Aston Martin took a huge step forward in Geneva earlier this year, finally replacing the long-serving DB9 with a modern replacement. Although the DB11 is faster and more economical than its predecessor, purists will bemoan the move away from natural aspiration. But there is still a big Aston Martin with a naturally aspirated V12 under the hood. That car is the freshly updated Vanquish S.
Like every Aston Martin launched in the last 15 years, the refreshed Vanquish is very handsome. Marek Reichman and the design team in Gaydon haven't messed with the profile of the car, but it has tweaked the front splitter and rear diffuser to provide more downforce without impacting top speed. There's also a new exhaust setup for even more noise from the 6.0-liter V12 up front.
The Vanquish S has a new suspension setup. The dampers, spring rates and anti-roll bars have all been revised, with the goal of delivering sharper handling in sportier drive modes. Although that should make the car better on the track, it also hasn't changed the fact it is still primarily a big, comfortable grand tourer, albeit one with a whopping great V12.
You can buy a Ferrari or McLaren if you want to shatter lap records, the Vanquish S is angled at crossing continents in unmatched comfort. There's still 600 hp (447 kW) on tap though. A revised intake system with larger volume inlet manifolds has freed up 27 hp (20 kW) more power than you get in the standard Vanquish, and the car's eight-speed gearbox has also been worked over for faster, smoother changes.
Like any good grand tourer, the Vanquish is kitted out with every possible luxury you can imagine. The seats are trimmed in soft, quilted leather, and the headrests are finished with special embroidery. If that still isn't special enough, the dashboard can now be covered in a unique satin chopped carbon fiber.
The Vanquish S will be offered as a Coupe and Volante, with pricing starting at US$312,950. Deliveries start in December.
Source: Aston Martin
