2003 Aston Martin V12 Vanquish 6-Speed

The Aston Martin Vanquish is a high-performance grand tourer introduced by British luxury automobile manufacturer Aston Martin in 2001 as a successor to the Aston Martin Vantage (1993).

The first-generation of the “V12 Vanquish,” designed by Ian Callum and unveiled at the 2001 Geneva Motor Show, was produced from 2001 to 2007 as the flagship of the marque. The concept car, known as “Project Vantage” and the first Aston Martin design wholly styled by Callum, was built by the Ford Motor Company with craftsman Dilip Chhabria to display the company’s vision for a future sports car to represent Aston Martin after the discontinuation of the Virage-based Vantage. The V12 Vanquish closely resembled the concept car, and featured carbon fibre and alloy construction, Aston Martin’s most powerful V12 engine, and host of new technologies. A specially modified V12 Vanquish was driven by James Bond in the 2002 film Die Another Day. In 2004, a mildly updated version of the first-generation model named “V12 Vanquish S” was introduced featuring a more highly tuned engine and more track-oriented ride and handling. The V12 Vanquish was indirectly replaced by the DBS after 2007.

This 2003 Aston Martin V12 Vanquish is a gray-over-black coupe that is powered by a 5.9-liter V12, and the factory automatic transmission was converted to a six-speed manual unit by Aston Martin Works of Newport Pagnell.

Silver-finished 12-spoke 19″ alloy wheels are mounted with 255/40 front and 285/40 rear Yokohama Advan Sport V105 tires showing 2014 production date codes. The car is equipped with a carbon-fiber front strut tower brace, and braking is handled by cross-drilled rotors and Aston Martin-branded calipers.

he cabin features power-adjustable sport seats upholstered in charcoal leather with dark gray inserts. The car was optioned with a quilted Slate Alcantara headliner, and the cabin is accented by satin aluminum trim. Additional amenities include automatic climate control, aluminum pedals, an analog clock, and a Linn cassette stereo with a trunk-mounted CD changer. A leather-wrapped steering wheel frames a 210-mph speedometer, a tachometer, and gauges for fuel level and coolant temperature.

The 5.9-liter DOHC V12 was factory rated at 460 horsepower and 400 lb-ft of torque.

The official Aston Martin website calls the Vanquish “a car beloved by modern day enthusiasts and also heritage collectors alike.”