Power, Beauty and Soul

Among luxury cars, few names carry more weight behind them than Aston Martin. It is the preferred vehicle of James Bond, the chapel where mechanical prowess and absolute luxury can come together to be joined in holy matrimony, forever and ever.

With the brand currently thriving under new ownership, classes of new models are being released every year, with 2012 looking to be one of the most groundbreaking yet. The most notable new-release is the 2012 Vanquish, which was discontinued for a hot minute in 2007 before being reintroduced this year. It is a racehorse of a car, carrying a V-12 engine with 565 horsepower and a body made of exclusively carbon-fiber materials to make it lighter and faster. The new Garmin cabin interface, LED displays, and 15- speaker sound system all forecast stunning luxury that will satisfy even the most fastidious of speed and performance junkies.

2012 Aston Martin Vanquish Interior

The combined force of these features, together with the Vanquish’s impressive specs has led officials at the Concours d’Elegance Villa d’Este, renowned elegance competition for classic and vintage cars, to christen it "the ultimate expression of Aston Martin design ethos, engineering innovation and technical ability."

2012 Aston Martin Zagato

Even so, it will be a long climb to the top if the Vanquish wishes to outperform its near cousin, the Zagato. The Zagato is the successor to Aston Martin’s indomitable One-77 model, which was widely considered one of the word’s finest sports cars. The name for the car is derived from a partnering Italian coachbuilder that has been in collaboration with Aston Martin on aesthetic and performance aspects of the design.

The car itself is an engineering marvel, purportedly demanding more than 2,000 hours of labor for the production of a single unit. As one might expect, it is a V-12, with more than 510 horsepower beneath the hood. With an interior that boasts leather hand-stitched quilting seats and carbon-fiber dash displays, the Zagato is luxurious enough to suit even the most discriminating of tastes.

2012 Aston Martin Zagato interior

For those wishing to get behind the wheel of one of these beauties, San Diego European Motorcars LTD has a wide selection of Aston Martins for immediate sale, in addition to an inventory of Lotus and Jaguars to choose from. You can also contact Aston Martin personnel through the website (astonmartin.com) for more assistance.

There are a host of other models being re-released this year for the Aston Martin line as well, all representing a broad spectrum of prices and configurations. If you crave the open road and have a healthy penchant for style and adventure, then it might be time to see what Aston Martin has to offer.