The Aston Martin brand has never been short of challenges, and lately, one of the biggest is differentiating its various products. To the casual observer, the Vantage, DB12, and Vanquish all share similar styling, but it seems that the Gaydon-based automaker has come up with a solution, at least for the more hardcore models in the range. The Autoblog spy photographers have captured an emissions-testing prototype of the upcoming Vanquish (that’s the V12 one) in sharper, more aggressive ‘S’ form, and its rear end has sprouted – count them – eight exhaust tips. But don’t be alarmed – the four exits you’d normally associate with exhaust tips are there just for show, remnants of the regular Vanquish bodywork underneath. So what’s Aston Martin actually doing?
Aston Martin Wants The Vanquish To Stand Alone
Autoblog/SH Proshots
With the headlights of the Vantage, DB12, and Vanquish all showing a family resemblance, it appears that Aston Martin wants to differentiate the rear of the Vanquish S, and the four new tailpipes in the middle of and underneath the rear end are the ones we’ll see in production. If they look familiar, you might recognize their completely unusual layout from the recently unveiled Aston Martin Valen, which claims the title of the most powerful front-engine V12 production car on the planet. After trying three central exhaust tips on the Valour and four central tips on the similar Valiant, it seems Aston Martin has finally settled on four exhaust tips scattered in a rough trapezoidal shape. This layout can also be traced to the mid-engine Valhalla supercar, though it’s less obvious there because the upper tips sit atop the engine cover and the lower pair sit in the diffuser. Take a look below to see what I mean.
Aston Martin
All of that to say that the Aston Martin V12 Vanquish appears to be about to undergo a significant transformation in the style department, aiming to make it look and feel more exclusive. This theory is backed up by our own spies, who report that the Vanquish S will be considerably more expensive than the $440,000-odd Vanquish, starting at roughly €500,000, or nearly $580,000. Will wildly aggressive looks help poach Ferrari 12Cilindri buyers? Perhaps, but more is needed to justify such a price jump.
More Power, Better Handling Coming To Vanquish S
Autoblog/SH Proshots
According to our spies, the Vanquish S will not make use of hybridization to increase its performance, with the 5.2-liter twin-turbocharged V12 remaining combustion-only. Instead of the standard car’s 824 horsepower, the Vanquish S could produce as much as, or even more than, the 838-hp Valen. This will be complemented by a beefier suspension setup, a larger front splitter, some changes to the rear aero profile (no doubt necessitated by the new exhaust setup), and presumably retuned or upgraded brakes. A reveal is expected late this year or early in 2027, but I have some concerns, especially since the hardcore version of Aston’s entry-level Vantage is also getting multiple weird exhaust outlets, suggesting that all pumped-up Astons are going this route.
Autoblog’s Take: Aston Martin Is Walking A Fine Line
Autoblog/SH Proshots
Aston Martin has only just revealed the 150-unit Valen, and its design is genuinely unique in the range. Now, the company is mimicking the low-volume Valen’s rear aesthetic with a still-expensive but much more attainable car that will form part of its core range and also have a V12, potentially one as powerful as the Valen. Granted, the Valen may be lighter, and its overall aesthetic could never be confused with the current Vanquish (though it may be confused with an S650 Mustang from the front), but remember when Aston Martin revealed the one-off Victor mentioned earlier? Because that car was globally adored, Aston subsequently created the very similar but much more commonplace Valour (a whopping 110 units) less than three years later, and then a modified one-off of that called the Valiant. That lessened the impact and uniqueness of the Victor. I understand Aston wants to stand out and evolve styling across its portfolio, but the people who pay top dollar for the best models also expect lasting exclusivity, and when their special editions turn out to look nearly identical to cheaper core models that follow, it can diminish perceived value. You don’t see Ferrari making the 12Cilindri look like the Daytona SP3, do you? I rest my case.
Autoblog/SH Proshots
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