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Aston Martin Vanquish S-The suspension,efficiency,style and price tag have all been improved to indicate it out as Aston’s range topping super-GT.
Aesthetically,there is no mistaking it for anything else in Aston’s range.Carbon
fibre has been included to the front splitter and rear diffuser, but as well as looking
pretty, the brand-new front end is created to help eliminate lift and reduce understeer.
Up front is Aston’s excellent 6.0-litre V12 – making its final outing-without a turbo
in eyesight.This Vanquish S will be the final naturally aspirated line Aston Martin
to roll out of the gates of the Gaydon HQ.
The engine has been fettled, though, fitted with a modified and freer-breathing intake system that’s allowed
the company to squeeze away an extra 27bhp, bumping power up to 595bhp.
Torque is still unchanged at 630Nm.The changes don’t come cheap, however,
and the Vanquish S now carries a price tag just under £200,000.Honestly,that is pretty much a
match for the McLaren 650S,even though it still undercuts the Ferrari F12 by over £40,000.
Not surprisingly,it’s the engine that is the Aston’s unique part.Thumbing
the key fob into the centre console provides it to life with a metallic howl,which quickly
settles to a burbling idle once it’s up to temperature.Choose drive and the Vanquish S pulls away easily,sliding
through its gears at the earliest opportunity to keep things as calm and peaceful as it can.
The steering is soft,precise and constantly weighted – always giving you a very clear signal as to
how much bite the front end has left.The composed nature of the Aston also means
the idea of driving a 595bhp, rear-wheeldrive supercar on a cold,wet and greasy
morning isn’t as daunting as you’d just imagine.The fat rear tyres find respectable bite
despite the considerable forces being put through them, while the predictable and linear power delivery from the 6.0-litre
V12 suggests there are no unpleasant surprises with the way the Vanquish S speeds up.
It never feels outrageously fast – not in the same way as a McLaren 650S -but what the Vanquish lacks in outright
strike it makes up for in noise.Push on past 4,000rpm and the V12 definitely comes alive.
The eight-speed automatic gearbox has also been modified to offer better and sharper changes.Upshifts feel speedy enough
in isolation, but they can’t quite match the rapid-fire changes you get in the McLaren
or Ferrari. Trying to match up Aston’s stated 3.5-second dash from 0-62mph also means
you have to sit through what feels like heavy-weight boxer punching you in the
chest as you jump from 1st to 2nd gear.
Aston Martin Vanquish S
Price: £199,950
Engine: 6.0-litre V12 petrol
Power/torque: 595bhp/630Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto,
rear-wheel drive
0-62mph: 3.5 seconds
Top speed: 201mph
Economy: 21.6mpg
CO2: 302g/km
The 6.0-litre V12 revs out to 7,000rpm, and gives the newbie a 3.5-second 0-62mph time
and a 201 mph top speed.That makes it one of the fastest Aston Martin ever before.
The sledgehammer 6.0-litre V12 and stunning ride quality make the Vanquish S special.Additionally,even though it is a
brand-new model,it’s the last of the old-school Astons to launch
before the Mercedes-inspired engineering manifests itself in Gaydon.At close to £200,000,it definitely isn’t cheap,but you’re buying a piece of the brand’s history: the last car to be
run by that fantastic V12.
Vanquish S ENGINE-All alloy quad overhead cam 48-valve 5935cc V12 with revised inlet manifolds
Front mid-mounted engine, rear-wheel drive
Stainless steel exhaust system with cross pipes and quad exhaust tailpipes
Compression ratio 11:1
Dual variable camshaft timing
Fully CNC machined combustion chambers
100 bhp/litre at 7000 rpm
Maximum power 444 kW (595 bhp/ 603 PS) at 7000 rpm – UK and EU
Maximum power 433 kW (580 bhp/ 588 PS) at 7000 rpm – ROW
Maximum torque 630 Nm (465 lb ft) at 5500 rpm
Acceleration 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) in 3.5 seconds
Maximum speed 201 mph (323 km/h)
European Fuel Economy Figures:
– Urban 14.4 mpg / 19.6 l/100km
– Extra urban 30.4 mpg / 21.6 l/100 km
– Combined 21.6 mpg / 13.1 l/100 km
– CO2 302 g/km
BRAKES-Dark Anodised brake calipers
Front ventilated CCM brake discs 398 mm diameter with six-piston calipers
Rear ventilated CCM brake discs 360 mm diameter with four-piston calipers
Dynamic Stability Control(DSC)
Anti-lock braking system (ABS)
Electronic Brake force
Distribution (EBD)
Emergency Brake Assist (EBA)
Traction Control (TC)
Hydraulic Brake Assist (HBA)
Positive Torque Control (PTC)
