Vanquish [Official] Aston Martin (AM 310) Vanquish

[Merc1]

Aston Martin executives get philosophical when they describe the development process of the new Vanquish and its underpinnings. The British manufacturer's new top-of-the-line model is still based on the VH architecture that debuted with the DB9 in 2003. But VH is not a platform, Aston suits explain: It is a method and a way of continuous improvement. VH stands for “vertical horizontal”—“vertical” meaning shared construction and “horizontal” meaning shared components, i.e. across several models. With each significant new vehicle introduction, VH enters a new generation; now the architecture is now entering gen four, it is explained.
The new Vanquish replaces the DBS, which replaced the first-generation Vanquish. That car was launched in 2001 as the brand's top-of-the-line model—a rare and expensive car hand-assembled in Aston Martin's old Newport Pagnell production site. Resurrecting the Vanquish nameplate emphasizes the new car's status at the top of the brand's lineup, while distancing it from the DBS, which was too close to the DB9 not only in name, but also in execution.

Do the Evolution
The Vanquish does actually mark a significant evolution of the VH architecture in a few ways. For starters, most of its body panels are constructed from carbon fiber; they are hung on an upgraded version of Aston's bonded-aluminum monocoque. Aston claims the new platform is 25 percent torsionally stiffer than the DBS’s. The front-end structure is lower and also lighter, thanks to the use of hollow-cast aluminum. Overall weight has been reduced by 120 pounds or so; based on DBS models we’ve weighed, that will put the Vanquish at around 3800 pounds. The Vanquish has a stated 50/50 weight distribution; the steering is of the conventional, hydraulically boosted type. Carbon-ceramic brakes are standard, as is a three-mode (Normal, Sport, Track) driver-selectable suspension. Twenty-inch wheels are standard, and are fitted with 255/35 front and 305/30 rear Pirelli P Zero rubber. Vehicle dynamics benefit from mounting the V-12 engine lower than before, which was required to comply with pedestrian-protection regulations.

FULL STORY: http://www.caranddriver.com/news/2013-aston-martin-am-310-vanquish-photos-and-info-news


M

 

[Merc1]

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.

http://www.insideline.com/aston-martin/vanquish/2014/2014-aston-martin-vanquish-arrives-in-early-2013-priced-from-279995.html


(Can someone take the AM 310 out of the thread title please? Thanks)


M

 

[hoffmeister_fan]

If this had a DCT transmission, this car would be nigh on perfect. Torque converter, my aunt fanny!

 

[Giannis]

(Can someone take the AM 310 out of the thread title please? Thanks)


M

Ιsn't it part of the name of the car?

 

[Merc1]

Clearly Aston is hurting for ideas and technical expansion. They need BMW or Mercedes-Benz to take over and provide the cash and know how, but for now this update will get them by I think. Now bring on the Rapide S. I really wish one of the Germans would just buy them, either BMW or Mercedes. Mercedes' 6.2. AMG V8 would be perfect for the the Vantage models and for an entry level DB9. A co-developed, from scratch V12 with AMG would be such a dream for AMG and Aston. Let AMG turbo charge it for their cars and give it to Aston in N/A form to do what they will with it. ***** SIGH ******


M

 

[Merc1]

Ιsn't it part of the name of the car?

I don't think it is. I guess we better wait until the official press release comes out then huh?


M

 

[Wunderkind]

The technical package might be a bit long in the tooth (the engine, the 6-speed ZF transmission, and the VH platform), but I still like it a lot.

We have to remember that Aston Martin is not Mercedes Benz or BMW and don't have the resources to come up with all new platforms, engines, and transmissions everytime they come out with a new model. The new interior would have probably consumed a lot of Aston Martin's financial resources.

The only concern I have is that the Aston Martin V12 engine is really getting left behind by the Ferrari FF and F12's V12 and also that of the Mercedes AMG.

Aston Martin should have at least, in my view, brought out the 8-speed ZF transmission at launch. But development works might have fallen behind the launch date.

 

[Human]

Now there is progress in terms of switchgear Looks fresh, elegant, modern, futuristic and indeed as progress for HVAC controls. Unique

 

[Levi68]

Now can really say I don't like the new Vanquish more than the old DBS. I don't like:
- tail lights
- rear wing
- rear quarter windows
- side lines (though perfect for the One-77)

Quite a pity because it could have been a good alternative to the FF and F12.

