Nov 11

Nov 11 Guide: Aston Martin V12 Vanquish

Aston Martin - Aston Martin Vanquish - 2000s British Cars - 2000s Supercars

Background

When Aston Martin introduced the Virage-based Vantage in late 1992 it marked the last hurrah for the firm’s venerable Tadek Marek-designed V8 engine that had been around in one shape or form since 1967.

The 1992-2001 Vantage was emblematic of Aston’s late 20th century product line; although the company (under majority Ford ownership since 1987) had introduced the money-spinning entry-level DB7 very soon after, the ultra exclusive Vantage represented Aston Martin at its quintessential best. Painstakingly hand-built at Newport Pagnell (whereas the DB7 was comparatively mass constructed in Bloxham), the near two-ton Vantage mixed macho styling with unbridled luxury and a quite astonishing level of performance for such a well-equipped machine.

However, even by the early 1990s it was obvious that tightening emissions legislation would require Aston Martin to develop a new power unit for its Vantage successor.

A V12 engine had first been considered for the Lagonda Vignale concept displayed alongside the straight six powered DB7 at Geneva in March 1993.

Although the four-door Lagonda idea was quickly dropped, the plan to build a V12 was subsequently pursued and, a little under five years later, just such an engine was revealed in a sensational fully operational concept displayed at the Detroit Motor Show in January 1998.

Dubbed Project Vantage, the gorgeous new machine represented the first clean sheet Aston in decades (the DB7 had of course been developed out of a potential Jaguar XJS replacement by TWR).

With its advanced aluminium and carbonfibre monocoque, a 450bhp engine complete with paddle-shift gearbox and best-in-class styling, the Project Vantage caused a real stir and Aston management quickly gave the go ahead for production.

This was subsequently delayed for several months when Ulrich Bez took over as company CEO during the summer of 2000; Bez demanded an even higher quality interior and the production version was subsequently unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2001 having been shown to the press and potential customers back in October 2000.

Now re-branded as the V12 Vanquish, Aston Martin’s new flagship was externally little changed from the original concept that had caused such a stir at Detroit in ’98. Within weeks of launch, a nigh on three-year waiting list had built up.

The first deliveries began during the summer of 2001.

Production took place at the company’s Newport Pagnell factory which had been given a multi-million pound refurbishment in anticipation of the new model’s arrival.

Another significant aspect to the V12 Vanquish story was a return to the association between Aston Martin and the producers of the James Bond movie franchise. Famously, a suitably enhanced Q-branch Vanquish was used for the twentieth 007 picture, Die Another Day, released in November 2002.

Chassis

Unlike the outgoing Vantage and DB7 (which both used steel bodyshells), the Vanquish was based around an aluminium monocoque supplied by Hydro Automotive Structures in Worcester. It used a combination of extruded and folded aluminium panels which were then bonded and riveted together.

The tub was bonded to a nine-layer carbon fibre tunnel that provided the Vanquish with a light weight but extremely rigid backbone. A steel front subframe supported the engine. De-formable composite crash structures were fitted at either end and extruded aluminium side impact protection beams were housed in each door.

At 2690mm the Vanquish wheelbase was 99mm longer than the somewhat cramped DB7 and 80mm longer than the outgoing Vantage.

Suspension was via double wishbones with coil sprung monotube dampers all round. Front and rear anti-roll bars were also fitted.

The ventilated brake discs had a 355mm diameter up front and 330mm diameter at the rear. Four-piston calipers were installed along with the latest generation Teves ABS and traction control.

Handsome new twelve-spoke forged aluminium wheels had a 19-inch diameter. The fronts were 9-inches wide, the rears were 10-inches wide and Yokohama AVS Sport tyres were originally fitted. An electronic tyre pressure monitoring system was installed as standard.

An 80-litre fuel tank was located over the rear axle.

Engine / Gearbox

14 months after Aston Martin’s new V12 engine had made its debut in the 1998 Project Vantage, the firm’s highly anticipated new power unit found itself fitted to a revamped and more expensive version of the DB7.

The DB7 V12 Vantage made its public debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1999 and resulted in demand for the old straight six-powered DB7 drying up practically overnight.

