What's all this about?

Before relocating to its current site in Gaydon, Aston Martin's manufacturing centre was based at Newport Pagnell in Buckinghamshire. A total of 15,000 Astons were hand-built here between 1955 and 2007, and the simple maths on the first figure should tell you that next year, Aston Martin Works is celebrating its diamond jubilee.

So?

So, Aston has decided to mark this occasion with six bespoke versions of the Vanquish, known as the Works 60th Anniversary cars. The first was revealed at the company's Christmas party at Newport Pagnell.

What's different about them?

Each one will feature bespoke body colours and interior treatments, with Anniversary Yellow side strakes and alloy wheels, logoed sill plates, heavy weave carbon fibre in the cabin and the Works 60th Anniversary logo in various places; the first car is a white Volante, but coupés will feature as well. However, aside from the styling, there's a very clever touch inside.

Which is...?

The four rotary dials in the dashboards are made from piston metal recovered from Aston Martin engines relating to each decade - so, for 1955-1965, that metal comes from a DB2/4 MkII saloon. And for the following five decades, the pistons were sourced from a DB5, V8 Coupé, V8 Vantage X-pack, V8 Vantage supercharged and the original Vanquish respectively. In all cases, the engines that donated the pistons in question needed a rebuild or re-working.

That is a nice touch. Have they boosted the V12 engine?

No, but then with 576hp and 610Nm, the Vanquish is hardly lacking in power. Like the normal cars, with drive going through a transaxle-mounted Touchtronic III eight-speed automatic the Vanquish Works 60th Anniversary cars will be capable of 0-62mph in 3.8 seconds and more than 200mph flat out.

How much are these Vanquishes?

Price on application at Aston Martin Works in Newport Pagnell, which is shorthand for 'you'd better be very, very rich to even think about it'.

Matt Robinson - 13 Dec 2014