The Aston Martin Vanquish, sometimes called V12 Vanquish, was penned by famed designer Ian Callum. The original prototype, the ‘Project Vantage Concept’, was revealed at the 1998 North American International Auto Show; with the final iteration of the car being shown two years later at the Geneva Motor Show. With the DB7 being the staple of the brand at the time, Aston Martin intended to set solid footing in the 21st Century and make a technological grand tourer for the new millennium.

Vanquish production spanned from 2001 to 2007 in two different generations: the original Vanquish (2001-2005) and the Vanquish S (2004-2007). While still maintaining an electrohydraulic manual transmission, the Vanquish S provided important upgrades in horsepower (520hp versus 460hp), wheels, nose design, a bigger rear spoiler, and a new front splitter. Special editions by Zagato (Roadster) and Bertone (Jet 2) were made along the course of the model’s production, culminating in a 50-unit ‘Ultimate Edition’ reserved for the last cars off the production line at Newport Pagnell.

Reception to the Vanquish was positive, with almost 2,600 units leaving the factory, 1,086 of them being ‘Vanquish S’ specs. The car was prominently featured in the perennial James Bond franchise, being a main character in ‘Die Another Day’ (2002), as well as the 2003 remake of ‘The Italian Job’.