Aston Martin Vanquish = automotive art …

Some cars are rolling art right from the get go. Such is Aston Martin’s Vanquish, which was introduced in 2013 to coincide with the British luxury car maker’s 100th anniversary.

As with all Astons, the goal was to combine beauty and performance on four wheels.

Likewise Autoart has recreated that beauty in 1/18 scale with its composite-bodied Vanquish, in sparkling black for the review model. Other colors are available, but bathed in black this baby looks long, lean, and sexy, just like the real beast.

The History

Vanquish, like most high-priced luxury makes, was aimed at the uncompromising buyer. But not the one who demands only luxury, or beauty.

Vanquish, as its name suggests, wants to smite its automotive foes that are competing for the high-end coin of the realm.

A 2017 Vanquish lists at $287,650 for the coupe (like the review car) and $305,650 for the convertible.  Under its long carbon fiber hood is a throbbing V12 that makes 568 horsepower, the most of any power plant in Aston Martin’s history.

Top speed is rated at 201 mph and it’ll do a 0-60 mph run-up in a measly 3.6 seconds. That’s quick, I don’t care who you are! While many may consider this a great GT model, Aston Martin takes it a step further, touting the Vanquish as a Super Grand Tourer.

The real deal also features a super stiff chassis and body, thanks to generous use of carbon fiber in the body, plus cast magnesium doors. Performance is aided by a slick 8-speed Touchtronic III ZF tranny and both front and rear brakes are vented.

You can see on the review model that it features yellow brake calipers that stand out behind those racy looking 10-spoke alloy wheels.

The Model

As always, Autoart nails the body and paint scheme. This is a deep high-gloss black with tidy chrome side window trim to accent its lean luxurious lines.

Meanwhile, the chin spoiler and rear fascia around the twin chrome exhausts are both made to look like carbon fiber. Likewise the cladding along the lower edge of the car’s rocker panels appears to be carbon fiber too.

The sharply angled front lights reflect the look of the projector-beam models on the full-size car, the blacked out grille is a sharp looker too and there’s metal mesh in the hood vents and in the front quarter panels behind the accent strike that extends back into the doors.

Rear lights also are realistic looking and nicely fit into the car’s body work. There’s also a photo-etch metal Vanquish nameplate on the face of the rear bonnet.

Under that long hood is a nice replica of the Aston Martin 6.0-liter V12 with Aston in bas relief on the exhaust manifolds. There’s a crossbar support there too. That’s to stiffen the car’s platform to aid its performance. Fluid containers and hoses are present too.

Doors open here to reveal a right-drive interior configuration and a handsome dark gray interior with a detailed dash, door trim, center console and center stack of controls. Both side doors open and each latch securely.

The treaded low-profile tires look great on matte silver 10-spoke alloy wheels, but there’s no tire branding. Pirelli tires are standard on the 1:1 size Vanquish. Yellow calipers behind the fancy wheels include Aston Martin labeling. Naturally there are well executed Aston logos on the nose and tail too.

Stats: Aston Martin Vanquish (black)

Maker: Autoart

Scale: 1/18

Stock No.: 70247

MSRP: $160

Link: Autoartmodels.com