2006 Aston Martin VANQUISH S

This is a 200mph+ car that would have cost the best part of £200,000 in 2006. So, that’s about £1000 for every 1mph it could comfortably tuck under its belt.

It is in very good condition all round - even for its low mileage, let alone its age. This may well reflect the fact that for most of its life it’s been in the expert ownership of an Aston Martin specialist.

As befits a car of this class and breeding, it’s been seen in all the best places – Florida, Cap d’Antibes, Stockholm.

It’s been back in the land of its birth for a couple of years now, and has once again had the good fortune to pass into the ownership of someone who knows what they’re doing – a classic car collector, dealer and specialist with plenty of Vanquish S experience and who knows a good ‘un when he sees one. He is the vendor.

This is an authentic, well looked-after vehicle that appears to have all the right money spent on it, in the right amounts, as and when needed.

It starts, goes, handles and stops exactly as it should. Which is to say, phenomenally. We can vouch for the fact that its uniquely distinctive ‘bark’ has made more than one person in the Abingdon area dive head-first into a hedge when they heard it coming.

It’s a very special thing.

The original Jet Black paintwork is shiny and has an impressive depth of lustre to it.

There is no rust visible on the exterior bodywork. Which is not altogether surprising when you consider that this car’s construction is largely aluminium and carbon-fibre. There isn’t enough ferrous material to make it worth the trip for any rust worthy of the name.

The panels are smooth and the shut lines are crisp and even in that uniquely ‘hand-built’ way.

The wheels are untroubled by anything other than the most minor of nicks or scratches, and the matching Michelin Pilot Sport tyres have plenty of life left in them.

The chrome work is all good, too. Particularly the splendid petrol cap cover – which is the size of a dinner plate and looks like you’d need both hands to unscrew it. The lights and lenses are clear.

There any no dinks, scuffs, creases, ripples, bumps, lumps, cracks, holes, folds, indentations or other unsightly blemishes of note.

There are a few tiny stone chips to the valances and below the sills, but it doesn’t amount to more than the lowest level of road rash.

There is some light scratching to, and just in front of, the o/s wing mirror.

Acres of black and red hide, black carpet and brushed aluminum. All beautifully crafted. All in fine condition. All conspiring to create an unrivalled sense of occasion each and every time you get inside. And all very macho.

This definitely isn’t a pastel-coloured VW Beetle. There isn’t a dashboard vase for your flowers.

The upholstery is in fine fettle, as are the carpets, mats, door cards and headlining. The front seats are supportive and comfortable and look underused for their age. Unsurprisingly, the rear seats look as if they’ve never been used, perhaps because only the very young, the very small, the very flexible or the very masochistic could possibly get into them.

Yes, the driver’s seat has a little light creasing around the bolsters, but who hasn’t, in this day and age? And it’s nothing that couldn’t be swiftly rectified with a bit of dye, some leather feed and a spot of elbow grease.

As far as we can tell, everything works as it should, although we’re not convinced that the ‘joy stick’ on the SatNav is doing much when it’s in the ‘down’ position. The dashboard and centre console are good and all instruments and dials are functional and clear. The digital info display (range, temp, etc) isn’t currently communicating in English, and this may or may not be simpler to change than learning Swedish or German. It's also worth mentioning that this model comes with the more desirable larger screen Sat Nav which also featured in the Vanquish S Ultimate.

We noticed that the stitching on the leather handbrake gaiter has come undone.

The surprisingly small boot, with its delightful ‘Aston Martin’ embroidered carpet, is in good condition. Lifting up the carpet here, or elsewhere in the car, reveals no rust whatsoever.

It certainly has an underneath. No doubt about it. Not much to say really, as virtually all of it is covered by trays and protectors - which seem to have done a sterling job of, er, covering and protecting it. There is no rust visible anywhere. Everything appears in its right and proper place and appears untroubled by time, mileage or mishap.

It’s a similar story in the very clean and tidy engine bay where, we’re confident, something hugely complicated and powerful is hiding in its carbon-fibre tub, under those silver cowls and covers. Something that makes a noise like the gates of Hell opening if you dare to prod it with your right foot.

Something that probably needs feeding with pounds of raw meat twice a day.

We have obviously driven it and can confirm, having sold earlier examples model of the model that the driving experience was dramatically improved during the Vanquish's production run. The gearbox in particular bears little relation to that of the early cars, proving the general magazine appraisals of the period that say the S was the car the Vanquish should always have been.

This car was bought new in 2006 and delivered to its first owner in Atlanta, Georgia. A year or so later, it moved to Florida for a while. There is a chronological record of the services carried out on the car during its time in the US of A.

Next, in 2009, it swapped sunshine and surf for Stockholm and Sweden. Aside from one particularly glamorous sounding trip to Cap d’Antibes in 2014 (where it no doubt terrified the resident DB9s), it stayed in Sweden until 2018.

Its Swedish owner was (and is) a well-known and highly respected Aston Martin specialist.

The vast majority of the work and maintenance carried out on this car was done during his tenure and under his watchful eye. The paperwork is in the documents section and, if your command of the Swedish language cuts the mustard, you’ll be able to see exactly what was done for yourself.

We know that it had a new battery in January 2021 because we saw it being fitted. Consequently, we’d advise you to follow the instructions for teaching the clutch to re-learn how to operate optimally. These instructions are included with the car and are in the documents section. We had to go through something similar to ‘re-teach’ the electric windows after the new battery had been fitted.

The car’s MoT certificate, with no advisories, is valid until 13.11.21.

The car comes with various bills, receipts and invoices. It also comes with a certificate of authenticity from Aston Martin.

Well, what we think is…..wow.

What a car.

It’s not for the faint-hearted or the timid. It’s not for someone who doesn’t want any attention. It really isn’t.

Every time you press the start button it explodes into life with a demented cacophony that sounds like a steam engine playing the trumpet.

Your neighbours won’t thank you for any early starts. Or late returns.

Or, to be honest, for buying it in the first place.

Even in the rarefied world of bespoke supercars, this stands out as being a bit special.

This is a vehicle that combines rarity, quality, looks and style with mind-bending performance in an exquisitely crafted bespoke package. It’s mad, it’s glorious and we’d really quite like one ourselves.

We’re happy to offer this vehicle for auction with an estimate in the range of £71,000 - £86,000

Inspection is always encouraged (within Govt. guidelines of course), and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; to arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.