Aston Martin has been looking back on its rich heritage of late, most recently by creating a watch that pays tribute to some of the marque's extraordinary racing machines. That's not to say that the British brand is resting on its laurels or giving up on the future - it still has fantastic creations like the Vantage V12 RS to bring us - but it is soaking up a moment of self-love as it focuses on one of its most successful sports cars ever, the V12 Vanquish. We recently got a little history lesson on the iconic grand tourer, and now Aston Martin has brought together 78 examples of the sleek sports car, setting a record for the largest-ever gathering of the V12 Vanquish.

The gathering took place at Aston Martin Works in Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire, the heritage home of the brand and the site at which all 2,589 examples of the V12 Vanquish, V12 Vanquish S, and Vanquish S Ultimate Edition models were built between 2001 and 2007. This gathering is rather unimaginatively called Vanquish Day, and took place on Sunday, October 31. Owners from all across the United Kingdom came through to celebrate two decades since the first production version of this car was revealed. Fortunately, there was more to look at than just 77 other examples of the very car you just arrived in.

Aston also gathered some cars to showcase the significance of the V12 Vanquish, including the Project Vantage concept car and the Aston Martin CALLUM Vanquish 25, a modern take on the Vanquish created by the original designer, Ian Callum. The designer himself was there to celebrate the V12 Vanquish, while owners of the car who were present got another treat. Each was gifted an Aston Martin Works commemmorative badge to celebrate their participation in the event. It's a small something, but when you've nursed a high-end British sports car through two decades of existence, it's nice to get something back.