A collaboration between Aston Martin, Ford and Cosworth, the new motor was a normally aspirated all-alloy 60° V12 with dual overhead camshafts, four valves per cylinder and wet-sump lubrication. Essentially derived from a pair of Ford Duratec V6s, each engine was built on Aston Martin’s behalf by Cosworth Engineering in Northampton.

Displacement of both the DB7 Vantage and Vanquish engines was 5935cc thanks to a bore and stroke of 89mm and 79.5mm respectively.

However, the Vanquish motor came in what Aston Martin dubbed Stage 2 tune ensuring it was lighter, stronger and more powerful.

Compared to the DB7 Vantage, the Vanquish inlet manifolds were relocated to a point midway along each bank of cylinders to achieve an even air flow into the engine and balanced breathing between all cylinders. The exhaust catalysts were now close-coupled to the engine for more rapid heat up when starting from cold.

The camshafts, valve gear and crankshaft were also uprated; a considerable weight reduction was achieved thanks to the 6kg lighter forged crankshaft, the 4kg lighter centrally mounted cast aluminium inlet manifolds and 5.5kg lighter hollow forged camshafts.

Overall, the Vanquish motor weighed 18kg less than the DB7 Vantage unit while in terms of throttle response, a full 12kg of rotating inertia had been removed.

There was also a new Visteon engine management system known as PTEC (Power Train Electronic Control) which was capable of transmitting information in four one thousandths of a second. Two PTEC units were fitted (one for each bank of cylinders) linked by a high-speed CANBUS system that controlled the fuel-injection, ignition and diagnostics. Another feature of the PTEC system was its electronic drive-by-wire throttle control.

Finally, to ensure a little extra gusto, the Vanquish came with a compression ratio upped from 10.3:1 to 10.5:1.

The result was a peak output of 460bhp at 6800rpm and 400lb-ft at 5500rpm.

By way of comparison, the DB7 Vantage pumped out 420bhp at 6000rpm and 400lb-ft at 5000rpm.

Coupled to the engine was a six-speed automated manual gearbox developed in conjunction with Magnetti Marelli. F1-style paddles were mounted on the steering column and shift times required just 250 milliseconds.

The two primary modes were Select Shift Manual (SSM - where the driver shifted gears manually using the paddles) and Auto Shift Manual (ASM - where gear selection was automated according to engine and road speed).

Both the manual SSM and automatic ASM modes also came with the option of a Sport setting which enabled the fastest possible shift times and, in ASM mode, allowed the engine to rev higher before upshifts.

Transmission was through the aforementioned electronic drive-by-wire throttle, a single-plate clutch and limited-slip differential.

Bodywork

Having done such an impressive job with the DB7, it was unsurprising that Ian Callum was handed the task of styling Aston’s latest model.

Said to have been inspired by the Zagato-bodied DB4 GT launched in 1960, the Vanquish was in many respects like a DB7 on steroids - pumped up, chiselled and more muscular than its comparatively restrained sibling.

As per the DB7, twin headlights were mounted underneath clear glass covers. Further down was a trademark Aston Martin intake aperture, either side of which was a circular fog light similar to those installed on the V12-powered DB7 Vantage.

Down each flank, Callum incorporated bulbous fenders and a contoured sills that gave the side profile a complex curvature. A traditional engine cooling vent was carved out from behind each front wheel.

The fastback cabin profile swept back to a handsome tail which incorporated a discreet spoiler at the trailing edge of the trunk lid. Visible from underneath the back end was a Formula 1-style venturi that, combined with a flat underbody, increased high speed aerodynamic efficiency, stability and grip.

Compared to the outgoing Vantage, the Vanquish was 80mm shorter, 1m narrower and 12mm lower.

Although aluminium body panels were used throughout, these were no longer beaten into shape by hand. Rather they were shaped using a patented Superform process and then bonded to the central structure.

Interior

In another break with tradition, the Vanquish cockpit did away with the kind of wooden inserts that had so long been a feature of Aston Martins. Instead, modern-looking natural aluminium was used for the central console, instrument fascia, gear shift paddles, handbrake lever and door fittings.

