Aston Martin has launched their new Vanquish ‘super grand tourer’ in South Africa, with launch events having taken place at the Johannesburg and Cape Town dealerships. CEO of Aston Martin South Africa, Justin Divaris, was pleased to point out that, of the more than 130 dealerships scattered across the globe, the South African launches are the first to have taken place.
We’ve yet to see an all-new super- or sportscar from the Gaydon-based manufacturer, but the Aston Martin Vanquish offers enough changes to warrant real excitement. There are no surprises when it comes to the car’s underpinnings. The Vanquish is built upon the firm’s VH architecture and is powered by a familiar 6.0-litre V12 engine, however, Aston Martin has made significant improvements to both for use in the new Vanquish.
The latest engineering methods and innovative technologies have resulted in each body panel on the car being constructed from carbon fibre, which accounts for 25% more torsional rigidity than conventional construction methods. The architecture has been re-engineered to control weight and improve packaging, with 75% of the parts used in the Vanquish being new. A newly designed interior has resulted in a more spacious cabin and a boot that, at 368-litres, is more than 60% larger than that of the DBS. The Vanquish is also sold as a 2+2 coupe, but can be had without the rear seats.
The design remains thoroughly Aston Martin and remains faithful to their prevailing slogan: ‘Power, Beauty and Soul’. Drawing inspiration from the One-77 supercar, the Vanquish features a new waist-line, elongated side strakes and LED tail-lights. Further details show Aston’s efforts to towards contemporary design are evident in the way the new Aero Duct on the rear boot lid has been integrated. The duct reduces lift and aids in high-speed stability.
Aston Martin Chief Executive Officer, Dr Ulrich Bez said: “Today’s Vanquish is the ultimate expression of Aston Martin design ethos, engineering innovation and technical ability. It offers luxurious, continent-crossing capability and pure driving excitement without compromise. Bearing the same name as the iconic original Vanquish that did so much to cement Aston Martin’s reputation as a maker of great GT cars in the modern era, I believe the car unveiled today once again puts this great British brand at the top of its class.”
Powered by a revised version of the naturally aspirated 6.0-litre V12 petrol engine that’s found in the Aston Martin DBS, the Vanquish pairs this with a Touchtronic 2 6-speed automatic gearbox. For the first time on an Aston Martin, a motorsport-derived Launch Control system delivers the optimum take-off from a standing start – balancing throttle, gearbox and various traction aids to deliver a perfect ‘launch’. The V12’s peak power output of 421 kW (41 kW more than the DBS) makes it Aston Martin’s most potent production model yet, outmuscled only by the strictly limited edition, £1.2 million, One-77 supercar. With 421 kW at 6 750 r/min and 620 Nm of torque at 5 500 r/min, the Vanquish is able to accelerate from 0 – 100 km/h in 4.1 seconds and will reach a top speed of 295 km/h.
The Vanquish is fitted with new generation Pirelli P-Zero tyres that have been developed especially for the car, along with new 20-inch lightweight alloy wheels. The car’s braking system features Brembo Carbon Ceramic Matrix (CCM) brakes, which are lighter than a conventional system, reducing the weight of the car overall and, in particular, the unsprung weight and rotational masses, further enhancing the performance of the suspension. The front brakes use 398 mm discs with six-piston brake callipers from the One-77, while the rear brakes use 360 mm discs with a four-piston calliper.
Dr Bez said: “The Aston Martin range is stronger now than at any time in our 99-year history. The new Vanquish represents the perfect way to signal the beginning of our centenary celebrations next year.”
First delivery of vehicles in South Africa are scheduled for the first quarter of 2013.
