Aston Martin Vanquish vs Continental SS vs F12 Berlinetta: which one has the lowest running costs?

Aston Martin has turned up the heat on its ultimate Super GT Vanquish S back in 2017 when the latest version was launched. The car demands attention though its jaw dropping design, beautiful lines and elegant features. Aston Martin has, since its creation in 1913 been at the forefront of vehicle design and engineering. Even James Bond has chosen the luxury British Sports car over many others to help save the world with one of the most iconic movie cars of all time, the Aston Martin DB5 being his gadget filled vehicle of choice.

The Vanquish is a head-turner but what about the completion? As hard as it may seem, the Vanquish does have competition and we are going to compare the running costs to see which one makes the most sense to purchase.

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Aston Martin Vanquish S

In this, the second generation Vanquish's evolution to S specification, careful attention has been paid to the engine, chassis and aerodynamics to create a machine honed to deliver more intense thrills and even more scintillating performance. The performance comes courtesy of a 6.0-litre V12 that develops 433kW and 630Nm and will hit 100km from stand still in about 3.5 seconds. As fast as the Aston may be it is also luxurious with a hand stitched leather covered interior as well as other quality trimmings.

Purchasing a new Vanquish may be difficult as the brand has recently replaced the car. That said, a quick search on AutoTrader revealed a variety of used Aston Martin Vanquish models and we went for the one being sold by the importers, Daytona. A 2017 model with just 3 500km covered and a price tag of R4 490 000 means that the Aston won’t be seen on every driveway. Its exclusivity comes at a cost of R64 248.15 per month over 72 months with a 20% deposit and an interest rate of 7.75%. It is worth mentioning that customers shopping in this segment prefer to pay cash for their cars.

 

Bentley Continental SuperSpots

As mentioned earlier, the Aston does have competition and it comes in the form of an equally iconic brand which was also founded in the early 1900s and which has a history intertwined with that of Aston Martin. Driven by gentlemen racers Bentley introduced its fastest and most powerful production model to date in 2017, the SuperSports. Fitted with a 522kW, 1 017 N.m turbocharged W12 motor will propel the car to an eye watering top speed of over 320km/h. Like the Aston, the Bentley offers performance and unrivalled luxury. So much so that the leather used inside comes from bulls as they don’t develop stretchmark’s like female cows do when pregnant, ensuring that the leather is clear of imperfections.

Thanks to the vast array of cars available on AutoTrader we were able to find a few examples of the Bentley Continental SuperSports, surprisingly it costs less than the Aston, R3 995 000 will get you into a 2017 model with 7000km on the clock as see by one which we found at Bentley Motors Johannesburg. It will however cost you around R55 629.50 per month for 72 months with a deposit of 20% at an interest rate of 7.75%.

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Ferrari F12 Berlinetta

The Ferrari F12 might be the oldest car in our list but, it is attainable at the price of the others and, it is a Ferrari. The brand needs no introduction and the F12 neither. The ultimate Italian GT car deserves the ultimate Italian engine and the F12 gets just that in the form of a naturally aspirated V12 which delivers 551kW and 690Nm of torque. There is no arguing the fact that this car makes one of the best sounds in the automotive world while remaining luxurious without compromising its supercar like performance.

The Ferrari will cost you though, being the oldest car here, that badge still demands a price tag of R4 399 950 as seen on AutoTrader. The other noticeable difference is that price is for a car with nearly 15 000km on the clock. Still, applying a 20% deposit over 72 months at an interest rate of 7.75% will equate to a monthly amount of R62 680.26.

 

Fuel consumption

While paying around four million Rand for a car one might not care about fuel consumption however it is worth looking into to calculate which of these car will be the best purchase for the best price.

• Aston Martin Vanquish - 18.9 litres/100km.Fuel tank size: 78 litres: Full tank cost R1073.28 at R13.76per/l 95ron
• Bentley Continental SuperSports – 15.7l/100km. Fuel tank size: 90 litres: Full tank cost R1238.40 at R13.76pre/l 95ron
• Ferrari F12 Berlinetta – 15l/100km. Fuel tank size: 92 litres: Full tank cost: R1265.92 at R13.76per/l 95ron

 

Warranty cover

 

 

Our verdict

If we had won the lottery and could spend these huge amounts on luxury sports cars then it would be the Ferrari that our hearts would choose. It offers more power than the others, holds its value better despite the high kilometres compared to the others. If we had to buy with our heads then the Bentley is the overall winner here. It offers impressive power, luxury it costs less than the Aston and Ferrari and you can get one with a longer warranty from the agents.  

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