Aston Martin Works, the official service and restoration division of Aston Martin,->ke13 is celebrating its 60th anniversary so to commemorate the occasion, Aston Martin announced that AM Works, together with the help of Q by Aston Martin, will produce six limited-edition 2015 Vanquish models that will commemorate the division’s diamond anniversary.

The six Vanquish 60th Anniversary models will be presented in either Coupe->ke141 or Volante models. Each one will be built exclusively from the rest with plenty of unique colors, styling details, and bespoke interior amenities. The most unique detail of each of the six exclusive models are the bespoke interior dials, specifically the bespoke metal rotary control dials that were created from old pistons from some of the most legendary Aston Martin modes in the past six decades. The list of the six Aston classics begins with the DB 2/4 Mk II saloon from the 1950s and followed in subsequent decades by the DB5, the V8 Coupe, the V8 Vantage X-pack, the V8 Vantage Supercharged and, most recently, the Original Vanquish.

Each variant of the Aston Martin Works Vanquish 60th Anniversary Edition also will also receive sill plates that depict the era from where the pistons were taken.

Click past the jump to read more about the Aston Martin Works 60th Anniversary Limited Edition Vanquish.

2015 Aston Martin Works 60th Anniversary Limited Edition Vanquish

Specifications
  • Make: Array
  • Model: 2015 Aston Martin Works 60th Anniversary Limited Edition Vanquish
  • Engine/Motor: V12
  • Horsepower: 568 @ 6650
  • Torque: 465 @ 5500
  • [do not use] Vehicle Model: Array
Pros
Cons

Exterior

The first of the six limited-edition models, a Vanquish Volante, was revealed at the company’s Christmas celebration. It came dressed in a white exterior with yellow highlights spread across the body. Aston Martin says that the yellow trim is called “Anniversary Yellow,” which largely explains why the company decided to unveil the new shade on a limited-edition model. Anniversary Yellow accents can be clearly seen on the side vents and the two-tone alloy wheels.

Interior

The majority of the exclusive details on the Vanquish Volante 60th Anniversary Edition are in the cabin. The predominantly black cockpit features contrast yellow stitching throughout, including on the two-tone sports seats, the dashboard, the door panels, and around the center compartment. Heavy carbon-fiber weave can also be clearly seen on the center console.

An Aston Martin Works 60th Anniversary logo is stitched in the space between the two rear seats while unique sill plaques are added to represent the era the specific model relates to.

All that aside, the most unique highlight of these models are the bespoke interior dials with rotaries that have been crafted from old pistons from some of the most iconic Aston Martin models of the past 60 years. For this particular model, one of the rotaries show the “2005-2015” insignia, which, according to Aston Martin is crafted from the pistons of the Original Vanquish.

Drivetrain

The six limited edition models will carry the standard 6.0-liter, V-12 engine fitted into all Vanquish models. The V-12 is capable of unleashing 568 horsepower and 464 pound-feet of torque through a a new ZF-developed Touchtronic III, eight-speed automatic transmission. With this powertrain, the Vanquish is capable of sprinting from 0 to 60 mph in just 3.6 seconds, half-a-second faster than the 2014 model, to go with a top speed of 201 mph.

Prices

Aston Martin has yet to announce pricing for any one of the limited-edition 60th Anniversary Vanquish models. With that in mind, it’s reasonable to expect a significant jump in price from the standard Vanquish Coupe, which sells for £192,995 ($302,394), and the standard Volante, which sells for £204,995 ($321,196) in the UK.

Competition

Maserati GranTurismo

The Maserati GranTurismo doesn’t have nearly the same amount of power as the Aston Martin Vanquish. Actually, everything about the GranTurismo is relatively low when compared to the British grand tourer. The Italian sports coupe’s 4.7-liter, V-8 engine is “only” good for 454 horsepower and 380 pound-feet of torque, well below the numbers of the Vanquish Volante. Likewise, its sprint from 0 to 60 mph takes 4.6 seconds, which is almost a half-second slower than the Aston Martin, and the GranTurismo’s top speed peaks at just 185 mph, significantly slower than the 201-mph top speed of the Vanquish.

So why are we saying that the GranTurismo is a good competitor for the Vanquish? Well, both cars represent the spirit of luxury meeting sportiness. They’re arguably two of the best premium sports cars in the market and if you’re in the market for any one of these bad boys, the GranTurismo’s base price of $126,500 makes it more affordable than the Vanquish.

Bentley Continental GT Speed

If you want a luxury sports car that’s a little more in the neighborhood of the V-12 Vantage, a fellow British model has its hands raised, ready to show you what its got.

The Bentley Continental GT Speed is probably the closest competitor to the V-12 Vantage in terms of power and refinement. Like the Aston Martin, the Continental GT Speed is showered with a whole lot of luxury goodies to emphasize its premium status in the segment.

In terms of performance, the Bentley luxury sports car comes with a 6.0-liter, twin-turbo, W-12 engine that pumps out 626 horsepower and 607 pound-feet of torque. That’s a little more power than what the Vanquish is capable of. The extra ponies on the Continental GT Speed allows it to sprint from 0 to 60 mph in four seconds, one-tenth of a second quicker than the Vantage.

Likewise, the Continental GT Speed also has the leg up over the Vantage in terms of top speed. Whereas the latter can reach 201 mph, the former tops out a little bit higher at 206 mph.

The Bentley Continental GT Speed offers all of this, despite carrying a much cheaper base price of around $230,000.

Conclusion

Aston Martin has always been one of those luxury brands that hasn't been afraid to roll out one special-edition model after another.

But these six models are on an entirely different level. The exclusivity is one thing, but I personally have never heard of using an old car part from existing models as an accessory on a present-day vehicle.

Somehow, the approach works because these rotaries create a distinguishable characteristic among all six Aston Martin Vanquish models, the likes of which we probably won't get to see any automaker do in the near or distant future.