Elite Traveler Winter 2024/25

“It’s the embodiment of a feeling,” Reichman tells me of the design. “The first Vanquish was a very powerful car. It dominated. It was muscular. And that’s what I want to portray.” And he does. The wheelbase is long at 2,885 millimeters, with an especially protracted A-pillar to front axle, giving it a mighty, planted stance. It’s got those same brawny haunches as the Vanquish predecessors, only bigger, with the rear track width up 25 millimeters on the outgoing DBS. For added fury, Vanquish has an even more enormous front grille; Formula 1-inspired, arrow-shaped vents in the sculpted bonnet; and an acute flick on the spoiler, emphasizing the hard stop of the Kamm tail. It looks vicious, in the best way. And if Reichman wants any further proof of concept, he can collect all the jaws dropping on the pavements of Olbia as our cavalcade rolls past. For all that it’s a machine built for power and dominion, Aston’s new place in the market relies on something more. As well as frightening Fiat Pandas on the overtake, Vanquish’s status as a super-GT hinges on its ability to cosset you through the long haul, too. It’s a car that’s got to feel as tender as it does terrifying. Gilt-edge luxury in the interior now comes as standard in next-gen models, with superior leathers, a signature balance of hard keys and tactile buttons on the center console — this has been lowered in Vanquish to push out the diaphragm of the cabin — state-of-the-art (and sizeable) infotainment systems, and the Bowers & Wilkins stereo. The drive comfort has been keyed up as well, with increased underbody bracing and Bilstein DTX Dampers affording both stability and suppleness, plus an all-new corner braking provision in the ABS, allowing a fluid economy of brake pedaling in hours of gentle twists. As was the intention, Aston Martin’s 2024 Vanquish isn’t the revival of a legend; it’s the reincarnation. It presents another turning point for the brand, into an era where supercars have to demonstrate so much more than speed. Vanquish isn’t just a beast, but a world to inhabit and an expression of power, luxury and identity. astonmartin.com