We had barely managed to wait for fresh spy photos of the harder Vantage RS when shots of its older brother landed in our inbox. The new Vanquish S has been caught testing again — this time with a boosted twin-turbo V12 and an exhaust system that raises more questions than it answers.
Eight exhaust pipes — that’s serious
We have seen a similar version of the Vanquish before, notably at the Nürburgring in May. At the time, the prototype had so many exhaust openings that it seemed Aston’s engineers were being paid per pipe. The new test car continues that game.
Related: the new Aston Martin Valen has become the world’s most powerful production car with a front-mounted engine.
The pipes familiar from the standard Vanquish, behind the rear wheels, have not disappeared. But between them, where the diffuser should be, another pair of pipes has appeared. And another pair is positioned much higher, with gaps, above the bumper. In total, that makes eight openings. Most likely, the original four pipes are fake while Aston tests a more exotic configuration for the production version. The only question is which of the remaining four pipes are real.
Why a high exhaust is a challenge
High-mounted exhaust pipes are not impossible for serious sports cars. Ferrari and McLaren have already used such a solution. But there is an important difference: in those cases, these are cars with a mid-mounted engine, and their luggage compartments are located up front, so they are safe.
In the Vanquish, the trunk is located right behind the cabin, which is driven by the V12. So the whole arrangement becomes far more interesting. How much useful space will the raised pipes take up? How will engineers protect your belongings from heat? And how many owners will accidentally stain expensive designer trousers with exhaust soot when leaning in for their weekend bag, even if the pipes are made recessed?
More aerodynamics, lower height
We would really like to see how Aston handles this task, although logic suggests that the production car will most likely get the lower central pipes. Whichever option is chosen, these pipes will be surrounded by new bumpers and aerodynamic elements to improve downforce on track and ensure you are noticed on the street.
Cabin and technical details
Inside, everything looks much more familiar. The interior has hardly changed compared to the standard Vanquish, although the dashboard appears to be trimmed in Alcantara rather than leather. That is a mandatory visual hint that you are looking at a faster version. Although in a straight line it may not be much faster.
The standard Vanquish already produces 824 hp and 1000 Nm of torque from its 5.2-liter twin-turbo V12. Torque is sent to the rear wheels via a classic eight-speed automatic, not a dual-clutch robotized gearbox that can mimic a manual with an open gate like the Ferrari 12Cilindri Manuale. The S version is expected to raise power to 838 hp, using a boosted V12 from the limited-edition Valen model — the most powerful production car with a front-mounted engine. Sharper chassis tuning will also be added to keep all that power under control. So do not forget to remove your luggage before starting the engine.
While Aston decides the fate of the unusual exhaust, competitors are not sleeping. Some continue to bet on a naturally aspirated V12 and a manual gearbox, while others bet on limited-edition hypercars with insane output. In any case, the arrival of such a hot Vanquish version fuels interest in the brand, and fans just have to wait for the official premiere to find out whether this car will justify all the awkward questions it has already raised.