Sun. 5 December 2000. p. 36. Archived from the original on 27 April 2024. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
* "Something new to add to the list of dream cars". The Gazette. 14 November 2000. p. 29. Archived from the original on 25 April 2024. Retrieved 25 April 2024.
* "Souping up the Vanquish for latest Bond film". The Gazette. 17 December 2002. p. 63. Archived from the original on 10 May 2024. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
* "Spring sees new models in showrooms". The Daily Chronicle. 20 April 2001. p. 32. Archived from the original on 24 April 2024. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
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* "Start shouting!". The Daily Telegraph. 10 January 1998. p. 87. Archived from the original on 24 April 2024.
* "To drive an Aston Martin like 007's, be willing to wait". The Philadelphia Inquirer. 1 September 2002. p. F45. Archived from the original on 10 May 2024. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
* "Vanquish continued from front". The Standard. 4 July 2002. p. 34. Archived from the original on 25 April 2024. Retrieved 25 April 2024.
* "Vanquishing desire for any other auto". The Philadelphia Inquirer. 31 March 2005. p. G01. Archived from the original on 25 April 2024. Retrieved 25 April 2024.
* "Vanquish that impulse to share the wealth". Edmonton Journal. 9 July 2002. p. 60. Archived from the original on 24 April 2024.
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### Books

* Dowsey, David (2007). Aston Martin: Power, Beauty and Soul. The Images Publishing Group. ISBN 978-0-9578-7595-1.
* Phillips, Adam (2012) [2005]. Supercars: Driving the Dream. New York City: Rosen Publishing Group. ISBN 978-1-4488-9218-1.
* Taylor, James (2024). Aston Martin DB9 and Vanquish: The Complete Story. Wiltshire: Crowood Press. ISBN 978-0-7198-4317-4.
* Vale, Matthew (2022). Aston Martin: The Complete Story. Wiltshire: Crowood Press. ISBN 978-0-7198-4119-4.
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