Just the Facts:
-The Aston Martin AM 310 Vanquish is the British sports car maker's new flagship.
-The new Vanquish will go on sale in the U.S. in early 2013.
-Prices will start from $279,995.
GAYDON, England — The 2014 Aston Martin AM 310 Vanquish, the British sports car maker's new flagship, will go on sale in the U.S. in early 2013, priced from $279,995.
Previewed as the Project AM 310 concept at last month's Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este, the new Vanquish replaces the DBS at the top of Aston Martin's regular production range, nestled below the limited-edition One-77 supercar (which is now officially sold out) and the V12 Zagato.
The starting price of the 2014 Vanquish is barely more than the base $277,576 sticker on the 2012 Aston Martin DBS, despite the fact that the Vanquish has been comprehensively re-engineered from top to bottom.
The most noticeable and striking aspect of the Vanquish is, of course, is its sleek new carbon-fiber body, created by Design Director Marek Reichman and his team, drawing styling inspiration and cues from the One-77. The new car is marginally longer, taller and wider than the DBS, but has more interior and luggage space.
The 2014 Vanquish comes standard as a two-place coupe, with optional 2+2 seating.
Built on the next generation of Aston Martin's long-running VH architecture, the Vanquish features an upgraded and more potent version of the company's 6.0-liter V12 engine mated to a Touchtronic six-speed automatic gearbox. The V12 now makes 563 horsepower and 457 pound-feet of torque, enabling 0-60 acceleration in less than 4.1 seconds and a top speed of 183 mph.
The 2014 Vanquish rides on Pirelli P Zero tires — 255/35ZR20 front and 305/30ZR20 rear — and gets revised ceramic brake discs, among other improvements. The car also will be among the first Aston Martins to offer electronic launch control.
The leather and Alcantara cockpit boasts a 1,000-watt Bang & Olufsen BeoSound 15-speaker audio system and a Garmin sat-nav system. Among the available options are a choice of alloy wheels in different finishes, a One-77 steering wheel, a choice of brake caliper colors and a choice of interior trim and accent colors, as well as exposed-carbon-fiber roof panel, door mirror caps, side strakes and door handles.
Inside Line says: Not as dramatic looking as the previous Vanquish and a little low on power compared to some of its competitors. It's still something to behold, though, and should be a blast behind the wheel.
