Vanquish Mk2 — 2012
The Vanquish MkII revived the flagship tradition after the DBS years, adopting a 5.9-litre V12 revised to 573 bhp in a body made entirely of carbon-fibre-based composite — a first in Aston Martin’s history for a series-production model. Its lines, drawn by Marek Reichman, are among the purest and most balanced of the marque’s contemporary output: long, low, taut, with those flat surfaces and perfect proportions that characterise the finest Gaydon creations. Its appearance in Spectre with Daniel Craig extended a Bond tradition that goes back to the DB5.
On Aston Passion, the Vanquish MkII is often cited as one of the most complete Aston Martins ever produced: powerful enough to impress on track, refined enough for long journeys, with a beauty that endures over time. The 2014 S version, raised to 595 bhp, and the final 2017 Ultimate series, with 600 bhp and just 175 examples, are the high points of the range. Available as a coupé, Volante and Zagato, the Vanquish MkII offers a diversity of versions to satisfy every appetite.
The Virage (2011): the transitional chapter (2011–2012)
Launched at the 2011 Geneva motor show, the Virage occupied a singular position in the range: placed between the DB9 and the DBS, it filled a price gap with the 6.0-litre V12 producing 490 bhp in a presentation halfway between the two. Its career was brief — barely two years — before being superseded by the Vanquish Mk2 in 2012, which took over its VH platform and raised it to a higher level with 565 bhp and a body made entirely of aluminium and composite. The 2011 Virage thus remains a catalogue parenthesis rather than a model in its own right.