When it comes to fast grand tourers and supercars, we’re a little spoiled for choice, but not that much. Only a select few automakers still believe in this segment of cars that are all about big powerful engines, gorgeous exterior styling, and being able to travel massive distances at very high speed while never breaking a sweat. They also need to carry fitted luggage, and/or golf bags.
One of the best choices if that’s the sort of vehicle you’re after is Aston Martin. The iconic British automaker is celebrating its 110th birthday this year, and they’re currently going through a bit of a model renaissance. While over the years they have struggled financially a fair bit, and they’ve had a few rough cars, they’ve also made some excellent models that are the perfect blend of speed and luxury.
10. V12 Vanquish – 200 MPH
Under the design direction of Ian Callum, the V12 Vanquish is definitely one of the best-looking Aston Martins of the modern era, and maybe even of all time. The gorgeous V12 Vanquish first appeared in 2001, and it became the automaker’s new flagship car. Power came from the legendary Aston Martin 5.9-liter V12, developing from 460 hp to 520 hp.
This power went to the rear wheels through a rather hopeless automatic transmission. Aston Martin agrees that it was hopeless, which is why the Works department will manual swap your Vanquish for you if you can conjure up a good amount of money. As well as being luxurious, despite some parts bin borrowing, the Vanquish could do 190 mph, whereas the Vanquish S topped out at 200 mph. Even James Bond drove one.
9.V12 Vantage S – 205 MPH
In 2005, Aston Martin introduced the new V8 Vantage as their entry-level model. Instead of a big V12 under the hood, the Vantage used a more restrained 4.3-liter V8, which you could have with either an automatic or a manual transmission. While the V8 Vantage was pretty good in itself, Aston Martin eventually decided that it would be silly to strip the Vantage of the V12.
A few years later, out came the V12 Vantage, which replaced the V8 with the familiar 5.9 V12. One of the best expressions of the V12 Vantage formula was the V12 Vantage S, the fastest production Aston Martin for a short while, with a top speed of 205 mph. The V12 put out 565 hp and 473 lb-ft of torque, and you could have it with a seven-speed manual transmission with a dog-leg pattern. The V12 Vantage recently came back, but sadly, it was a limited production car.
8. DB9 – 183 MPH
When it comes to proper Aston Martin grand tourers, it’s tough to beat a classic DB9. When the DB9 first came out in the early 2000s, it signaled the arrival of a new era for Aston Martin. Improved styling, improved platform, and an improved powertrain compared to the DB7 it was replacing.
The 5.9-liter V12 under the hood put out 450 hp in the earlier models, which jumped to 510 hp towards the end of the production run. This meant a 0-60 time in the mid four-second range, and a top speed of 183 mph. It also had four seats, and you could get it with a manual transmission, assuming you can find one. The DB9 has been hit by massive depreciation, so you can get one for good money nowadays.
7. Rapide – 203 MPH
Sure, the DB9 has four seats, but what if you wanted an Aston Martin with actually usable rear seats? The Rapide is here to save the day. There was the hideously overpriced Lagonda Taraf as well, but those aren’t worth the hassle or money to import. The Rapide was Aston Martin’s attempt to make a four-door version of their DB lineup.
Unlike the original Porsche Panamera, crossing a sedan body style with the signature design elements of the DB9 and DBS actually worked wonders for the Rapide’s design, and it looks fantastic. It also uses the same V12, with 470 hp in the early Rapide models, and 550 hp in the later Aston Martin Rapide S. The latter of the two could do 203 mph, while the original could do a still very respectable 188 mph. Like the DB9, this is also a bargain nowadays.
6. DBX707 – 193 MPH
Admittedly, the DBX is not really a supercar at all. But, in the case of the DBX707, it might as well be. It’s one of the many supercar SUVs that are available at the moment, and it remains the most powerful one that still uses an internal combustion engine.
