2018 Aston Martin Vanquish S Review

Ferrari and Lamborghinis offer the ultimate in European performance while Bentley and Rolls-Royce do the same with luxury. Aston Martin positions itself in the middle of these two approaches with its 2018 Vanquish S. Its V12 engine delivers 580 horsepower and a stirring soundtrack, and its interior shows off Aston's artistry in combining leather, metal and wood.

This year is likely the last hurrah for the Vanquish, a car that represents the pinnacle of Aston Martin's lineup, at least from a pricing perspective. Interestingly, its new DB11 stablemate costs less and carries the many benefits of a fresh design, from a more powerful turbocharged engine to an updated interior with modern technology features. Still, purists might consider the snarl from the Vanquish's non-turbocharged V12 superior, and some might say the Vanquish looks better, too. For a car whose value rests largely in its presence, both aural and visual, that's enough for many to choose the Vanquish S.

Like most of the other 12-cylinder vehicles produced in extremely limited numbers and offered at high cost, the Vanquish S comes in one near fully loaded trim. It is also available as a coupe or soft-top convertible, called the Volante. The majority of options provide buyers the ability to tailor the look and feel of the Vanquish S to their tastes.

Whether you choose the coupe or convertible, the Vanquish S employs a 5.9-liter V12 (580 horsepower, 465 pound-feet of torque) and an eight-speed automatic transmission. A manual transmission is not available. Standard equipment includes 20-inch wheels, launch control, a limited-slip differential, carbon-ceramic brakes, an adaptive suspension, xenon headlights, LED running lights, power-folding mirrors, front and rear parking sensors, a rearview camera, power-adjustable front seats with heating, leather upholstery, Bluetooth, navigation, a 6.5-inch display screen, Apple CarPlay, and a 13-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system with satellite radio.

Convertible models come with rear seats that are optional on the coupe. Other options include front-seat ventilation, a squared-off steering wheel derived from the limited-edition One-77, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, lightweight carbon-fiber seats, and a wind deflector for the convertible.

The rest of the options provide buyers a wide variety of aesthetic choices regarding wheels, brake caliper color, and interior leather and trim options. Aston Martin's personalization program, called Q, allows for even further customization of colors and trims. So if there's a color combination, style of stitching, or material you'd love to have, chances are Aston Martin can make it happen in the Vanquish S.