Aston Martin’s Vanquish Volante, successor to the DBS Volante, isn’t flashy and it won’t beat any track records. Of course, that’s all by design. Aston isn’t trying to compete with neon-bright Lamborghinis or cutting-edge Paganis here. No, the Volante is the gentleman’s choice; for those who want their car to exude a tasteful sophistication and have more than enough performance to put a smile on your face but without punishing your back on rough roads.
A V12 Soundtrack
The 6.0-litre V12 produces a respectable 568 bhp, but where it really shines is in the acoustics, with some reviewers calling it the best-sounding engine in production. Let’s face it, in a convertible, that is perhaps the more important engine quality. Managing all of that power is a 6-speed Touchtronic automatic gearbox. Sixty-two mph is dispatched in just 4 seconds. A multilink suspension allows drivers to choose from Normal, Sport, and Track settings, although one wonders just how many owners will take their Vanquish Volantes on a track. The brake discs are constructed of a carbon ceramic matrix material, though, so they should resist fade for those few brave owners who decide to take some hot laps in their Volante.
Weighty Matters
Aston took great pains to reduce weight on the Vanquish Volante, in the end achieving a kerb weight of 1845 kgs. Not bad, but this is still no featherweight. The entire body is crafted in carbon fibre, while the triple-skin roof material is a special light-weight design. Carbon fibre has also been added to the aluminium chassis, making it both lighter and stiffer than its predecessor. This is a welcome update after many reviewers found the DBS Volante to possess questionable rigidity. Moving inside, the Volante’s interior, while certainly a nice place to spend some time, lags behind its competitors with its dated switchgear and steering wheel.
Conclusion
At over £200,000, Aston’s Vanquish Volante is competing with the likes of the McLaren 720S, which offers much more performance. While the McLaren is impressively comfortable, buyers looking for a more traditional GT experience will find plenty to like about this Aston, especially those craving that understated elegance that the company has banked on for ages now.
Images Copyright of: Aston Martin.
