Aston Martin let Apple take over its $500,000 Vanquish, doing what no other automaker has
Published on Jan 17, 2026 at 6:30 AM (UTC-5)
by Daisy Edwards
Last updated on Jan 17, 2026 at 6:30 AM (UTC-5)
Edited by
Emma Matthews
Aston Martin let Apple take over its $500,000 Vanquish, giving it full control, doing what no other luxury automaker has.
The luxury British supercar brand has become the first to roll out Apple CarPlay Ultra, the next-generation version that spreads way beyond the usual center infotainment screen.
In the Vanquish, Apple is no longer just a guest app when you plug your iPhone in.
It effectively has become the interface for your whole Aston Martin driving experience, right down to the gauges.
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CarPlay Ultra isn’t just basic tech; it’s designed to run across multiple displays at once, including the infotainment screen and the digital instrument cluster.
That means your speed, revs, navigation, media, and widgets can live in an Apple-styled layout that feels more like the supercar is a big iPhone than a mirrored phone screen experience.
Aston Martin put a lot of trust in Apple by letting the Vanquish be the guinea pig car, because it’s not just any old car, it’s a luxury supercar.
CarPlay Ultra can control vehicle functions, not just play music and show maps.
Reviews note drive modes and performance settings showing up inside the CarPlay Ultra environment, and Apple has positioned it as a system that blends vehicle data with the familiar Apple interface and fonts.
It’s customizable too, with themes and layouts tailored to the car maker’s design, so it doesn’t look like a generic template stuck onto a half-million-dollar dashboard.
To run it, you need a recent iPhone and modern software. In Aston’s launch details and early coverage, the requirement is iPhone 12 or newer running iOS 18.5 or later.
Why is the Vanquish a wild choice?
The Vanquish choice is what makes this particularly notable, because it is Aston’s flagship car, the kind of car people save all their money to buy.
But Aston also had a strategic advantage because it built its own in-house infotainment architecture recently, which helped it integrate Apple’s new, better system faster than its rivals.
Plenty of other brands have reportedly resisted CarPlay Ultra because it gives Apple a lot of dashboard space inside of their own brands.
Aston Martin threw caution to the wind anyway, and the Vanquish is now the most expensive proof that the tech company’s car takeover is coming thick and fast.
Daisy is a technology and automotive journalist covering artificial intelligence, consumer tech, Apple news, cryptocurrency, emerging technologies, and transportation innovation. Since joining the team in 2025, she has reported on everything from AI-powered startups and major iOS updates to viral car stories and the latest developments shaping transportation and the digital economy. Drawing on her background in automotive journalism and a degree in History and Journalism from Goldsmiths, University of London, Daisy specializes in breaking down complex topics into clear, engaging reporting for a global audience. Her work spans cutting-edge technology, innovative vehicles, and the people driving change across both industries. Daisy has gained first-hand access to some of the world's most talked-about technologies and innovators, including meeting Tesla's Optimus humanoid robot during its first European appearance in London. She has also discussed the future of space exploration with an astronaut, bringing unique insights and real-world perspectives to her coverage of emerging technology.
