Britain, meet Italy. Aston Martin wants to challenge the storied Italian marques Ferrari and Lamborghini at their own game. At the Geneva International Motor Show on Tuesday, the British automaker revealed its challenger to take on the likes of the Ferrari F8 Tributo. It wears a name that fans will instantly recognize: Vanquish.
The Aston Martin Vanquish Vision concept previews the third of three mid-engine supercars coming from the brand in the next few years. The Valkyrie kickstarted things, followed by the Valkyrie AMR Pro. On Monday, Aston Martin revealed, as expected, the AM-RB 003 supercar prototype, and on Tuesday, the Vanquish Vision concept made a surprise debut in Geneva. The hierarchy places the Valkyrie at the top of the heap as a very limited-run hypercar, the AM-RB 003 as a LaFerrari and McLaren Senna rival, and the Vanquish Vision Concept as a rival for outer echelon mid-engine supercars.
Aston Martin supercar lineup
The concept is clearly cut from the same cloth as the Valkyrie and looks quite similar to the AM-RB 003 as well. Aston Martin said the design is purposeful and the Vanquish Vision Concept tones down some of the extremities further from the Valkyrie and AM-RB 003. Less technical is a good phrase for the Vanquish Vision concept's looks. A different front clamshell fender allows onlookers to see the tires, but overall, the goal was to design a "prettier" car that relates to its positioning within Aston Martin's range of mid-engine supercars.
Aston Martin said the Vanquish Vision concept is designed to be just as at home on the road as it is chasing lap times on a racetrack, though the brand didn't give any performance figures.
Aston Martin Vanquish Vision concept, courtesy Jill Ciminillo
Aston Martin Vanquish Vision concept
Aston Martin Vanquish Vision concept
The company noted the Vanquish in production form will boast a new V-6 engine related to the unit found in the AM-RB 003 supercar. In the latter, Aston Martin plans for a turbocharged and hybridized version of the new V-6. Expect turbocharging to get the power Aston Martin would need in a mid-engine supercar, and perhaps a lesser form of hybridization. The Vanquish Vision also differs from its bigger brothers in one key area: vehicle construction. While the Valkyrie and AM-RB 003 boast an all-carbon-fiber structure, the Vanquish Vision concept features a unique bonded aluminum chassis.
It's safe to say the next few years are going to be wild times for Aston Martin as it races to do battle in segments the British brand has never treaded before. Aston Martin plans to begin deliveries of the Valkyrie in early 2020 followed by the first deliveries of the AM-RB 003 in early 2021. In 2022, we can expect the Vanquish Vision in production form.
