Aston confirms 835hp V12 for new Vanquish

DBS replacement has to be pretty special - a new, even more powerful V12 sounds like a good place to start

There’s plenty to keep Aston Martin busy at the moment, with the updated DBX 707 about to come on stream, both DB12 variants in production and the new Vantage imminent. Not to mention the hybrid Valhalla. Notably absent from all those cars, however, is a V12 engine; having produced so many memorable models over the past quarter of a century with twelve cylinders, the configuration has become a crucial part of Aston's history. And it’s not done just yet.

Following recent confirmation from Lawrence Stroll that Aston Martin will continue with combustion as long as it's allowed to, the point has been rammed home by the announcement of a new 835hp V12. It will power the DBS's replacement, the flagship sports GT of the range, which is set to resurrect the Vanquish name - ‘all will be vanquished’ does seem like quite a big hint.

Exact details beyond outputs - there’s 738lb ft alongside the headline number - are to follow, though the mere presence of a large, multi-cylinder combustion engine in a new car feels exciting enough. It must be an evolution of the 5.2-litre twin-turbo V12 that launched with the DB11, because there was clearly a lot of headroom in it (the DBS Ultimate went to 770hp) and even Aston surely can’t justify a blank-sheet V12 in this day and age. But then it was assumed that the 5.2 would be an AMG carryover almost a decade ago, and it wasn’t - so let’s not be too hasty just yet.

Aston says that the new core V12 benefits from reduced inertia turbos for better throttle response and more power, higher flow injectors, redesigned heads, a stronger block and rods, plus new intake and exhaust ports compared to what came before. There will also be ‘class-leading efficiency gains’ and, as the video hints at, an appropriately rousing soundtrack.

As well as the DBS replacement, Aston says the V12 will feature in upcoming limited editions. So perhaps, just perhaps, cars like the V12 Vantage and Speedster aren’t dead yet. With an engine like this to deploy, and probably not very much longer to use it, there will surely be a temptation to create as many V12 heroes as is realistically possible. (Though it should be noted that the engine will be ‘handcrafted, year by year, in strictly limited numbers.’) As for the new DBS/Vanquish, we will see it for the first time later this year, alongside additional tech specs. So that probably means a launch in 2025 - plenty to keep them occupied in the meantime, anyway.

Aston CTO Roberto Fedeli said: “The V12 engine has long been a symbol of power and prestige, but it is also a statement of engineering passion and technical prowess. With 835PS and 1000Nm of torque this unparalleled engine represents nothing less than the dawn of a dazzling new V12 era for Aston Martin.” Bring it on.