News: 520bhp Aston Martin Vanquish in Paris
http://www.channel4.com/4car/news/ne...?news_id=10982
24 Aug 04 12:42
Aston Martin is to formally unveil a 520bhp version of its Vanquish super-coupe at the Paris Motor Show next month. However, selected Aston Martin owners have already had a chance to see the brochures and place their orders in time for delivery in November - and some have been sharing details of their new purchases and their specification via enthusiast web forums. The Vanquish S, as it will be called, will develop 520bhp (up from the standard car's 460bhp) and 424lb ft of torque, and it is capable of "200mph-plus" and 0-60mph in 4.8 seconds.
The S has had its suspension, steering and brakes modified, with larger brake discs and six-piston callipers, a larger-diameter clutch, and final-drive ratio shortened giving more brutal in-gear acceleration. The engine features new cylinder head castings, new machined inlet ports and new fuel injectors, and there is also a revised differential. It has some minor changes to its exterior styling: a reworked front airdam, a grille with fewer slats to enhance cooling (as on the Middle Eastern-spec models), new alloy wheel designs, a rear bootlid with stop light and rear-end "Vanquish S" badging. Inside, a leather-wrapped dashboard is now fitted, with new (DB9-sourced) buttons and a new glass starter button. Prices are said to start from "£185,000 (£175,000 plus the bits you need)", according to a lucky man who has placed his deposit with his local dealer.
With the "standard" Vanquish costing from £163,600, this new S model puts some more distance between the Vanquish range and the rather similar-looking DB9 coupe (from £103,000). More details, and full specification, will be released in Paris.