Aston Martin has really done a great job with the DB11...its success is undeniable. Following on in this tradition, their newest Vanquish S doesn't disappoint.

The new Vanquish S is marketed as the ‘ultimate GT’ by the company. It makes sense because this is really a pumped-up and luxurious second-generation version of the Vanquish S. Everything from its performance, suspension, styling, and even its price tag, has been improved.

The car’s exterior is just what you’d expect from an Aston Martin car. The front splitter and rear diffuser are now carbon fiber. The front end is has also been redesigned to reduce understeer.

What really makes the new Vanquish S exciting,however, is its engine. As soon as you start the car, the engine will come to life with a metallic howl. Once it’s up to temperature, the engine hums. Put it in drive and the Vanquish pulls away very smoothly. The car switches through its gear effortlessly making your ride calm and comfortable.

The car draw its power from Aston Martin’s 6.0-litre V12 engine. This will be the last time that an Aston Martin car will carry a naturally-aspirated engine. The engine is fitted with a revised intake system that should give the engine an additional 27bhp, bumping its power total to 595bhp with 630Nm of torque. These glorious changes to its visuals and performance will definitely cost you though. Since the new Vanquish S comes with a recommended retail price that starts from $294,950 in US.

It’s really amazing how this new Vanquish S is able to give such a good quality ride once it is on the move. Even though the car went through a number of chassis tweaks to make it an ideal ride, it is the car’s supple suspension that makes the car smooth and comfortable once it’s on the move. As a result, the car just goes smoothly over a road, showcasing its superior GT cruising ability.

The car’s body control is also worth noting here. You may also choose to the Vanquish into its two more aggressive driving modes: the Sport or Track. Both mode makes the car firmer. The Track mode makes the car suitable for rough roads. Overall, the steering is smooth, responsive, accurate and consistently weighted. The car can pretty much tell you how much grip you still have from your front end.

With the car’s ability and composed nature, it wouldn’t be so hard to drive the Vanquish S with 595bhp in a cold, damp, and humid morning. Its fat rear tires will always find a good grip even when exposed to moist conditions. You can definitely relax when you go cruising in your Vanquish S even on the toughest roads because its 6.0-litre V12 engine will give you no problem or surprises as it accelerates. Even though it is not as fast as the McLaren 650S, it does compensate its lack of power with noise. Push the car beyond 4,000rpm and its V12 engine will surely come alive.

The eight-speed automatic gearbox has also been improved in order to provide smoother and sharper changes. Upshifts are now quicker in isolation although they are still no match from the ones that you get in a McLaren or a Ferrari. Aston Martin claims that the car can dash from 0-62mph in 3.5 seconds.

Looking around inside the car is where things can be really frustrating. We do love the decorative blue leather but other than that, there’s nothing els worth noting here. The cabin is not something that you would expect from a car that you pay for $294,950.