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Blowing the roof off with the ultimate British convertible
Aston Martin introduced the Vanquish coupe last fall, and we knew the Volante convertible was coming. Its arrival coincides with the 60th anniversary of the final run of 1965 DB5 convertibles. There was a reason Aston Martin called that model the Volante, a name it had not used on the DB5 convertibles that preceded it. We’ll explain why in a moment.
Sharing a point that Aston Martin would like to make about the Vanquish Volante, meet what it says is the world’s fastest front-engine V12 convertible. It’s a small club, with the only other member being the Ferrari 12cilindri Spider.
Italian for Flying
If you speak Italian, you know volante means “flying.” In the car world, some may recall the Alfa Romeo Disco Volante (“flying saucer”) name used on a series of five concept cars built from 1952-1953. The name was inspired of course by the decade’s new obsession with interstellar visitors, and it seemed appropriate for a car that showcase genuine aerodynamic benefits for racecars.
Going much farther back, the volante label had been used on small, lightweight horse-drawn carriages in the 1800s that featured two huge wheels and a kind of convertible top. It was like the sports car of its day, albeit one with just one or two horsepower.
Flash forward to 1965, when Aston Martin was transitioning from the DB5 to the longer-wheelbase DB6. As production shifted, the company discovered 37 DB5 frames still in the factory. These could not be used for the larger DB6, so another run of DB5 convertibles was called for, but sharing some of the DB6’s design updates. And, voilà! … or, rather, Volante! The DB5 Volante followed the 86 “regular” DB5 convertibles that had been built.
Two Volantes at Once
Aston Martin has since used the Volante name on its convertibles, including the current DB12 Volante. That model starts at around $275,000 versus the estimated $460,000 for the upcoming Vanquish Volante, which is based on that car to an extent. What does an extra $185,000 or so get you?
As we noted, Aston Martin says the Vanquish Volante’s 214-mph top speed makes it the fastest V12-powered convertible in the world. Ferrari claims “only” 211 mph for its 12cilindri Spider. We’re pretty sure buyers of either car aren’t concerned about that difference.
The Vanquish engine’s massive 738 lb-ft. of peak torque and its claimed 0-60 mph time of 3.2 seconds are more indicative of the everyday performance the driver will feel. For the record, the Aston Martin DB12 Volante should crest 200 mph, which might be fast enough for most.
Photo credit: Aston Martin
What $185,000 Buys
Getting back to that $185,000 premium over the DB12 Volante, the Vanquish Volante is an almost entirely different car. Only the Vanquish models get Aston Martin’s own 824-horsepower, 5.2-liter twin-turbo V12, while the DB12 models use the impressive 671 horsepower 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 sourced from Mercedes-AMG.
As on the Vanquish coupe, the engine connects to a rear-mounted eight-speed ZF automatic transmission with a carbon-fiber driveshaft. An electronically controlled rear differential (E-diff) flaunts the laws of physics to maintain traction on hard launches and through speedy curves.
To accommodate the longer V12 engine, the Vanquish models have a 3.15-inch wheelbase stretch ahead of the windshield pillars compared to the DB12. Front and rear multi-link suspension is basically shared among these models. The driver can tailor the Bilstein DTX adaptive dampers via selectable GT, Sport, and Sport+ drive modes.
The driver can also set the traction control to one of eight levels. Likewise, the Volante gets the Vanquish coupe’s 21-inch alloy wheels with Pirelli P Zero tires (275/35 in front and 325/25) and huge carbon-ceramic brake rotors, which cost extra on the DB12.
Strong Body of Evidence
The Vanquish Volante has its own distinct carbon fiber body, versus aluminum for the DB12. The Vanquish design is unique, with the rear notably differentiated from the DB12 Volante with vertical “blade” lights. Both the Vanquish coupe and the Volante are stunners, but with its top down, the Volante seems to draw even more attention to the curvy profile.
Aston Martin says both Vanquish bodies were developed together, and weight gain for the convertible was held to 209 pounds, bringing the total to about 4,400. You probably won’t feel a benefit of the 23 pounds the optional titanium exhaust system removes, but you will enjoy the bigger sound from its smaller mufflers. Speaking of the exhaust, the Volante also shares the coupe’s huge tailpipe outlets, which some perhaps might feel a tad audacious on such an elegant design.
Just 1,000 to Be Made
Aston Martin says the convertible lowers in just 14 seconds and, when up, provides the same level of acoustic and climate insulation as the coupe. There’s another benefit that is purely emotional: With the top down, you can more easily see that luscious cockpit, which seems to be the most luxuriously detailed interior the marque has ever offered.
Aston Martin said it will build just 1,000 Vanquish Volantes in total, compared to 1,000 per year for the Vanquish coupe. Better get your order in soon. Get your quote today!
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