 

[martinbo]

Yeah, it's pretty darn stunning, irrespective of how typecast it may be - it's an Aston Martin for pete's sake - within the marque's present design idiom. It's Vanquish alright - pure and proper.
I really like the pinched waist "coke-bottle" surface effect around the trailing edge of the door and door-pillar.

 

[Levi68]

Interior, especially controls, is a step up except for the tacho. Looks cheaps. It would need brushed aluminium.

Other pics:

Alot of CF for an AM. Looks good though.

I said I didn't like the taillights, the wing and the rear quarter windows, but the more I look at it, it starts growing on me. I have to see it live.


Now the list of cars with CF roof grows on: BMW, Subaru, Lexus, Aston Martin.

 

[Levi68]

 

[martinbo]

I think it's Muddy Blaverlous.

 

[Top Secret]

One cannot find the appropriate words to describe how truly terrible that interior is. My eyes have been soiled.

 

[martinbo]

Autocar's excellent report on the launch of the new Vanquish:

Aston Martin is shifting up a gear. With the launch of the £190,000 Vanquish — a brand-new ‘regular’ flagship, as opposed to the super-exclusive One-77 and Zagato V12 models — the company is preparing itself for a new era of model development while continuing to stress that evolution, not revolution, will always be its guiding philosophy. A clear sign of evolution is the use of the Vanquish name for the new model, which is due to be launched in the summer with the first cars ready for delivery early next year. The original Vanquish, shown as a concept in 1998 and built between 2001 and 2007, was the first Aston to signal a move away from traditional construction methods.

This new edition introduces a much stiffer ‘Generation 4’ 
version of the adaptable ‘VH’ bonded aluminium monocoque chassis that arrived with the Aston Martin DB9 in 2003. It also introduces a completely re-engineered version of Aston’s 6.0-litre V12 engine, with variable valve timing, new heads, bigger inlet valves and throttle bodies, and new manifolds that boost power and torque. Most importantly, the revised engine meets forthcoming US clean-air legislation. For the first time in a 
series-production Aston, the outer panels are all formed 
in carbonfibre. The body design presents a fresh face because of the influence of the £1.2 million One-77, and is the culmination of a three-year project led by Miles Nurnberger, Aston’s chief exterior designer.

Nurnberger acknowledges the car’s use of “simple” existing Aston cues (low nose, ‘moustache’ grille, steeply raked screen, exaggerated rear haunches), but describes the car as “more deeply sculpted” than previous Astons. The car sits on a skirt of exposed carbonfibre in reference to its all-carbonfibre body construction. It features an integral rear wing specifically designed to look — on the orders of Aston chief Ulrich Bez — as if it was impossible to make. Nurnberger says that the extra sculpting and radically waisted shape of the Vanquish’s 2+2 body will make the car look quite different from existing Astons on the road, although it takes care to maintain the marque’s fundamental character. “An Aston always wears a suit,” he says. “It is assertive, not aggressive; powerful but polite.”

Inside, the Vanquish gets an all-new cockpit design, still with a prominent centre stack, but with a suite of new hardware, including lighter and smaller screen, ventilation and hi-fi controls. The DB9’s allegedly jewel-like instruments, seen in most Astons since 2003, get a new, quieter and more technical-looking set of analogue dials, which are much clearer to read. The fascia ‘volumes’ have been reduced and moved 20mm away from occupants to give more room and a feeling of airiness without losing the tailored feel. Aston is keen to keep the bespoke nature of its trim, with hand-stitching, rich colours and classy materials, but beyond that the list of possible variations is almost limitless. The Vanquish sits on an identical 2740mm wheelbase to the DB9 (which continues as core model) and the DBS it replaces, but is “a shade” wider, longer and taller than both models. However, stung by suggestions that it keeps using a 10-year-old chassis, Aston engineers point out that in this first ‘Gen 4’ iteration, the new VH structure is 30 per cent stiffer than a DBS, thanks mostly to a new design of engine brace. The Gen 4 VH structure also uses improved anodising and bonding techniques, makes greater use than ever before of structural carbonfibre and features a boot space fully 60 per cent larger than that of a DBS (and 10 per cent bigger than a Bentley Continental’ coupé’s). Despite its expanding list of gadgets and safety equipment, the Vanquish also offers useful weight saving. At 1739kg ready to go, it is fully 56kg lighter than the DBS it replaces.

