Meet the world’s sexiest convertible; the all-new 2014 Aston Martin Vanquish Volante.
Yes, Aston Martin has finally taken the covers off the convertible version of last year’s Vanquish coupe, and we must say the car's seductive lines look even better with the roof removed.
Beautiful surfacing and incredible attention to detail really set the Vanquish Volante apart from the competition, and that’s before taking a look at the car's technology.
Thanks to the latest generation of Aston Martin’s bonded aluminum VH platform (generation four for those counting), the Vanquish Volante is expected to retain its coupe sibling's full breadth of dynamic character and sporting capability. The car also benefits from a full carbon fiber body, which helps to keep weight down while increasing rigidity. Torsional stiffness is up 13 percent on the DBS Volante, which the new model replaces.
Power comes from the automaker’s latest 6.0-liter V-12, which rates at 565 horsepower and 457 pound-feet of torque and has a beautiful exhaust note as evidenced in the video above. It promises 0-60 mph acceleration in around 4.0 seconds and a top speed of 183 mph.
Drives goes to the rear wheels only, via Aston Martin’s a Touchtronic 2 six-speed automatic gearbox. The dynamics have been tuned precisely, with new springs and damper settings calibrated to deliver the same crisp handling yet compliant ride as the coupe.
Also unique to the Vanquish Volante is its roof structure, naturally. The car's triple-skin lightweight fabric roof can be operated at speeds of up to 30 mph and takes just 14 seconds to fold. The windscreen, meanwhile, is now full height--a first for Aston Martin--which means that the glass runs up to meet the fabric roof, thereby reducing visual 'clutter'.
Aston Martin is once again offering the choice of 2 or 2+2 seating, though we should warn, if you opt for the latter you’ll find it near impossible squeezing anyone older than 12 in the back.
The rest of the cabin gets full grain Luxmil leather with optional quilting, Alcantara and satin accents, and a modern center stack inspired by the version in the One-77 supercar. The facia trim now stretches down the whole centre stack and is manufactured from a single piece of material giving a uniform finish.
Other tech features the Vanquish Volante benefits from include an adaptive suspension damping system with three different settings (Normal, Sport and Track), speed-sensitive power steering, and carbon ceramic brakes from Brembo.
Sadly, the 2014 Aston Martin Vanquish Volante won’t be available this summer. It arrives in showrooms early next year, priced from $297,995. To get a feel of its performance, be sure to read our First Drive report on the 2014 Vanquish coupe.
Announcing the arrival of the Vanquish Volante, Aston Martin CEO Dr. Ulrich Bez said: "This car is what luxury super GT driving is all about--great performance, fantastic style and exhilarating Volante motoring in one superb package.”