2014 Aston Martin Vanquish - Review

The Basics:

As Aston Martin's top grand touring sports car, the 2014 Vanquish is one of the top sports GTs in the world, and it looks it--every inch, inside and out. Priced from about $280,000 and available in nearly any custom combination of colors and features, the Vanquish puts the luxury-speed stratosphere on notice.

Strikingly shaped, though familiarly Aston Martin in profile, the Vanquish uses a carbon fiber body over an aluminum and steel chassis. The result is the formation of some body panels that would be impossible with any other method: the sharply creased protrusion along the sides, for example, or the through-the-trunk-lid wing/spoiler. Graceful, muscular, and modern, the Vanquish's look fits both its price tag and its mission.

Inside, the story is much the same, with hand-crafted leather, solid metal, and quality plastics wrap around elegant, modern shapes. The seats are comfortable, but not too aggressively bolstered, and while the rear seat is mostly for show, it can be replaced with a simple and useful parcel shelf.

Under the hood lies a 565-horsepower 6.0-liter V-12 engine. Paired to a six-speed automatic Touchtronic 2 transmission, the Vanquish is very quick, taking just 4.1 seconds to reach 60 mph. Top speed is 183 mph, but it's the getting there that's the most fun--and it sounds pretty incredible, too.

The 2014 Vanquish isn't light, however, weighing more than 3,900 pounds despite its carbon body. The result is a slightly ponderous feeling to its movements, exacerbated by somewhat detached steering feel, despite prodigious grip. The ride quality is a bit rougher than we expected, considering the obvious GT-class role of the Vanquish, but it's not objectionable, ultimately.

As with any Aston Martin, the exterior and interior are highly customizable, with the company willing to deliver any bespoke combination a buyer might want--for a price. Equipment-wise, the Aston offers the luxury basics: navigation, excellent audio in the form of a 1,000-watt Bang & Olufsen system, iPod and iPhone integration, Bluetooth phone and audio connectivity, and WiFi.

No safety data is likely to come from either the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) or the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety due to the 2014 Aston Martin Vanquish's limited sales volume and prohibitive price. Nevertheless, with its state-of-the-art construction, very good on-road dynamics, and modern safety equipment list, we expect it to offer good protection in an accident, as well as the ability to avoid many on-road hazards.