The Aston Martin V12 Vanquish was designed by Ian Callum and bore a large resemblance to the production DB7 Vantage. Underneath the car featured a strong aluminum/carbon composite construction, bonded chassis with a 5,935 cc (5.9 L; 362.2 cu in) V12 engine. It was available in 2+0 and 2+2 seating configurations. The standard Vanquish model had 355 mm (14.0 inches) drilled and ventilated disc brakes with four-pot calipers, ABS, with electronic brake distribution.
Its appearance in the 2002 James Bond film Die Another Day earned the V12 Vanquish the number three spot on the list of Best Film Cars Ever behind the Minis from The Italian Job, and DB5 from Goldfinger & Thunderball.
The Aston Martin Vanquish S debuted at the 2004 Paris Auto Show, with increased horsepower and performance and slight styling revisions. The engine displacement remained at 5,935 cc (362.2 cu in), with power increased to 520 hp (340 to 390 kW). Visual changes included new wheels, a slightly different nose shape, a new raised bootlid with a larger integrated spoiler incorporating the third high level brake light (in the rear window on the original Vanquish) and the addition of a small front splitter (although this was mainly done for aerodynamic reasons). As part of its improvements, the Vanquish S featured a slightly improved coefficient of drag of 0.32 (from 0.33), with help from a redesigned splitter and boot lid. It also incorporated the features of a 2004 option package, the Sports Dynamic Pack, which incorporated sportier suspension, steering, and brake features. The Vanquish S featured larger brakes than the V12 Vanquish; 378 mm (14.9 in) front discs with six-pot calipers and 330 mm (13.0 inches) rear discs.
Vanquish production ended 19 July 2007, coinciding with the shuttering of the company's Newport Pagnell factory after 49 years operation. With a 200+ MPH top speed, the Vanquish S was (as measured by top speed capability) the fastest Aston Martin ever until the Vantage V12 S was introduced in May 2013.
This stunning example has the entire Vanquish “S” package option (suspension, steering, brakes) and drives great—it has only 17,040 miles and was a Nevada/California car. It has all new (500 miles) tires and wheels and comes with all the old parts removed to do the Vanquish S dealer upgrade which was done by Scottsdale Aston Martin. It also has the $10K Linn Audio system option which sounds fantastic. It includes a brand new set of vanquish wheels since part of the $35K S upgrade was new S wheels. It also includes all the non S original parts that were removed to install the S option (such as steering knuckles). The car can be inspected in the Albuquerque, NM area by appointment.