Aston Martin Vanquish

Generations: what actually changed when you move year to year

The jump from 1 generation to 2 generation is not a new displacement: it is more power on the same 5935 cc, a switch from Robotic to Automatic, lower ride height, ceramic fronts, and (on the best 5.9 AT cars) a 0–100 time cut from 4.8 s to 3.5 s.

1 generation ran from 2001-01-01 to 2007-12-31 as a Coupe with 2 versions, both named 5.9 Sportshift. The gearbox is Robotic, 6 gears. Ground clearance is 120 mm. The tank is 80 L. Wheels are 255/40 R19 and 285/40 R19. Front brakes are Disc; rear brakes are Disc ventilated. Fuel grade is 95. Engine location is not measured. Displacement is 5935 cc on both cars.

2 generation ran from 2012-07-01 to 2019-02-28 as a Roadster with 8 versions, all named 5.9 AT. The gearbox is Automatic, 6 or 8 gears. Ground clearance drops to 90 mm (30 mm lower than 1 generation). The tank is 78 L (2 L smaller). Fuel grade is 98. Engine location is Front, longitudinal. Front brakes are Ceramic ventilated on every 5.9 AT. Rear brakes are Ceramic ventilated on four of the eight versions and not measured on the other four. Displacement stays 5935 cc.

3 generation starts 2024-09-01 with no stop date in the data, body Cabrio, 0 versions. There is no horsepower, weight, or 0–100 figure to compare, so a 2025/2026 specs search cannot be answered from this catalogue.

The jump from 1 generation to 2 generation is not a new displacement: it is more power on the same 5935 cc, a switch from Robotic to Automatic, lower ride height, ceramic fronts, and (on the best 5.9 AT cars) a 0–100 time cut from 4.8 s to 3.5 s.

Engine specs: every 5.9 Sportshift and 5.9 AT, distinguished by horsepower

All ten cars share 5935 cc, Gasoline, 12 / V-shaped, boost No, RWD, multi-point injection. Power per litre is hp ÷ 5.935.

Compression is 10.8 on 5.9 Sportshift 520 hp, 10.5 on 5.9 Sportshift 460 hp, and 11 on every 5.9 AT. Bore × stroke is 89 × 79.5 on 5.9 Sportshift 460 hp and on every 5.9 AT; it is not measured on 5.9 Sportshift 520 hp.

The extra 143 hp from 5.9 Sportshift 460 hp to 5.9 AT 603 hp is +31% on the same litres. Peak torque rises 88 Nm (542 → 630). The 8-speed Automatic 5.9 AT cars make 630 Nm; the 6-speed Automatic 5.9 AT 573 hp cars stop at 620 Nm.

Performance and economy (0–100, top speed, mpg-style L/100 km)

Fastest 0–100 km/h in the data is 3.5 s, shared by both 5.9 AT 603 hp cars and both 5.9 AT 588 hp cars. That is 1.3 s quicker than both 5.9 Sportshift cars (4.8 s).

Highest top speed is 324 km/h on 5.9 AT 576 hp / 1739 kg — 1 km/h above the 603 hp cars (323 km/h) and 29 km/h above the slowest 2 generation cars (295 km/h on both 5.9 AT 573 hp). 5.9 Sportshift 520 hp reaches 321 km/h; 5.9 Sportshift 460 hp reaches 306 km/h.

Lowest combined use is 12.8 L/100 km on both 5.9 AT 576 hp cars — 3.9 L/100 km less than 5.9 Sportshift 460 hp (16.7). The 603 hp cars sit in the middle at 13.1. The 573 hp 6-speed cars are the thirstiest 2 generation cars at 14.4 combined and 335 g/km CO2, 37 g/km above the 576 hp cars (298 g/km). Euro 6 is measured only on the 5.9 AT 603 hp cars.

On 0–100, 5.9 AT 588 hp matches 5.9 AT 603 hp at 3.5 s despite 15 hp less; you do not buy the 603 hp car for a quicker sprint, you buy it for 15 hp, Euro 6, and 302 g/km CO2 where the 588 hp car’s CO2 is not measured.

Weight, dimensions, tank, wheels

Kerb range is 1318–1875 kg. Gross weight is measured on three cars only.

Length, width, height, and weight distribution are not measured on any version.

