The backdrop for the launch of the new Aston Martin Vanquish couldn’t have been more glamorous. On September 2nd, the classic British marque premiered its new flagship V12 model during the Venice International Film Festival.
The venue was the famous Arsenale di Venezia, a complex of former shipyards and armouries steeped in industrial history, sitting right on the edge of the Venetian Lagoon, and home to the Venice Biennale art exhibition.
Watching closely as the car was revealed was an intimate audience of A-list celebrities. Among the movie stars present were George Clooney, Benedict Cumberbatch, Adrien Brody, Michael Douglas, Kevin Costner and Daniel Craig. And from the world of fashion, there was the three-time academy award winning costume designer Sandy Powell and models Bianca Brandolini and Poppy Delevinge.
Entertaining all these stars for the evening were Jamaican R&B artist Masego, Italian jazz performer Walter Ricci, and British musician James Righton.
The Vanquish completes Aston Martin’s portfolio of next-generation front-engine sports cars, capping one of the most intensive periods of product development in the company’s 111-year history.
Naturally, some seriously impressive drivers – Aston Martin Aramco F1 team drivers Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso – were brought in to unveil the new model. Their presence further solidifies the connection between Aston Martin’s road and track cars, and the marque’s ambition to be the leading force in high-performance motoring.
Lawrence Stroll, Executive Chairman of Aston Martin said: “This launch toasts the renaissance of our iconic brand and the unique combination of timeless design, craft mastery and engineering innovation which defines our new generation of sports cars,”. “Our flagship product, Vanquish embodies our commitment to both ultra-luxury and high performance, bringing Aston Martin to a new generation of drivers.”
The Vanquish will be Aston Martin’s most exclusive sports car, with production limited to no more than 1,000 examples a year. It will also be the sole model to feature a bespoke, Aston Martin-developed 12-cylinder engine.
This is the third generation of Aston Martin to be christened with the famous Vanquish nameplate. The original V12 edition launched in 2001 and made prominent feature film appearances: it was driven by James Bond in Die Another Day (2002), for example, and featured in Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001) and The Italian Job (2003).
The latest Vanquish is now set to steal the spotlight once again.
