2005 Aston Martin V12 Vanquish

Review

Aston Ups Power, Driving Dynamics and Styling of Current Top Model

The new Vanquish S, which made its world debut at the Paris Motorshow a few days ago, ".... is the ultimate high-performance Aston Martin," according to its CEO, Dr. Ulrich Bez. Britains premiere grand touring and supercar maker has certainly raised the bar for front-engine exotics around the globe, and in the process has set a few records for the Newport Pagnell firm.

The S model is essentially a reworking of the companys flagship Vanquish, in an effort to increase power and improve the suspension setup. Whats the result? Its merely the fastest and best handling production Aston to date.

The Ford-owned, Premier Auto Group (PAG) controlled top-tier manufacturer has massaged the powerplant to improve performance, despite the monstrous 6.0-liter Cosworth-tuned V12s 460 horsepower and 400 lb-ft of torque being more than what the majority of rich enthusiasts will ever make proper use of. Critical components have been reworked, including the cylinder head which now features machined inlet ports and combustion chambers for optimized airflow. The engineers have also introduced new fuel injectors, spark plugs and engine management components to improve horsepower and torque figures. Stronger, hot-forged connecting rods have been implemented to deal with the additional power.

As a result the Vanquish S produces a peak output of 520 horsepower at 7,000 rpm, a 60 horsepower increase over the base model, while torque has been boosted by 25 lb-ft to 425 lb-ft at 5,800 rpm. Helping to make the most of the engine improvements, the six-speed paddle-shift actuated sequential gearbox has been revised with a shorter final drive ratio of 3.69:1, down from 4.3:1. The additional muscle shows in straight-line performance, with the Vanquish S needing only a conservative 4.7 seconds to reach 60 mph, down 0.2 seconds from the regular Vanquish. The most dramatic improvement of all is the cars 50-70 mph dash in top gear, which has dropped by two full seconds to 6.5.

If you find yourself asking what the need is for extra power without the means to control it, dont concern yourself in the slightest. The braking system of the stock Vanquish, widely regarded as the cars most aggravating flaw, has been improved in the new Vanquish S, plus quite a bit more. As standard equipment it features the stock models smart Sports Dynamic suspension, steering and brake package upgrade. New springs cut the ride height by 0.2 inches, while the spring rates have been adjusted to improve handling. New dampers help to improve high-speed stability during cornering, while shorter steering arms provide turn-in responses that are 20 percent quicker than stock.

For the sake of aerodynamics, as well as safety, and to effectively achieve the claimed top speed of over 200 mph, the Vanquish S features a few subtle changes to its handsome exterior. The instantly recognizable Aston grille has been tweaked slightly, and now features a different mesh pattern for increased airflow. The redesigned lower front valance improves high-speed stability as well. Around back, Aston engineers have modified the trunklid to reduce rear lift and reduce drag to 0.32 Cd. Aside from these small changes, the hand-built, aluminum-bodied Vanquish S will remain virtually the same as the stock model.

The two duties of the Vanquish S, enhancing the range-topping model and putting distance between it and the remarkably similar-in-appearance DB9, have been completed with great success, but at what price? Aston Martin hasnt confirmed final pricing, but its likely on par with a fully-furnished, four-bedroom, three-bath house in the heart of a major metropolitan city. To ease the pain, Aston will be throwing in, free of charge, one-on-one driving lessons at either of three global locations: Michigan, USA; Millbrook, UK; and Lommel, Belgium.

Aston Martin also reassures its clients and admirers that production of the standard 460 horsepower Vanquish will continue. Global availability of the S-model will be announced at a later date.