The new Aston Martin
DB11 Volante arguably one of the best-looking convertibles on the market.
Joining the V12-powered DB11 that was launched last year, and the newer AMG
V8-powered model, this third member of the DB11 family features a fabric roof,
available in a choice of Bordeaux red, black silver, and grey silver.
The soft-top has new acoustic and insulation
materials, and 8-layer roof cossets, that keep occupants away from the wind
noise and unpleasant weather. It takes 14 seconds to lower and 16 seconds to
raise, and it can be operated at speeds of up to 50 km/h.
Aston Martin promises that the new roof mechanism is
as reliable as they come, after testing it to the extremes in special weather
conditions, where it was subjected to more than 100,000 cycles, thus
compressing 10 years of use into one month. Overall, the DB11 Volante was
punished in various locations around the globe, from Death Valley to the Arctic
Circle.
But the new Aston Martin DB11 Volante is more than
just a pretty face, as it's based on its fixed-roof siblings' aluminum
platform. This makes it lighter and more rigid than its predecessor, while also
benefiting from a 20 percent gain in boot volume, compared to the DB9 Volante.
Under the hood is where the action takes place: a
4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 engine, made by AMG, takes center stage and develops
510 PS and 695 Nm of torque. The lump works together with an
8-speed automatic gearbox, limited-slip differential with dynamic torque
vectoring, and electric power steering.
Aston are keeping the performance specs to
themselves for now, but the V8-powered DB11 Coupe needs 4.0 sec to sprint from
naught to 100 km/h, and will keep going up to 301 km/h. It's
possible that the Volante will be a tad slower, because of the weight penalty
that comes with its new body style.
First deliveries of the new Aston Martin DB11
Volante are scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2018. Prices start from
£ 159,900 (US$ 211,541) in the United Kingdom, € 199,000 (US$ 235,852) in Germany, and US$ 216,495 in the United States.
