715bhp DBS Superleggera Volante 24 | 04 | 2019
ASTON MARTIN HAS officially unveiled its new DBS Superleggera Volante. With a top speed of 211mph, it’s the British luxury carmaker’s fastest convertible in its history. The car can be ordered now from Scotland’s solus Aston Martin dealer, with prices starting from £247,500; £22,500 more than the coupe. First deliveries are scheduled for the third quarter of this year. (Related: All-electric 602bhp Aston Martin Rapide E)
Powered by the same 715bhp, 5.2-litre twin-turbocharged V12 delivering 900Nm of torque as found in the coupe, and mated to an eight-speed ZF automatic gearbox, it’ll hit 62mph from standstill in 3.4secs. In fourth gear it will accelerate from 50-100mph in 4.2s. (Related: Aston Martin DBS Superleggera)
And that performance is despite the convertible’s eight-layer fabric hood and the additional chassis strengthening required to compensate for the loss of the solid roof.
Those eight layers of insulation materials and acoustically enhancing materials, according to Aston, “ensures the canopy greatly improves the comfort of the interior cabin for all occupants when up, but allows a true orchestra of sound to pour into the cabin when retracted”. (Related: Aston Martin SUV starts testing)
The cabrio’s designers have also ensured that despite the truncated roof design of the Volante, the aerodynamic performance has barely altered from the coupe. That means when it reaches its top speed of 211mph, Volante produces 177kg of downforce - a drop of just 3kg compared to the hard top variant.
Inside the cabin, the surrounding and fixtures match that of the coupe. Cabrio buyers though can choose from one of six finishes for the headlining.
“There is nothing on earth that compares to the roar of an Aston Martin V12,” Aston Martin Lagonda President and Group CEO, Dr Andy Palmer, said, “and I believe the DBS Superleggera Volante provides one of the greatest sensory experiences in the automotive world.
“This is truly a testament to the no compromise approach of our engineers and designers, to deliver the two key aspects of a convertible Super GT. Exceptional performance in an irresistible form, DBS Superleggera has justifiably won the hearts and minds of Super GT lovers the world over, and the Volante takes this concept to the next level.”
Related: Scots Aston Martin dealer is World No1
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Jim McGill