Aston Martin Blows the Top Off New $300,000 Vanquish Volante Convertible

If you like the new Vanquish and have $300,000 to spare (actually, a little less at $297,995, to be precise - just as long as you avoid the temptation of ticking any option boxes) and prefer to see the sun instead of the coupe's headliner, Aston Martin has just presented the open top version dubbed Volante.

Among the many features highlighted by Aston Martin is the fact that the new Vanquish Volante is the first fully carbon fibre-skinned and simultaneously, stiffest convertible model in the brand’s 100-year history. The full height windscreens is another first for an open top Aston.

The Vanquish Volante loses the hard top and gains a triple-skin lightweight fabric roof that takes 14 seconds to neatly fold under a sculptured tonneau and decklid. Aston Martin states that the new Vanquish Volante's boot is 50 per cent larger than that of the previous DBS Volante, which it replaces, at 279 liters regardless of the positioning of the roof.

Compared to the coupe, the Volante gains a different design for the boot and the integrated spoiler, while the 2+2 interior has been carried over unchanged sans, of course, the buttons for the roof.

It weighs only 9kg or about 20 lbs more than the coupe Vanquish tipping the scales at 1,845kg or 4,965 lbs.

If you take a peek under the bonnet, you'll find the same AM11 codenamed naturally aspirated, 6.0-liter V12 petrol engine with 565hp (573PS) and 620 Nm (457 lb ft) driving the rear wheels via a Touchtronic 2 six-speed automatic gearbox as on the coupe.

Aside from the U.S. that we've already mentioned, the Vanquish Volante is priced from £199,995 in the UK; €264,995 in Germany and $323,974 in Dubai. According to the British carmaker, first deliveries are expected to begin in the UK and Continental Europe before the end of this year.

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Aston Martin Lifts the Top on New V12 Vantage Roadster with 510hp

Some three years after the introduction of the V12 Vantage Coupe in 2009, Aston Martin has presented a roofless version of its sports car that joins the lesser Vantage and Vantage S V8 models.

There are no surprises under the hood with the range-topping Vantage Roadster using Aston Martin’s naturally aspirated 5.9-litre V12 engine that generates 510hp (517PS) at 6,500 rpm and 570 Nm (420 lb-ft) of maximum torque at 5,750 rpm.

Coupled to a six-speed manual gearbox that directs power to the rear wheels, the V12 Vantage Roadster hits 100km/h (62mph) in 4.5 seconds, which makes it 0.3 seconds slower than the coupe. It's top speed, however, is the same at 305km/h (190mph).

Like its tin-top sibling, the V12 roadster model features a “Sport” mode button that offers a sharper throttle response and a throatier sound from the engine.

Aston Martin's engineers have made some changes to the roadster model's chassis for the V12 powertrain, including a modified rear damper set-up, front and rear damper valve tuning and a new rear spring design. The V12 rides on new 19-inch alloy wheels wrapped in Pirelli P Zero Corsa rubber.

The car's exterior has been upgraded with a redesigned rear boot lid and lower front air intake, while you will also find plenty of carbon fiber trim on the side strakes, hood vents, front splitter, rear diffuser, mirrors and rear lamp infill.

Inside, the V12 model's distinguishing features include the use of glass switches in the lower centre stack.

The new V12 Vantage Roadster is available for order now in select markets around the world with UK pricing set at £150,000 or 10 percent more than the equivalent coupe model.

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This is What You Get When You Let Facebook Fans Style an Aston Martin DB9

Carmakers are using the world's largest social network, which is none other than Facebook, as a tool to engage with potential customers and brand fans alike. Even Aston Martin is giving it a go.

Beginning from last November, the British luxury automaker launched a special campaign on its Facebook page with a series of polls asking viewers to specify one of its models.

The company's fans chose the DB9 and then decided on the on all aspects of the car from the exterior wrap to the interior trim.

Once Aston Martin's page reached 1 million fans, the automaker went ahead and built the car to their specifications.

Named the DB9 1M, the one-off special sports a unique wrap called "Aero" and is fitted with 20-inch alloy wheels in a Silver Diamond finish. As for the interior, among other options, it features a two-tone Obsidian Black and Spicy Red leather treatment.

Story References: Aston Martin via Autoguide

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