Aston Martin Vanquish 1st Generation
Dan Thorpe | Published on 6/16/2026
Produced between 2001 and 2007, the first-generation Vanquish marked a profound change in direction for Aston Martin.
Conceived as the marque’s new V12 flagship, it was a clear statement of intent, technologically ambitious, visually dramatic, and unlike any Aston Martin that had come before it.
Filmed at the Aston Martin Heritage Trust Museum in Oxfordshire, this film explores how the original Vanquish was built at a pivotal moment when Aston Martin was redefining itself for the modern era. Guided by Aston Martin Lagonda historian Steve Waddingham, the episode uses rare factory cutaway cars to reveal the thinking, materials, and techniques behind the Vanquish’s revolutionary construction.
Extensive use of aluminium and carbon fibre, advanced bonding methods, and painstaking hand-built processes carried out by skilled craftspeople in Great Britain combined to create a car that blended cutting-edge engineering with traditional Aston Martin craftsmanship.
This was a bold departure for the brand and a foundation for the modern Aston Martin era.