At its core, the 707 uses the same 4.0-liter AMG-sourced twin-turbo V8 as the regular DBX, but it makes 707 metric horsepower, hence the name. The 0-60 time is in the low three-second range, while the top speed is an impressive 193 mph. While supercar design language rarely works on SUVs, the DBX pulls it off pretty well, and that’s including all the trinkets that are exclusive to the DBX707. Also, unlike every other Aston Martin, the DBX seats five people and has a pretty massive cargo area too. There are quite a few reasons why you should buy one if you’re considering it.
5. Vanquish Zagato Shooting Brake – 201 MPH
Aston Martin and Zagato have been BFFs for a very long time, and we see collaborations between the two very frequently, with some spectacular results more often than not. One of the absolute highlights of the Aston Martin/Zagato collaborative efforts is when Aston gave the last Vanquish to the Italians, resulting in three spectacular designs.
Possibly the best one is the otherworldly Vanquish Zagato Shooting Brake, a tribute to an automotive segment that we likely won’t ever see again. The powertrain was the same as the Vanquish S, which meant a 5.9-liter V12 putting out 595 hp and 465 lb-ft of torque, which allowed it to reach 201 mph, while 0-62 mph took 3.5 seconds. The shooting brake body style also meant that it had a surprisingly usable cargo area.
4.V8 Vantage – 193 MPH
We already talked about the V12 Vantage, which was a truly amazing automobile. But, if you wanted the entry-level Aston Martin with a more restrained powertrain, you could always have the V8 Vantage. The 4.3-liter and 4.7-liter naturally-aspirated V8s under the hood had their roots in Jaguar’s AJ family, and it’s a brilliant engine with a fantastic soundtrack.
It was pretty sprightly, too. Early V8 Vantage models put out a respectable 385 hp, while the most powerful GT8 put out 440 hp. Earlier models could do an impressive 170 mph, while later ones went all the way to 193 mph, which is pretty brisk. You could also get it with a six-speed manual transmission, and nowadays, you can pick one up for a bargain price.
3. Vantage (2018) – 195 MPH
The V8 and V12 Vantage models carried on for over a decade. For the 2018 model year, Aston Martin finally brought along a new generation Vantage, based on a new platform and making great use of the automaker’s design language. It also switched to AMG power, and it’s still gunning for the Porsche 911’s crown.
Since 2018, the Vantage has come a long way. There was an ultra-limited V12 Vantage, and for a short while, you could get it with a manual transmission. The current car puts out 503 hp and 505 lb-ft of torque, giving it a 0-60 time of around three seconds, and a top speed of 195 mph. It’s definitely a car that driving enthusiasts should consider.
2. DB12 – 202 MPH
Aston Martin just recently announced the replacement for the DB11, the aptly named DB12. They’re not calling it a GT car, but rather the world’s first super tourer. The V12 is no more, as the DB12 offers the twin-turbo V8 exclusively. It’s still based on the DB11, but it offers some pretty significant improvements in terms of design and interior quality.
Even though it’s now only available with a V8 engine, it’s more powerful than both the V8 and the V12 powered DB11. The V8 now puts out 670 hp, which is not far off the DBS Superleggera’s 715 hp. This gives it a 0-60 time of 3.5 seconds and a top speed of 202 mph, all the while remaining RWD and looking absolutely gorgeous.
- DBS – 192 / 211 MPH
DBS can mean a variety of things when it comes to Aston Martin. It could mean a classic GT car from the 70s, it could mean the souped up DB9-based super GT of the 2000s, or it could mean the DBS Superleggera, which is just about to bow out. We’ll be sticking with the latter two, as they’re some of the best products of the modern Aston era.
The older DBS used an upgraded version of the V12, putting out 510 hp and 420 lb-ft of torque, both of which were significant improvements on the DB9. It also received a stouter drivetrain, and enhanced aerodynamics on the outside. The most recent DBS Superleggera took the retiring twin-turbo V12 up to 715 hp in its original form, and now up to 770 for the end-of-the-run DBS 770 Ultimate. Both cars are absolutely gorgeous, and they promise to ensconce you in luxury while achieving some truly spectacular speeds.
