2015 Aston Martin Vanquish:

Bringing Reality to the Unreal

The worst aspect of cutting edge CGI and audio technology in today’s world is that it’s taught us to question our primary senses. We’ve seen and heard so many (apparently) realistic portrayals of colossal robots, epic space travel and earth-shattering destruction we’ve instinctively developed an inner voice that pipes up whenever we witness the fantastical. The message? “Sure, that looks and sounds amazing, but of course it’s not real.” While this voice is usually an asset, helping us separate fantasy from reality, its skeptical nature can be a burden when you’re piloting a spectacular supercar through the equally spectacular Scottish Highlands. Under these circumstance, ideally, one turns off all brain filters and simply drinks in the natural and mechanical eye candy.

Such was the case during a recent road test between Loch Ness and the North Atlantic Coast in a 2015 Aston Martin Vanquish. In this circumstance, immersed in the visceral ambience of Aston Martin’s premier performance coupe while traversing the visual tapestry that is northern Scotland, one might reasonably question one’s surroundings. Peering through the Vanquish’s sloped windshield reveals deep blue lakes and lochs nestled between jagged mountains bathed in lush greens and deep grays. Throw in an uncharacteristic partly-to-mostly-sunny sky and you’re convinced it’s all some grand illusion the folks at Aston Martin orchestrated to emphasize the Vanquish’s latest improvements.

Of course driving an Aston Martin, in any atmosphere, can inspire disbelief. “Is the 6.0-liter, V12 engine really capable of such operatic sound quality?” was a question I quickly processed and dismissed. I’ve driven enough Aston Martins to know the unrivaled quality of their exhaust notes. “Is a car as luxurious and substantial as the 2015 Vanquish really capable of zero-to-60 mph in 3.6 seconds? Can the V12′s 568 peak horsepower actually push the sinuous coupe to over 200 mph?” That question took a bit longer to unravel than the exhaust query, because among the Vanquish’s improvements for 2015 is an all-new 8-speed transmission that maximizes every one of the V12′s 568 horses and 465 pound-feet of peak torque.

If you’re lucky enough to have first-hand experience with last year’s Vanquish (count me among that fortunate group) you’ll notice the performance upgrades immediately. The previous car certainly wasn’t slow, with a zero-to-60 time of around 4.1 seconds, but that half-second improvement to the 2015 Aston Martin Vanquish’s acceleration can be felt even without mashing the gas pedal because of newfound immediacy to throttle response.

The Vanquish always maintains its stately nature, but switching from the 6- to 8-speed transmission for 2015 means tighter gear ratios, and that means things happen much quicker when your right foot seeks forward movement. Like every modern automaker, Aston Martin isn’t simply chasing more horsepower these days (though the Vanquish’s V12 did gain 3 horsepower and 7 lb-ft of toque through engine tweaks for 2015).

More horsepower brings with it more heat and, quite often, reduced fuel efficiency. Better to leverage the existing power in the most effective way possible, which is exactly what the new, rear-mounted ZF 8-speed transaxle does. While the transmission utilizes a traditional torque converter rather than a dual-clutch design, shifts happen in as little as 130 milliseconds when the Vanquish is set to “Sport” mode, a setting that also quickens throttle response and puts the transmission in a more aggressive shift mode.

Connecting the engine and transaxle is an aluminum torque tube meant to reduce parasitic loss through its lightweight design and fixed link (no u-joints involved). These drivetrain upgrades have accomplished the trifecta in automotive evolution — higher performance, improved refinement and superior fuel efficiency. Along with more power, quicker acceleration and a greater top speed, the Vanquish’s EPA ratings move from last year’s 13 city/19 highway mpg to 13 city/21 highway mpg.

The 2015 Vanquish’s ride and handling behavior has been similarly upgraded through a series of chassis revisions. The front and rear springs are stiffer by 15 and 35 percent, respectively. The rear bushings are also 20 percent stiffer and a stronger rear anti-roll bar, as well as updated camber and toe settings, reduce body roll while improving turn-in. New, lighter 10-spoke forged wheels now ride on upgraded Pirelli PZero tires (255/35-20 front, 305/30-20 rear), and a larger dynamic spread between the Normal, Sport and Track settings for the adaptive suspension give the Vanquish a shaper, more nimble demeanor than one expects from a plush grand-touring coupe. Additional changes for 2015 include new leather trim color options (Dark Knight and Fandango Pink) and a new Diavalo Red exterior paint.

Of course, with the just-introduced Q by Aston Martin bespoke service Aston Martin buyers now have an almost unlimited number of personalized options available to them. The range of vehicle customization goes far beyond simply color-matching the leather seats to your wife’s favorite nail polish hue. If you’re looking to create a Vanquish like no other, Aston Martin has a team of designers ready to assist you. The cost for this service adds to the 2015 Vanquish coupe’s starting price of $287,820 ($305,820 for the Vanquish Volante convertible).

Better performance and fuel efficiency? Nimble handling from a palatial luxury coupe? A personalized program to build a supercar reflecting your specific tastes? Like today’s CGI, these concepts might have your little voice piping in, suggesting it all looks and sounds great — and unreal. But just like the mind-altering vistas I drove through in the Scottish Highlands, the 2015 Aston Martin Vanquish represents stark reality.