Aston Martin broke new ground with the Vanquish at the start of the 21st century, having previewed the model with a fully driveable prototype called Project Vantage at the Detroit Show in 1998. The Vanquish became the company’s new flagship model, with a sleek and readily recognisable shape penned by Ian Callum that would later be further developed for the slightly less expensive (but no less exotic) DB9. The importance of these two models to Aston Martin went far beyond publicity and the company image. For the Vanquish, a completely new and highly advanced body structure had been created, and this was further developed for the DB9 as the VH platform. Deliberately designed to provide flexibility and underpin further new models, this went on to become the basis of every new Aston Martin in the early years of the century. This book tells the complete story of the DB9 and Vanquish, the models that established a new and successful era for the company that made them.

James Taylor has been writing professionally about cars since the late 1970s, and his interests embrace a wide range of older cars of all makes and nationalities, as well as classic buses, lorries and military vehicles. James has written more than 150 books in all, and among them have been several definitive one-make or one-model titles, including a large number for Crowood. He has also written for enthusiast magazines in several countries, has translated books from foreign languages and delivers effective writing training in both the public and private sectors.