The V12 engine is mounted 19mm lower in the chassis to provide greater bonnet ‘crush’ clearance in impacts with pedestrians, but the move also lowers the car’s centre of gravity by a useful 10mm. The engine gets a whole suite of improvements, but most significant is its adoption of double variable valve timing. As well as greatly boosting peak power and torque, this delivers to the driver an extra 
30lb ft of torque right through the range, from just above idle. The latest output figures are 565bhp (up from 510bhp) delivered at 6750rpm, and 457lb ft at 5500rpm. Drive flows to the rear wheels via a carbonfibre tailshaft (and through an alloy torque tube) to the latest version of ZF’s six-speed torque-converter automatic, which is mounted in-unit with the differential and is capable of shifting 30 per cent faster than previous iterations. The reason for using a ‘full’ automatic, rather than the automated manual of racier Astons, say engineers, is because the Vanquish will primarily be a grand tourer.

A new NVH (noise, vibration, harshness) ‘blanket’ for the front bulkhead is employed for the same reason, and the car also has its own engine note ‘tune’, provided by a new, smaller silencer mounted under the boot floor. Aston says that it isn’t interested in winning a power race with rivals, but nevertheless predicts a healthy top speed of 183mph, with acceleration from zero to 62mph in just 4.1sec. To match the performance, the suspension consists of forged double wishbones all round and gets adaptive dampers, plus the latest-generation chassis stability system and traction control, which is adjustable in three modes. The speed-sensitive hydraulic power assistance for the rack and pinion steering adopts the 15:1 ratio first used in the four-door Rapide, rather than the 17:1 familiar from other two-door models, to make the car feel more nimble. Effort varies according to chassis setting, with a sportier setting offering more rim effort and stiffer ride rates. Carbon-ceramic brakes are used to reduce noise and improve retardation by five per cent.

Aston is reluctant to talk about how the new Vanquish affects the company’s future, but it obviously leads a new generation. It is also clear that the One-77 will lead the styling of the next generation of models, and the thoroughness of the V12’s re-engineering means that Aston bosses see years of life in that, too. The challenge inside Gaydon, as ever, will be to keep the cars modern without altering course.

Steve Cropley

Source: http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/aston-martin-vanquish-uncovered

 

[Monster]

Can't seem to move my post to this thread so I am just going to repost it here.

You can see the rear quarter window is a lot narrower and tapered in the new Vanquish. The side panels have more definition and sharpness to it. The line flowing from the top of the wheel arch now drops further downwards and the under cut at the bottom edge of the door is deeper and steeper, which helps to create a lean athletic look. The rear wheel arches/hips are far more curvaceous. It gives the car a forward leaning appearance.

 

[Monster]

Information of the car is up on Aston's official website.

http://www.astonmartin.com/en/cars/vanquish/model-information

This is as close to a new car as it is going to get from Aston, it looks great in darker metallic colors.

 

[K-A]

I don't give a FFFFFFFFFF if this thing has a Navi system from the 90's and doesn't let me surf the internet while driving or whatever stupid Social Networking gadget people crave to distract themselves from the task at hand.

I don't care if it has a 210 HP V6 developed by a 3rd World Country in the 70's.

I want it, and it is incredibly luscious to look at.

Also, I think that Aston must keep their cars looking very familiar and very slightly evolved every generation. In this case, it's not lazy and unimaginative. It's 911-esque. They're one of the rare ones who have a car that they can keep sacred, preserve the sanctity of its design, and IMO they should flaunt it, and let everyone else clamor for popping smoke with all new designs every generation. This is how it's done.

 

[Merc1]

Well they have managed to live another day with yet another stunning car. WOW.


M

 

[wookieecrisp]

A lot more supercar-looking than any other Aston Martin (save the One-77). The new interior ergonomics have got to increase the desirability of this car!
Overall, it's nice to see the Vanquish name back. The extra speed puts it more on par with today's times, I guess.