2003 Aston Martin Vanquish

Highlights

• Smart and original early Vanquish
• Full specialist and main dealer service history
• Long-term owner for 15 years
• Gorgeous example in full James Bond Spec
• Paddle-shift Touchtronic transmission

Overview

The name’s Bond. Extruded Aluminium Bond.

Not content with getting 007 back behind the wheel of an Aston Martin, Newport Pagnell’s most famous offspring brought new lightweight construction techniques to the party as well when it introduced its most significant new model in a generation. New to Aston Martin, at least.

Back in 2001, the Vanquish was Aston’s first all-new supercar since the Virage. The DB7 had reinvigorated the brand five years earlier, but was more of a spacious GT. The newcomer was also the first of the brand’s cars to be wholly developed under Ford ownership and styled completely within the direction of legendary designer Ian Callum – the DB7 was on the cards before Ford took over, and was based on the stillborn Jaguar F-Type.

The genesis of the Vanquish lay in the 1998 Project Vantage concept car, with the production model, officially known as the Aston Martin V12 Vanquish, entering production in 2001. It was a massive step forward for the company, being its first car to feature a bonded aluminium chassis.

The body tub, meanwhile, was made from extruded aluminium and carbon fibre composites, overlaid with hand-milled aluminium panels.

It arrived with a bang, with James Bond taking the wheel and returning to Aston Martin for the first time in 20 years in Die Another Day– the BMW ‘Goldeneye’ era dead and buried in favour of a return to the most British of marques.

Indeed, Aston Martin even pulled off a massive PR stunt, with Pierce Brosnan pulling up to the red carpet for the UK premiere of the film in the very first production model.

As well as the advanced body and chassis technology, the Vanquish had a new 460bhp V12 engine, developed in-house by Aston Martin’s own engineers, along with a new ‘Touchtronic’ automatic transmission.

At last, there was a British supercar that could compete with the finest that Italy and Germany had to offer. Like all Aston Martins before it, the Vanquish has aged with a grace unique to the marque. Like fine wines, nice Astons become more tasteful and appealing the older they get – and the vendor of this example has had a decade-and-a-half to appreciate the maturing process of his V12 Vanquish, maintaining it impeccably in that period in the care of the some of the UK’s best-known Aston Martin specialists.

It's a beautiful, well-loved car, presented in the same elegant Solway Grey as 007 himself chose, and if ever there was a man with fine tastes, it was the UK’s favourite secret agent.

With its blistering performance and howling V12 soundtrack, this is a modern classic that’s guaranteed to leave you shaken, but not stirred.

History and documentation

• UK V5C in the name of the vendor
• MOT to September 2025
• Original handbook and service history book
• Two keys
• Tracker fitted (will require subscription)
• Current owner since 2009 – two previous keepers
• Service book stamped as follows: PDI (2003, Lancaster, Sevenoaks); 1,004 miles (2003, Lancaster, Sevenoaks), 2,071 miles (2003, Lancaster, Sevenoaks); 3,655 miles (2005, Lancaster, Sevenoaks); 5,895 miles (2007, Aston Martin Works Service, Newport Pagnell); 12,067 miles (2009, Grange Aston Martin, Exeter); 17,594 miles (2010, Nicholas Mee Aston Martin Specialists, Hatfield); 21,922 miles (2011, Nicholas Mee Aston Martin Specialists, Hatfield); 24,666 miles (2012, Nicholas Mee Aston Martin Specialists, Hatfield); 27,594 miles (2011, Nicholas Mee Aston Martin Specialists, Hatfield); 29,990 miles (2013, Nicholas Mee Aston Martin Specialists, Hatfield); 32,306 miles (2014, Nicholas Mee Aston Martin Specialists, Hatfield); 34,533 miles (2015, Stratton Motor Company, Long Stratton); 36,173 miles (2016, Nicholas Mee Aston Martin Specialists, Hatfield); 38,926 miles (2018, Nicholas Mee Aston Martin Specialists, Hatfield); 40,192 miles (2019, Nicholas Mee Aston Martin Specialists, Hatfield); 40,582 miles (2020, Rikki Cann Aston Martin Specialists, Shoeburyness); 41,782 miles (2023, Rikki Cann Aston Martin Specialists, Shoeburyness); 42,137 miles (2024, Rikki Cann Aston Martin Specialists, Shoeburyness)
• Genuine Aston Martin battery conditioner/charger

Interior

• Black leather sports front seats in excellent order with minor wear to seat bolster
• Rear seats as new and never used during current ownership
• Original head unit, tape player and CD changer, with Lynn subwoofer
• Factory telephone has been removed and replaced with Parrott hands-free kit
• Climate control
• Original factory mats and carpets in good order
• Two-tone sports steering wheel

Exterior

• Excellent Solway Grey paintwork
• Some very minor bubbling on driver’s side door bottom, bootlid corner and lower front wing
• Excellent factory alloys
• Matching Yokahama Advan tyres all-round
• No signs of external damage or previous accident repair
• Appears straight and solid underneath
• The buyer should expect minor chips, marks and signs of wear commensurate with age but overall the car presents superbly with no major issues

Mechanical

• 6.0-litre V12
• Six-speed Touchtronic gearbox in good working order
• Rear wheel drive
• 460bhp
• Serviced most recently in September 2024
• Quick Silver rear exhaust box with enhanced exhaust note

Summary

It may be a high-class supercar, but the original Aston Martin V12 Vanquish is more affordable today than it ever has been – and that means now really is the time to buy one.

This one is particularly appealing, having been carefully and lovingly maintained for all of its life and cared for by the same enthusiastic owner for 15 of its 23 years. He’ll be gutted to see it go, but his sacrifice is your gain, and you’ll struggle to find a better example.

To arrange a viewing, please request this in the Q&A section. You can click through to the seller's profile and use the 'Email Me' function to arrange a viewing privately. This seller is located in London.