Aston Martin Vanquish Coupe 2001-2007

The Vanquish was released in 2001 and was soon followed by the Vanquish S which added an extra 50bhp to the already astonishingly powerful 460bhp 5.9-litre V12 engine. The Vanquish was the first Aston Martin to reach the fabled top speed of 200mph. The exterior is stunning with its gracious yet aggressive lines and large grill that have come to symbolise modern Astons. The interior is just as stylish as the exterior, although people over six foot may find it a little cramped.

Pros and Cons:

• Amazing engine
  Engaging driving experience
  Stunning looks
  Great sounding engine

• Cramped interior
  Expensive to run

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Exterior and Interior

The Vanquish was the start of Aston's truly modern cars with its aluminium and carbonfibre body, smooth silky lines, large grill and subtle spoilers. It is a truly gorgeous car with the theme being carried through to the interior. Taller drivers may find the head and legroom restricted, but for others the cabin feels cosy if a little bit cramped. When it was first released there was a choice between opting for either two child sized seats in the back or additional rear luggage space. Either way the back is going to be used for storing luggage as the boot is tiny coming in at only 220litres. The two front seats are comfortable which is good as the Vanquish makes an excellent touring / cruising car, but the same cant be said for the two child sized seats in the back that don't come with much room even for the smallest of children. The interior trim is well built and is made of excellent quality materials even if some of the buttons on the dash have been pinched from some Jaguar models. The S model comes with a much more modern and stylish centre console that is covered in leather.

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Engines

There are two engines available in the Vanquish with a standard 5.9-litre V12 producing 460bhp, or there is a supped up version of the same engine that produces 520bhp and is used in the Vanquish S.

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Performance and Economy

The standard 460bhp 5.9-litre V12 is an astonishing piece of machinery propelling you from a standing start to 60mph in just 4.8 seconds. The more powerful engine found in the Vanquish S is even faster, managing it in 4.6 seconds, and is Aston Martins first car to reach a top speed of 200mph. Both vehicles suffer from appalling fuel efficiency with the smaller engine managing 16mpg and the S just 14mpg. However, use it in anger, or fun and you will be able to watch the fuel gauge drop with the efficiency dropping into the single figures. The automated manual paddle shift gearbox feels clunky and it is the only one available in both models.

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What it's like to Drive

The Vanquish is superb to drive with good visibility to the front and sides and a fully adjustable drivers' seat and steering wheel. The Vanquish S is the more enjoyable car to drive with brilliant balance and poise, sharp and accurate steering, along with a hunger for the corners that you will feel obliged to find the tightest twistiest road you can and pushing it to its limits. The large brakes work wonders when it comes to stopping as its no easy thing bringing two tonnes of snarling machinery to a stop and you'll feel all your organs slide forwards as they keep flying along whilst the rest of you comes to impressively sudden stop. The roar of the engine as you start it up will send shivers down your spine and when pushed hard will make want to never take your foot off the accelerator. However, just watching that fuel gauge drop will bring you back to earth with a thump and will leave you searching for the nearest petrol station on your sat-nav.

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Faults and Repairs

The transmission is by far the weakest point in the Vanquish due to all that power going through it, even on the standard version. Make sure to test the clutch and gear changes thoroughly at high and low speeds if you are looking for a second hand version. There was also a recall for cars built between November 2001 and November 2004 due to throttle problems, so make sure that this problem was rectified. Servicing and repair costs will be atrociously expensive but if you can afford to buy one in the first place then you should be able to afford the service costs too.

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