Restyling a luxury exotic takes some nerve. It's like taking a chisel to the Venus de Milo and promising to merely update her look-take a few pounds off her hips, perform some rhinoplasty, make her boobs look bigger. You can claim 'augmentation,' the idea being that nobody notices right away. Or you might go big-the all-out celebrity makeover. When it comes to an Aston Martin Vanquish S, however, it has to be tasteful. Nothing for the sake of novelty-no excuses.
Platinum Motorsport in Hollywood, California, recognizes that automotive restyling requires what it calls 'a delicate balance of harmony that exists between innovation, personal flair and risk.' The Keshishyan brothers have the confidence backed by a family-owned business. It started with their father's collision repair business in the '70s and grew to what is now Platinum Motorsport's 10,000 square-feet shop with 15 technicians. The Mercedes SLR McLaren, Lamborghini Murcilago LP640 and Rolls-Royce Phantom are some of the tuned luxuries in this shop's portfolio. Its rent-a-car fleet offers a Maserati Quattroporte, a Ferrari F430 and a Range Rover SRE with a supercharged kit, to name a few. Platinum won season one of MTV's tuner challenge show Trick it Out. Its cars appear in the bright lights of L.A. alongside rappers and actresses. This is the Platinum lifestyle and what comes from Platinum Motorsport is automotive eye candy.
So then, the ultimate Aston, the Vanquish S, fits the profile as a contender for America's next top model. But instead of the double-Ds, this car quite appropriately retains the beauty already inherent in a car so respected. Platinum is the first to showcase the Mansory tuning program for Aston Martin in the US, bringing high-end and high-profile together. What Mansory offers in terms of lifestyle isn't Hollywood, it's in tune with a style more befitting British nobility.
The body kit, front bumper, aerodynamic rocker panels and rear bumper are all complete Mansory aero kit carbon-fiber replacements, along with the additional rear diffuser. The air intakes behind the carbon fiber flanks and the vents on the hood are all integrated beautifully, as are the highly polished aluminum exhaust tips sized to fit with the rear carbon diffuser. The result is pretty, but also loud, making this subtle beauty something of an attention whore (or at least a little more flirtatious). The Mansory brake system is manufactured by Brembo, 405/32 discs with six-piston calipers for the front, and 405/28 with four-piston calipers in the rear.
Inside, Mansory carbon fiber replaces all plastic pieces, including the steering wheel. Surrounding these parts, Platinum changes up the kit and uses Alcantara suede along the dashboard and diamond stitching along the headliner. Perhaps the best departure of all, though, is the use of Sparco racing seats, upholstered in Alcantara with the same diamond-pattern design cues from stock. For the wheels, Platinum offers the Agetro F100, 9.5x22 in the front and 10.5x22 in the rear. These have chrome outer lips and ceramic black inner barrels, with black powder-coated windows and diamond machine face.
The outcome is look at this car. Nothing makes the car better, per se. But let's face it, when it comes to automotive perfection in design and beauty, there isn't a lot of subjectivity with the Vanquish. Beauty is not in the eye of the beholder. It's perfect, no knife involved.
2006 Aston Martin Vanquish S
*Layout
Longitudinal front engine, rear-wheel drive
*Engine
6.0-liter V12, dohc, 48-valve, Stage 2 software, Mansory exhaust tips
*Transmission
Six-speed sequential manual
*Brakes
Mansory/Brembo assemblies
*Wheels And Tires
Agetro F100,9.5x22 (f), 10.5x22 (r)Pirelli P Zero Nero,245/30 (f), 295/25 (r)
*Exterior
Mansory front bumper w/integrated carbon 'flippers,' rear bumper w/integrated carbon diffuser, rocker panels
*Interior
Sparco racing seats, Mansory steering wheel, carbon fiber and Alcantara trim