2013 Aston Martin Vanquish: First Look

Competes with: Ferrari 458 Italia, Ferrari FF, Lamborghini Aventador, Audi R8   Looks like: Only a trained Aston Martin enthusiast can tell it apart from the others  Drivetrain: 565-hp, 6.0-liter V-12 and six-speed automatic transmission   Hits dealerships: Early 2013 After an almost seven-year hiatus in the U.S., the Aston Martin Vanquish returns for the 2013 model year to take on other preeminent supercars from Lamborghini and Ferrari. The Vanquish will replace the DBS when it's discontinued at the end of the year. The announcement comes as Aston Martin prepares to celebrate its 100th anniversary early next year. The Vanquish's exterior and interior styling borrow heavily from the Aston Martin One-77; in fact, the boutique carmaker says many of the structural elements in the new Vanquish are derived from the ultra-supercar, including its digital gauge readouts. The $1.4 million Aston Martin 77 will be replaced by a new (range-topping) Aston Martin V12 Zagato later this fall. Like the DBS, the Vanquish's body is primarily constructed of carbon fiber. The Vanquish features a new interpretation of the VH body platform, which has underpinned pretty much every Aston since the early 2000s. The engineering tweaks have resulted in a 25% increase in body rigidity compared with the DBS, the British carmaker says. The Vanquish is powered by a 565-horsepower, 6.0-liter V-12 producing 457 pounds-feet of torque. It's mated only to a six-speed automatic transmission; there was no word on manual-transmission availability. The Vanquish will come in either a 2+2 or 2+0 seating configuration. (Expect the backseats to be useless in both versions.) The Vanquish will join the DB9, V8 Vantage, four-door Rapide and V12 Zagato for the 2013 model year. It is expected to go on sale early in 2013 with a starting price of $279,995, which places the Vanquish toward the top of the Aston Martin pecking order. Related More Aston Martin News  Aston Martin V12 Zagato at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show  View All Ultraluxury Vehicles on Cars.com from KickingTires http://blogs.cars.com/kickingtires/

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