Aston Martin V12 Vanquish | Spotted

A stunning, one-owner example of the car that carried Aston into the 21st century - for 718 GTS 4.0 money

By Sam Sheehan / Tuesday, 28 April 2020 / Loading comments

So, it's taken an injection of cash from a consortium led by Lawrence Stroll to ensure Aston Martin's long-term survival. Arguably not ideal, though patently preferable to the alternative scenario. This is a brand most, if not all, car fans will hold some fondness for, so seeing Aston Martin step back onto its feet comes as welcome respite from the ongoing crisis and its economic impacts. It's the first time in a while that the marque has felt genuinely renewed; you have to rewind to the turn of the millennium for a similarly drastic leap in optimism. Back then, it was a beguiling, modern V12 grand tourer, built on exciting new architecture, to provide the physical demonstration of a changed fortune.

The Ian Callum-designed V12 Vanquish kicked off Aston Martin's 21st century renaissance. The DB7 - also penned by Callum - had brought in the numbers to ensure survival, but it was the Vanquish that would elevate the brand back to its desirable, debonair best, emphasised soon after launch by James Bond's use of the car in Die Another Day. Exotic, exciting and yet quintessentially British, it was the ideal machine to take on a 007 villain. A signal, too, of the exciting things to come from Aston in the years that would follow.

The Vanquish's influences remain evident to this day. The DB11, DBS Superleggera and Rapide still follow the V12, rear-drive format in one form or another, and remember Aston hadn't done that before the DB7 Vantage. The name obviously remains valuable to Aston, too, because it'll return in 2022 on a high-performance F8 Tributo rival. Fittingly, that car is set to represent another leap in progress, as the company's first series production mid-engined model.

With Aston's 5.9-litre V12 under its bonnet to produce 460hp and 400lb ft of torque through a standard-fit six-speed automated manual, there's always been plenty of appeal. The paddleshift gearbox did come in for some criticism early on, however, with time (and the progress of automatic gearboxes) unlikely to have been kind to the Vanquish. The car can be left in auto mode, true, but so indecisive is the system that owners have long since declared manual mode to be the only option worth using - unless you've pockets deep enough to opt for Aston Martin Works' full manual conversion, that is.

Add that dampening characteristic to the fact that the early, pre-S Vanquish didn't quite live up to dynamic expectation, and it's understandable that some don't admire it as much as others. At over 1800kg, it was too heavy for 2001 (when a Ferrari 550 Maranello was 100kg less), and the demands of a sports GT setup meant the sweet spot wasn't quite hit out of the box. The Vanquish S addressed much of the problems to affirm the base was a good'un, but it's left early cars looking a little lacking in the technical department. Thankfully, the character of that V12 does a good job of drowning much of the doubt out - that and the looks, of course...

Today, as Aston goes through another transition period, the Vanquish feels like a car from a clearly defined previous chapter. The badge on its nose ensures that no fully straight Vanquish has ever fallen into bargain territory, but today's Spotted looks like a brilliant candidate for something that might one day appreciate. With one owner from new and full service history, this 2003 car looks to be in excellent condition, but with 38,000 miles on the clock, it's also not so fresh that you might be scared to use it. At £65k, it's 718 GTS 4.0 money, and while the Aston couldn't hold a candle to the Porsche's performance, with that V12 held inside a timeless GT design, there's plenty to love.

SPECIFICATION | ASTON MARTIN V12 VANQUISH
Engine: 5,935cc, V12
Transmission: 6-speed paddle shift manual, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 460@6,500rpm
Torque (lb ft): 400@5,000rpm
MPG: 17
CO2: 400g/km...
First registered: 2003
Recorded mileage: 38,000
Price new: £164,349
Yours for: £64,980