We all love a successful reinvention. We cheer for the nearly forgotten actor who dazzles critics and audiences alike with a new and Oscar-worthy performance, or the veteran athlete who had been all but written off, only to write their own ticket with a championship victory. In the automotive world, Aston Martin is just that player. The British marque’s 113-year-old road has been so serpentine and undulating at times that it would challenge even the most capable grand tourer. Of late, however, Aston seems to have found the expressway to automotive excellence, both in car design, drive experience, and artisanal craftsmanship. It’s a winning trifecta that’s exemplified in the Aston Martin Vanquish, Robb Report’s 2026 Car of the Year.

Aston Martin first garnered our Car of the Year title in 2005 with its DB9, but did not return to the top spot on the podium again until 2024 with the DB12, though it finished second last year with the Vantage. The Vanquish, however, is arguably the marque’s most dominant entry to date, as well as one of its fastest production cars yet.

Initially designed by Ian Callum, the first iteration of the Vanquish was born from a concept introduced at the 1998 Detroit Motor Show before transitioning into a V-12-powered production model in 2001. It was given a starring role in the following year’s James Bond film Die Another Day, where, in the movie, the vehicle could supposedly be rendered invisible, perhaps good for a covert operative but a disservice to a model so visually arresting.

The first-generation Vanquish ended production in 2007, followed by the second, made from 2012 through 2018, with output topping out at about 568 hp—and while worthy predecessors, they pale in comparison to the latest version of this nameplate.

The design of the new Vanquish emphasizes the model’s overt power with a teardrop shape that culminates at the back with a dramatic Kamm tail. It’s a feature reminiscent of that found on Aston’s Le Mans racers from the 1960s. 

Aston notes that aero enhancements include a grille that’s been enlarged 13 percent over the previous flagship, while new bumper vents direct air into the wheel arches to help keep the carbon-ceramic stoppers chill. Those brakes work with 21-inch forged alloy wheels that wear custom Pirelli P Zero rubber.

The rear-wheel-drive Vanquish’s muscle comes from a 5.2-liter twin-turbo V-12 that delivers more than 737 ft lbs of torque. Per Aston, those turbochargers have a 15 percent higher rate of speed than before and deliver even more airflow to the engine. That power plant is mated to an eight-speed automatic gearbox. Ride dynamics can be varied with four drive modes and a custom setting, and as for its punch, the Vanquish hits 62 mph from a standstill in 3.3 seconds.

Of course, handling is fine-tuned by a host of factors. At the foundation of the Vanquish is a bonded aluminum body structure and a wheelbase that’s been lengthened almost 3.5 inches. The car’s balletic responsiveness is owed in part to the overall lateral stiffness being bolstered by 75 percent compared to the Vanquish’s most recent apex predecessor, Aston Martin’s DBS 770 Ultimate, at least according to the official press release. And helping ensure that driver inputs are translated optimally based on the drive mode selected are Bilstein DTX dampers. Then there’s the electronic rear limited-slip differential and the electronic stability controls, a new ABS system, and electric power-assisted steering—all combining to make agility this Aston’s calling card.

As for the interior, it further improves on elements definitive to Aston Martin—an artisanal treatment to the trim and an emphasis on high-touch refinement. This is evidenced by the array of dials, switches, and buttons that manage many of the key functions.

The 10.25-inch display screen in the center console is home to the infotainment system—developed in-house and introduced with the DB12—which represents an exponential improvement from what was provided by Aston in years past. And let’s not forget the gift to audiophiles, a 15-speaker Bowers & Wilkins sound system.

For our judges, the Vanquish was a frontrunner from the first session and never relinquished its lead. “This car was an impressive balance of exceptional acceleration and precision handling, along with beautiful lines and art-like interior,” stated Carroll Leboeuf, and Vinny Catalano called it “amazing on all levels.” On the performance front, Andrew Shantz referred to it as “aggressive, like a big cat stalking prey,” while Josh Slater found the “fit and finish excellent” and called the “new interior and dash a huge improvement and worthy of its heritage.”

Behind the wheel, it’s as if you’re in control of a catapult; the potential for ballistic thrust is ever present, but the car’s grand-touring comportment is, well, extremely grand. Aston Martin’s signature combination of strength and style is certainly in overdrive with the Vanquish, which certainly lived up to its name with how deftly it dispatched the rest of the competition in our contest this year. As judge Josh Diggs mentioned in his voting, “Wow, wow, wow.”

Click here for more photos of the Aston Martin Vanquish.