The 2025 Aston Martin Vanquish: When Beauty Meets Beast

A stunning return to form for Aston Martin’s flagship grand tourer

There are moments in automotive journalism when you encounter a car that stops you in your tracks. The 2025 Aston Martin Vanquish is one of those cars. Fresh from Motor Trend’s comprehensive testing, this British grand tourer represents everything we love about the classic front-engine, V-12 formula – with a few modern twists that’ll leave you breathless.

A Rolling Masterpiece

Let’s start with the obvious: this car is absolutely gorgeous. We’re not talking “pretty for a sports car” gorgeous – we’re talking “one of the most beautiful cars ever designed” gorgeous. Every angle reveals something new to admire, from the perfectly proportioned silhouette to those cleverly designed hood vents with six holes each (one for each cylinder of that magnificent V-12).

The design team at Aston Martin has created something truly special here. The short front overhangs, the perfectly pitched roofline, the sculpted door surfaces – it all comes together in a way that makes you want to walk around the car just to take it all in. This is automotive art that happens to have 824 horsepower.

The Heart of a Beast

Speaking of that power – wow. The 5.2-liter twin-turbo V-12 doesn’t just make impressive numbers on paper; it delivers them in spectacular fashion. With 824 hp at 6,500 rpm and 738 lb-ft of torque available from just 2,500 rpm, this engine transforms every drive into an occasion.

The performance figures are genuinely impressive:

0-60 mph: 3.3 seconds
Quarter-mile: 11.2 seconds at 132.5 mph
Top speed: 214 mph

But here’s the thing – raw acceleration is just part of the story. This isn’t built to embarrass Teslas at traffic lights (though it certainly could). This is about the experience, the journey, the way it makes you feel when that V-12 awakens.

Surprising Track Prowess

One of the biggest surprises from Motor Trend’s testing came on their figure-eight course, where the Vanquish posted an impressive 23.3-second time at 0.94g average. As tester Erick Ayapana put it: “Way better than I expected. Turn-in is so fast and crisp. I expected this to be front heavy, but this is a very balanced car.”

The key to unlocking the Vanquish’s potential is finesse. Treat it with delicate steering and pedal inputs, and it rewards you with world-class performance and the ability to rotate the tail when you’re feeling playful. However, at 4,334 pounds, it never lets you forget its substantial presence – especially on tight, winding roads where it feels “as wide as a Range Rover Sport with its mirrors folded in.”

The Not-So-Perfect Paradise

Even automotive art has its flaws, and the Vanquish has a few that are hard to ignore, especially at its $560,700 starting price:

The Missing Nose-Lift System: This is perhaps the most glaring omission. Imagine pulling up to a hotel valet in your stunning Aston Martin, only to scrape the front end on the entrance ramp while everyone watches. Cars costing half as much come standard with nose-lift systems these days.

Glass Roof Without Shade: The optional glass roof looks fantastic but lacks any form of shade or electrochromic dimming. On a sunny day, it can make the cabin uncomfortably hot, which is unacceptable in a car at this price point.

Muted V-12 Symphony: While the twin-turbo V-12 is mighty, it lacks the stirring soundtrack of naturally aspirated alternatives like Ferrari’s 12 Cilindri. The turbos muffle some of that glorious V-12 music we all crave.

Comfort Mode Could Be Softer: For a grand tourer, the Comfort drive mode could offer a more cushioned ride for those long-distance cruises.

The Verdict: Beauty and the Beast Unite

Despite these criticisms, the 2025 Aston Martin Vanquish succeeds where it matters most. This is a car that delivers that natural high from your very first drive – and more importantly, it continues to inspire long after the initial novelty wears off.

The Vanquish represents Aston Martin’s most powerful front-engine car ever, and it wears that crown beautifully. It’s a worthy flagship that honors the classic tradition of gas-powered, 12-cylinder grand tourers while pointing toward an exciting future for the brand.

In a world increasingly dominated by electrification and efficiency, the Vanquish stands as a reminder of what we’re potentially leaving behind. It’s not perfect – no car is – but its combination of stunning design, thrilling performance, and emotional connection makes it something truly special.

For those fortunate enough to afford one, the 2025 Aston Martin Vanquish offers something increasingly rare: the opportunity to own rolling automotive art that happens to be absolutely brilliant to drive. In an age of disposable technology, that’s worth celebrating.

The 2025 Aston Martin Vanquish starts at $560,700 and is available now at Aston Martin dealers nationwide.