Is the Aston Martin Vanquish Volante and Coupe the last true grand tourer, or just an overpriced museum piece?
Aston Martin. The name alone is enough to make petrolheads go weak at the knees. The mere mention of it conjures images of James Bond, V12 symphonies, and the kind of automotive elegance that makes Ferraris look like shouty teenagers at a music festival.
And then there’s the Vanquish, specifically the Vanquish Volante and Vanquish Coupe—two of the most breathtaking cars to ever emerge from Aston’s factory. But here’s the real question: was the Vanquish the last great Aston Martin?
Let’s take a proper look.
Design: a work of art on wheels
If aliens ever landed on Earth and asked, “What’s the most beautiful car humans have ever built?” you could point to the Vanquish Coupe and confidently say, “That.”
Its proportions are flawless. The curves, the low-slung stance, the aggressive yet sophisticated front grille—it’s a car that doesn’t try too hard. It doesn’t have to. It’s naturally stunning, like a movie star who just rolled out of bed looking perfect.
And then there’s the Vanquish Volante, the drop-top version. Usually, chopping the roof off a coupe makes a car look slightly awkward, like a well-dressed man who’s forgotten his trousers. But not here. The Volante is just as jaw-dropping, if not more so.
Everything is made from carbon fiber, keeping weight down while ensuring that, even in 50 years, it’ll still look cutting-edge. That’s the thing about good design—it never ages.
Performance: old-school V12 magic
This is where the Vanquish truly earns its place in the automotive hall of fame. Under the bonnet sits a 6.0-liter naturally aspirated V12, producing 595 horsepower in the later Vanquish S version.
No turbos. No electric motors. Just pure, old-school combustion, the way God (or at least, Sir David Brown) intended.
The sound? Absolutely biblical. Start it up, and you’re greeted with a deep, resonant growl. Push it past 4,000 RPM, and it screams like an operatic lunatic. It’s the kind of noise that makes your spine tingle and your neighbors file noise complaints.
Performance-wise, the Coupe hits 0-60 mph in just 3.5 seconds, while the Volante takes a fraction longer at 3.7 seconds—thanks to the extra weight of the roof mechanism.
Top speed? 201 mph for the Coupe, 197 mph for the Volante. Because why stop at 150 when you can be obscenely fast?
Handling: a grand tourer that actually wants to be driven
Aston Martin has always been about grand touring—cars designed to cross continents at high speed in supreme comfort.
The Vanquish Coupe and Volante both come with a Touchtronic III 8-speed automatic gearbox, which shifts smoothly when you’re cruising but snaps into action when you push it hard.
Unlike modern supercars that are all about lap times and Nürburgring records, the Vanquish feels like it was built for the open road. It’s engaging, alive, and just the right amount of terrifying.
And that’s the charm. It’s not perfect. The steering is heavier than you’d expect, the gearbox sometimes hesitates, and it doesn’t have the scalpel-like precision of a McLaren. But that’s what makes it great. It has soul.
Interior: luxury meets drama
Inside, the Vanquish is pure old-school Aston.
Hand-stitched leather? Check.
A dashboard that looks like it belongs in a private jet? Absolutely.
Glass key that makes starting the car feel like launching a spaceship? Of course.
It’s all very bespoke, very British, and very expensive. But there’s one small problem—technology.
The infotainment system is laughably outdated. The screen looks like it was borrowed from a 2007 Nokia, and the navigation system is best described as “optimistically terrible.”
But honestly, who cares? You don’t buy a Vanquish to play with screens. You buy it to listen to that V12 and enjoy the drive.
The Vanquish legacy: the last of its kind?
Here’s where it gets emotional. The Vanquish was the last naturally aspirated V12 Aston Martin. Everything after it—DBS, Vantage, Valkyrie—either went turbocharged or hybrid.
This means the Vanquish is a relic from an era that’s now extinct.
It’s the final, glorious chapter of a time when cars weren’t about efficiency, emissions, or autonomous driving. It’s from an era where driving was still about passion, about feeling connected to the road, about that indescribable thrill of a perfectly balanced V12 at full throttle.
And that’s why it matters. That’s why, years from now, people will look back at the Vanquish Coupe and Volante and realize just how special they were.
Final verdict: automotive masterpiece or just another expensive toy?
Is the Aston Martin Vanquish Volante and Coupe worth the hype? Absolutely.
It’s stunning to look at. It sounds like heaven. It’s fast, exciting, and packed with character. Yes, it has flaws. Yes, the tech is ancient. Yes, modern supercars are faster.
But none of that matters. Because the Vanquish isn’t about numbers. It’s about how it makes you feel.
So, here’s a question for you—if you could own one legendary grand tourer, would it be the Vanquish, a Ferrari F12, or a Bentley Continental GT? Let’s settle this once and for all!
all images thanks to astonmartin.com
