Aston Martin Vanquish (2001-) Review

On the road

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Traditionally, large Astons were big, heavy - even lumbering - machines and often difficult to drive. The Vanquish changes all that with its finger-light controls and quick-trigger semi-automatic transmission which does away with a clutch pedal. There is one big problem, though. Because it has a manual gearbox, the Vanquish will not creep if the driver comes to a halt on an incline. With no clutch pedal to hold the car, the driver has to either try and fumble with the handbrake - a tricky fly-off unit, mounted by the door - or brake with the left foot. A big oversight by Aston. Rear vision is poor and the size of the car makes it difficult to park. It would be a strange driver who was not intoxicated by the Vanquish's sheer performance. Not so long ago, a car this powerful would have been a real handful, but the Vanquish is exceptionally easy to drive, thanks in large part to the semi-automatic transmission. The starting procedure (pulling both paddles together to get neutral, then pressing the illuminated starting button) adds to the sense of occasion. The refinement of the cabin and evenness of the power delivery means the Vanquish lacks the drama of a Ferrari or a 911, but it still requires great respect on narrow roads and in poor conditions.

With 460 bhp on tap from its 6.0-litre V12, the Vanquish is one of the most - if not the most - powerful production cars in the world. Aston Martin claims a top speed in excess of 190 mph and, driven hard, the car will run from 0-60 mph in under 4.5 seconds. In the real world, the Vanquish is as fast as anything on the road. Yet despite the thunderous performance, the car's refinement and lack of mechanical drama reduces the sense of sheer speed. Swift driving is helped by the six-speed semi-automatic transmission, which is operated by two F1-style paddles behind the steering-wheel rim, although there's a fully automatic mode, too.