5.9 Sportshift 460 hp is the lightest car (1318 kg) and the best kg/hp in 1 generation (2.87), matching 5.9 AT 603 hp (2.88) despite 143 hp less. The heaviest car is 5.9 Sportshift 520 hp at 1875 kg — 557 kg above the 460 hp Coupe and 136 kg above the 1739 kg Roadster cars. Payload where both figures exist: 5.9 Sportshift 460 hp 2100 − 1318 = 782 kg; 5.9 AT 573 hp / 1739 kg and 5.9 AT 576 hp / 1739 kg 2140 − 1739 = 401 kg.

Front tyres split 2 generation: 235/55 R20 only on both 5.9 AT 573 hp cars; 255/35 R20 on every other 5.9 AT. Rear is 305/30 R20 on all eight. Independent, spring suspension is front and rear on every measured car.

Which version to choose

Choose 2 generation 5.9 AT 603 hp (either start date, 2012-07-01 or 2013-06-01) when the brief is “fastest sprint + most horsepower + Euro 6.” You get 603 hp, 630 Nm, 8-speed Automatic, 3.5 s, 323 km/h, 1739 kg, 13.1 L/100 km combined, 302 g/km, Euro 6. Rear brakes not measured. The two 603 hp rows differ only by start date in this dataset; performance, mass, and consumption are the same.

Choose 2 generation 5.9 AT 576 hp / 1739 kg when the brief is “highest top speed + ceramic rear + measured gross weight + lowest combined use.” You give up 27 hp versus 603 hp and 0.3 s on 0–100 (3.8 vs 3.5) and you gain 1 km/h (324 vs 323), 0.3 L/100 km less combined (12.8 vs 13.1), 4 g/km less CO2 (298 vs 302), rear Ceramic ventilated, and gross 2140 kg. Eco class is not measured.

Do not pay a 603-vs-588 premium for acceleration. 5.9 AT 588 hp (both dates) matches 3.5 s and 323 km/h and the same 19.6 / 9.3 / 13.1 and 1739 kg. You lose 15 hp and you lose measured CO2 and Euro 6 (not measured). Rear brakes not measured. Buy 588 hp only if the listing is cleaner and you accept the missing eco figures.

Avoid both 5.9 AT 573 hp cars if you want the 8-speed and the 3.5 s sprint. They are the only 6-speed Automatic Vanquish cars here: 573 hp, 620 Nm, 295 km/h, 14.4 combined, 335 g/km. The 1844 kg car is 0.2 s slower to 100 than the 1739 kg 573 hp car (4.3 vs 4.1) at the same power — 105 kg extra for no extra hp. Front tyres 235/55 R20. Both have ceramic rears. Pick the 1739 kg 573 hp car only if you need measured gross 2140 kg and will accept the slowest 2 generation top speed.

The 1844 kg 5.9 AT 576 hp is the heavy twin of the 1739 kg 576 hp car: same 576 hp, 8 gears, 12.8 combined, 298 g/km, ceramic both ends, but 4.0 s and 317 km/h instead of 3.8 s and 324 km/h. That is 105 kg for 7 km/h less and 0.2 s more to 100. Prefer 1739 kg.

1 generation 5.9 Sportshift 460 hp is the specialist: 1318 kg, 2.87 kg/hp, 782 kg implied payload, 120 mm clearance, 80 L tank, 95 fuel, 4.8 s, 306 km/h. Combined 16.7 L/100 km is the worst measured economy. City/highway/combined on the 520 hp sibling are not measured. Buy 460 hp if kerb weight is the ranking key; it is not the fastest or the most economical Vanquish.

1 generation 5.9 Sportshift 520 hp adds 60 hp and 15 km/h (321 vs 306) versus 460 hp at the same 4.8 s, but kerb jumps to 1875 kg (+557 kg), kg/hp worsens to 3.61, and fuel use is not measured. Compression 10.8 vs 10.5. Engine location not measured on both. Choose 520 hp only if you want the stronger 1 generation engine and accept the heaviest kerb in the catalogue.

3 generation Cabrio cannot be chosen on specs: 0 versions, every performance and weight figure not measured. A search for 2025 or 2026 horsepower is unanswered here.

Problems and reliability are not measured in this dataset. What is measured: 98 fuel on every 5.9 AT, 95 on every 5.9 Sportshift; tank 78 L vs 80 L; clearance 90 mm vs 120 mm. No prices are in the data, so “what the extra money buys” is only the extra hp, gears, kilograms, and seconds listed above — not a market quote.