Aston Martin DB12 Volante unveiled ahead of debut
California dreaming for latest drop-top DB - maybe don't go ordering that Roma Spider just yet
The Aston Martin Volantes have always promised a lot. Who wouldn’t be won over by drop-dead gorgeous styling, an operatic engine and the opportunity to drive mile after roofless mile? Exactly. The trouble is, the drop-top Astons haven’t always hit the spot, often suffering from the additional weight and reduced rigidity compared to the coupe. For the DB12, Aston Martin is determined for that to be different, promising nothing less than a driving experience ‘honed to its keenest possible edge’.
To that end, this car employs the same updates that have exacted such a favourable change on the hardtop. As well as an increase in global torsional stiffness thanks to extra bracing in the engine bay and under the car, the front axle specifically promises a 140 per cent improvement - all the better for steering feel and connection. The dampers have a 500 per cent increase ‘in bandwidth of force distribution’ compared to what came before, with the Aston-specific Michelin PS5 tyres also fitted to this car. The only differences between Coupe and Volante are said to be ‘detail revisions’ to the rear spring rate and damper tune, so here’s hoping for a similarly sorted driving experience. By the numbers, the weight penalty over the standard DB12 is 111kg - at 1,796kg dry against 1,685kg - which certainly isn't trifling. As ever, the proof will be in the pudding.
But having done much to nail the coupe, its maker seems confident that this will be the Volante to really deliver on the driving front. Chief Technical Officer Roberto Fedeli said: “Volante possesses all the Super Tourer traits so successfully introduced in the DB12 Coupe. That we have preserved this class-leading performance and handling is testament to the underlying brilliance of the DB12 platform and the work we have done to maintain the advantage of its superb powertrain and chassis in an open-top version. No longer the ‘softer’ option, DB12 Volante offers the stimulation of a true sports car with the unique pleasure and satisfaction that only a convertible Aston Martin can deliver.” Heard it here first…
What’s unchanged from Coupe to convertible is the 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8, still with 680hp and 590lb ft. More than adequate, basically - the additional tenth to 62mph (now 3.7 seconds) will surely be offset by what Aston is calling a ‘fabulous’ soundtrack. The Volante also employs the same ZF eight-speed auto with a shorter final drive, five drive modes and four ESC settings.
The main difference, of course, is in the roof, which has been dubbed a ‘K-fold’ roof by Aston because of how it folds. Notable features include a 260mm stack height to keep the top-down profile sleek, eight layers of insulation for refinement and four available hood colours: black, red, blue or black and silver together. The roof takes 14 seconds to go down and 16 to go back up again, which is possible at up to 31mph and into a 31mph headwind - handy if it’s a bit breezy at the beach. Buyers can even stand within two metres of a DB12 Volante and drop the top via the key.
Perfect, of course, for showing off that swanky new DB12 interior. As expected, all the good stuff migrates, with the latest infotainment system and its 10.25-inch screen taking pride of place. Even more importantly for top-down cruising, there’s a standard 390w, 11-speaker sound system, upgradeable to the tub-thumping Bowers&Wilkins hardware acoustically engineered for the shape of the DB12 interior. It boasts 15 speakers, Aluminium Double Dome tweeters and a powerful sub ‘to immerse occupants in their favourite music’. It’s an option box every buyer is going to want to tick, surely.
And there will be plenty more available, of course, the Volante launching with the same array of Q by Aston Martin ultra-luxury personalisation bits as the Coupe. ‘With Q by Aston Martin on-hand to realise a customer’s vision for their ultimate DB12 Volante, the sky really is the limit.’ Given how good grey with biscuit leather looks here (no doubt it has a far more glamorous name than that in Aston speak), there ought to be some truly stunning examples of the Volante in the pipeline.
All that talk about a K-fold roof and whatnot do rather make some sense when presented with this in profile and the roof down. Aston is pretty proud of it, too: ‘Once lowered and concealed beneath the sculpted hard tonneau the Volante plays its trump card, the sleek uninterrupted beltline giving a tantalizing glimpse of the opulent interior and culminating in a lithe and muscular tail that puts the lumpen efforts of package-compromised rivals to shame’. Miaow. Shots fired, Porsche, Ferrari and Bentley…
Appropriately enough, the Aston Martin DB12 Volante will make its global debut alongside many other fantastically expensive cars at Monterey Car Week, which is now underway. Production is set to kick off imminently, with first deliveries due before the year is out. Get that configurator loaded up, pronto.
10 years ago I drove along that road in a Hyundai rental car. For a few hours we followed a couple in an Aston Martin DB5, they were doing it properly.
Anyway, this is a lovely looking car - but the weight penalty (and space penalty for the rear seats) is quite significant, so I'd take the coupe.
But what does it look like with the roof up, which even in the UK summer is what we are more likely to see!
That said I can't see it making it look much different. That is a spectacularly beautiful car. Funny that when the hard top was revealed I didn't think it looked much better than the DB11 but this is somehow much more striking than the outgoing DB11 Volante.
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