31 October, Newport Pagnell, UK: Aston Martin Works – the heritage home of the great British automotive marque – is this month marking an important anniversary for one of the supercars created at its historic site, the original V12 Vanquish, which was revealed publicly 20 years ago.
When it was presented before an eager audience at the 2001 Geneva Motor Show the V12 Vanquish was nothing less than the most sophisticated and technologically advanced new model yet designed, developed and built by Aston Martin.
Incorporating what were, at the time, cutting edge technologies such as drive-by-wire throttle control and F1©-style finger-tip controlled gearshift paddles, the Newport Pagnell-built V12 Vanquish instantly became Aston Martin’s flagship model.
Lauded for its sublime design, exceptional power and brutish performance, V12 Vanquish quickly secured positive reviews from the expert media of the day. Motortrend in the United States said: “Aston Martin’s new Vanquish is one of the most superbly designed front-engine GTs of all time.” British magazine evo were moved to say: “It devours the straight bits with relish, but it also has a ravenous appetite for corners,” while The Sunday Times later called it “an automotive masterpiece”.
Today, Paul Spires, President of Aston Martin Works said: “The original V12 Vanquish represented an important and timely development for our marque. It was, and is, a great super GT with all the character, style and power that is rightly expected of an Aston Martin sports car.
“20 years on from that debut, the V12 Vanquish remains a proud part of the marque’s heritage which we celebrate here at Newport Pagnell. It is an exceptional piece of our history, and a car that we can rightly look back on with considerable pride.”