THE ASTON MARTIN DB12 VOLANTE TICKS ALL THE BOXES - POWER, LOOKS, STYLE AND AN OPEN TOP
It has arrived, the new Aston Martin DB12 Volante, the open-top sibling to the Coupe that was revealed back in May of this year, and this open-top model now combines brilliant Super Tourer performance and handling, but with the added pleasure of roof-down driving. The British brand has created some special convertibles over the years, and this new DB12 Volante continues with that amazing style and innovation. Aston Martin Chief Executive Officer, Amedeo Felisa, said: “For many of our customers, roof-down driving is the greatest pleasure. Aston Martin Volantes have captured that emotion and expressed it in a unique style for more than six decades. With the new DB12 Volante we have changed the rules, creating a car that intensifies those feelings by preserving all the purity and exceptional sporting capabilities of the DB12 Coupe. A rare and true sporting convertible in every respect, this is a car to challenge preconceptions and find a new generation of Volante customers”. The DB12 Volante features the same design, engineering and technology as seen in the DB12, which means it has the power and handling for it to be a purebred sports car. Of course, there have been some changes to the underpinnings to keep things rigid after removing the roof, so changes have been made to key structural elements, such as the rear suspension upper mounting points and lateral connections, along with an engine cross brace that raises global torsional stiffness by almost 5%.
The roof, or lack thereof, is the Volante’s main attraction. It has an electrically-operated ‘K-fold’ roof. With a 2-stage folding mechanism engineered to achieve a class-leading 260 mm stack height that still allows for some luggage even with the top down. The fabric has 8 layers and is great for cancelling noise, so you get that typical Aston luxury drive. The roof takes a mere 14 seconds to open and 16 seconds to close and can be used at speeds of up to 50 km/h. To show off, it can also be opened and closed via the key fob. The best bit is still the twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 powerplant that’s still a dedicated dead dinosaur eater. Those liquidised dinosaurs afford the brute an impressive 500 kW of power with 800 Nm of torque. This equates to a 0-100km/h dash in just 3.7 seconds with a top speed of 325 km/h, all sent to the rear wheels via a ZF 8-speed automatic transmission and an Electronic Rear Differential (E-Diff). There is also a 4-stage ESC and a choice of five dynamic drive modes to allow owners to fully exploit the power. Marek Reichman, Aston Martin Chief Creative Officer, said: “Creating open-air performance machines for drivers has always held a special place in hearts across Aston Martin, dating back to 1965, with our introduction of the first Volante model, the legendary Short Chassis. It has been, and always will be, a design beacon for us. The new DB12 Volante is again another emotional Aston Martin design form with a desire to be driven. We’ve sculpted a graceful, muscular exterior shape that reflects its immense capabilities, set atop very advanced structural elements, with a clean, contemporary interior. Crafted through performance design for those who share our joy and happiness for adventuring in cars in the open air, new DB12 Volante is certainly exhilarating to experience and one that adds to our distinctive history.”
Take a look at the YouTube video from the recent reveal of the latest creation to come out of the prestigious Aston Martin stable, the DB12 Volante. It's the consummate open-top Sports Tourer that has those brutish Aston Martin lines that manage to double as gentlemanly too, as only the British can do: Aston Martin DB12 Volante | A New Standard of Open-Top Driving | Aston Martin
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Cars Super Tourer Cabriolet Convertible Drop-Top Open-Top DB12 Volante DB12 Volante Aston Martin