2001 ASTON MARTIN VANQUISH

This Aston Martin Vanquish is a landmark V12 grand tourer with low mileage and low ownership, presented in a timeless and handsome colour combination. It is powered the 5.9-litre naturally aspirated V12 engine producing 460bhp, with rear-wheel drive via a six-speed electro-hydraulic automated manual transmission with paddle-shift gear selectors. Having covered just 22,400 miles from new, the car presents in superb condition.

An early example of the Vanquish, this car benefits not only from having the desirable gearbox upgrade – which eliminates most of the common gear selection foibles – but also a replacement front sub-frame from Aston Martin installed in June 2014. The latter is a known weak point and requires significant expenditure to fix.

First registered on 2 November 2001, the car has had only three previous keepers, one of which was collector and historic racing enthusiast, Frank Slevin. The vendor has owned the car for around five years, covering around 1,000 miles in that time.

The Skye Silver paintwork showcases the muscular haunches of the Vanquish perfectly, while the aluminium body remains in excellent condition, with flush shut lines and good panel gaps. The light lenses are clear and free of damage, the window and door rubbers present well, and there are no significant blemishes visible in the paint finish. The original 19-inch alloy wheels are in superb order, with red brake calipers adding a pop of colour.

Moving inside, the Charcoal leather interior is in great condition with minimal wear to the seats. Overall, the interior presents very smartly, though there is some slight tarnishing to the aluminium bar on the driver’s door. The vendor notes only two known electrical issues. Firstly, that the remote fobs do not lock or unlock the car, and that the keys must be used manually. Secondly, that the seat belt warning light remains on despite the belts being correctly latched. As shown in the photo gallery, the car retains all of the original accessories, including the glovebox tool kit, first aid kit, warning triangle, fire extinguisher and umbrella.

The car has a regular service history from mostly main dealers and specialists, which is summarised below. The most recent service was carried out by specialist Nicholas Mee at 22,244 miles in June 2020. Prior to this, the car was serviced by Bell Sport and Classic at 22,087 miles in January 2019. The aforementioned gearbox upgrade was carried out in 2008, while the front sub-frame was renewed in 2014.

The most recent MOT test was on 30 June 2020 at 22,306 miles, when it achieved a first-time pass with no advisories whatsoever. The wheels were recently fitted with Yokohama tyres at the rear, and Bridgestone tyres at the front, which have covered no more than a few hundred miles, and so remain in excellent condition. The car has been garaged throughout the vendor’s ownership, and is fitted with a tracker security device.

This 2001 Aston Martin Vanquish is a superb example that has been sparingly used but, crucially, properly maintained. As the marque’s contemporary design language shifts, and as it continues to be more closely aligned with its partner Mercedes-AMG, the V12 wail of the handsome Vanquish has surely become all the more appealing, and this particular car would make a great addition to any collection.

Summary of service history:

• Nov 2001 - PDI - Stratstone Aston Martin Wimslow
• Dec 2001 - 885 miles - Stratstone Aston Martin Wimslow
• Jun 2002 - 3,889 miles - Stratstone Aston Martin Wimslow
• June 2004 - 6,938 miles - Aston Martin Works
• Mar 2007 - 9,666 miles - Harwoods Aston Martin
• Aug 2011 - 16,658 miles - Harwoods Aston Martin
• May 2014 - 19,741 miles - Harwoods Aston Martin
• Jun 2015 - 20,954 miles - Harwoods Aston Martin
• June 2016 - 21,657 miles - Chiltern Aston Martin
• Jun 2017 - 21,881 miles - Chiltern Aston Martin
• Jan 2019 - 22,083 miles - Bell Sport and Classic
• Jun 2020 - 22,244 miles - Nicholas Mee and Co.

All cars and motorbikes on Collecting Cars are run through an online HPI check. This vehicle shows no insurance database markers for damage or theft, and has no finance owing.