The 2001 Aston Martin Vanquish was the most exclusive vehicle built by the British company at the beginning of 2000. It was based on the 1998 Aston Martin Project Vantage concept car. The Aston Martin Vanquish was designed by Ian Callum and it promised supercar performances into a classic design package. The idea behind the vehicle was to inject adrenaline into a Grand Tourer. Usually, any GT car was able to put down some good performances, but its main reason was a luxurious interior mated to a powerful engine able to soak up the roads. The Aston Martin Vanquish dared to be even more than that. From the specific grille design shaped like a shell to the sloped rear of the car, the Vanquish inspired performance and handling abilities. The front air-vents on the hood and enlarged rear quarter panels were designed to enhance the sporty character of the car. Inside, the Vanquish was available as a two-seater or in a 2+2 configuration. Just don't be fooled, the “+2” seats in the back were there only for taxation and insurance purposes. Other than that, they were good only to be used as an in-car storage area for a duffle bag. The interior was garnished with leather and aluminum. But the turn-signal and wiper stock were in cheap plastic, carried over from a Ford Fiesta (or Focus). The instrument cluster featured three large dials in chromed rims and two LED displays. The paddle shifters for the standard automatic transmission were neatly placed behind the steering wheel. Under the hood, there was a 5.9-liter V12 engine that offered 460 hp. The 6-speed automated manual gearbox sent the torque to the rear wheels via a limited-slip differential.