Behind the three-spoke steering wheel was an oval instrument binnacle with three black on cream analogue gauges. In the middle was a large speedometer flanked on one side by a rev counter and the other a combined fuel / water temperature read out.

Housed on the centre console was an analogue clock and an array of switchgear to include controls for the ventilation and audio system.

The standard cockpit configuration saw a rear shelf located behind the seats.

Other standard equipment included quilted alcantara seat centres, drilled alloy pedals, a 13-speaker Linn audio system, electric windows, electric folding mirrors, electric seats, air-conditioning, remote central locking and rain-sensing wipers.

Options

Customers could enhance their car with a range of optional extras to include a 2+2 seating arrangement which added a pair of small rear seats instead of the carpeted rear shelf.

Other options included satellite navigation, a telephone, a smoker pack with cigar lighter and ashtray, a painted centre console, personalised sill plaques, a two-tone steering wheel with aluminium upper and lower inserts, two-tone leather upholstery, chrome door handles, rear parking sensors, heated front seats, a heated front windscreen, front wheel stone guards and coloured brake calipers (in red, gold or black instead of the standard graphite grey).

Weight / Performance

At 1835kg, the Vanquish was 65kg lighter than the outgoing Vantage (in standard 550bhp trim).

Both vehicles shared an identical 0-62mph time of 4.5 seconds while the new model had a 196mph top speed which was 10mph up on its predecessor.

2004 Model Year Production Changes

A little over two years after the first Vanquish had arrived, Aston Martin introduced a series of updates at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 2003 (for the 2004 model year).

Cosmetic changes included new seven-spoke wheels (the original twelve-spoke rims remained available as a no cost option), new front seats that offered better shoulder support and a backlit etched glass starter button instead of the original red item. The previously natural alloy interior trim was given a new platinum effect finish.

Under the skin, Aston Martin added grooved Brembo brake discs (which were the same size as before), uprated Pagid pads and an Electronic Brakeforce Distribution system (EBD) that better balanced brake force under load.

Sports Dynamic Pack

At the Geneva Motor Show in March 2004, Aston Martin announced a new bundle of upgrades dubbed the Sports Dynamic Pack (SDP).

Available from May 2004, the SDP kit comprised shorter springs and revised dampers that resulted in a 5mm lower ride height. The front uprights and wheel assemblies were also new; the nine spoke wheels were reputedly 30% lighter than the standard rims.

Other new features included a quicker steering rack and bigger 378mm elliptically-grooved front discs with six-piston calipers. The rear discs were the same as before albeit 2mm thicker.

V12 Vanquish Zagato Roadster

In addition to the SDP kit, two special-bodied incarnations of the Vanquish were displayed at the 2004 Geneva Motor Show.

On the Zagato stand was a roof-less Roadster painted a handsome shade of blue with dark red upholstery.

Built on one of the many leftover pre-production Vanquish chassis, from the A-pillars forward the Zagato Roadster (covered in detail separately) was identical to the standard car. The doors were also imported and the rear fenders retained the same muscular profile as Ian Callum’s version.

In addition to a flattened rear deck, Zagato incorporated a transparent ‘Double Bubble’ canopy, DB-AR1-style tail lights and a subtly redesigned back bumper. Most of the interior fixtures and fittings were imported from the standard car.

Unfortunately, without a roof, the Vanquish platform did not offer sufficient torsional rigidity which meant the lovely Zagato Roadster remained a one-off.

V12 Vanquish Bertone Jet 2

The other coachbuilt Vanquish on display at Geneva in 2004 was the Bertone-bodied Jet 2.

Notionally a successor to Bertone’s DB4 GT-based Jet of 1960, this latest creation was a Shooting-break based on a pre-production Vanquish chassis which had undergone a 210mm wheelbase extension (to 2900mm).

Unlike Zagato’s effort, the Jet 2 was completely re-styled inside and out. However, thanks to features like a traditional primary intake aperture, Vantage-style headlights and stylised front fender vents, it was instantly recognisable as an Aston Martin.

Although no further copies were produced, a second example based on the four-door Rapide was subsequently built and displayed at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2013.