First popularised as the gun wielding all-in-one super-spy car in James Bond adventure Die Another Day, Aston Martin's Vanquish saw a reign of supremacy as the luxury British marque's flagship Grand Tourer in the early 'noughties'. Entering production in 2001, the two-door coupé held the crown for 6 years until its curtain call, coinciding with the closure of the factory where the Vanquish cars were built.

Design cues affectionately lifted from their One-77 supercar – lengthened feature lines, rear LED light blades and a new waist design – bring the Vanquish up to date stylistically in conjunction with new features such as the Aero Duct on the boot lid. Exemplary of the attention to detail and dedication to design, for the Aero Duct alone, created to counter the lift experienced when traveling at high speeds, it takes one engineer two days to construct the one piece of carbon-fibre moulding required. Requiring new tools purpose built for painting and polishing it, it stands as a testament to the dedication afforded by the team behind the Vanquish.

The car retains the instantly recognisable design language synonymous with Aston Martin, while indicating a direction of the future designs. Bolder, more confident lines with small innovations that don't rock the boat too far from their established image and prestige.

Underneath the aluminium/carbon-fibre composite bodywork is a beating heart of naturally aspirated 6 litre V12 petrol engine, giving 0-100km/h in 4.1 seconds and running up to a top speed of 294km/h. Irrelevant for law abiding citizens anywhere other than the track or Autobahn, but still good to know. The Vanquish is Aston Martin's highest performing car, with exception to the limited group of One-77's out in the world.

Hand-built at the global headquarters in the UK, the Vanquish upholds the principles of upmost British sporting luxury, nowhere more apparent than in the interior. Hand-stitched fine Luxmil, semi-Aniline leather and Alcantara headlining in your choice of colours throughout, along with choices of stitching and facias allow for your own personalised take on Aston Martin's luxury prizefighter.

Available in 2+0 and 2+2 seating configurations, the first European deliveries estimated for late 2012.

Find out more, configure, and enquire at the Aston Martin webpages