Aston Martin DBS Volante

Making its debut at the Geneva Motor Show next month, the new drop-top will line up alongside the V12 Vantage and new Lagonda luxury saloon, giving show goers a triple treat of fresh metal.

Described by Aston Martin as the “the ultimate open air motoring experience”, the DBS Volante gets the same mighty 6.0-litre V12 as the coupe and stunning looks with a fabric hood that closely follows the silhouette of the coupe.

Capable of dropping at the touch of a button in just 14 seconds and at up to speeds of 30mph, the roof automatically stows under a re–sculpted tonneau cover, which maintains the slick look of the coupe. And as you can see, all the styling cues from the storming DBS coupe are carried across.

The front end gets sleek air intakes, a low splitter and bonnet air vents, the side skirts are lower while at the rear are clear lens covers for the taillights, a subtle boot-lid spoiler and a diffuser. While the bonnet, front wings and boot lid are made from carbon fibre, the DBS Volante is quite a bit heavier than the coupe.

To cope with the loss in stiffness associated with the removal of the hard-top, extra strengthening – including a rigidly mounted rear subframe – has gone into the bonded aluminium chassis chassis. As a result the Volante tips the scales at 1810kg – some 115kg more than the coupe.

Despite this extra weight, performance isn’t really affected. Under the bonnet lies the same 6.0-litre V12 as the DBS coupe. Based on the same unit that powers the DB9, it gets an uprated airbox, which takes peak power to 510bhp and torque to 570Nm. Standard transmission is a six-speed manual gearbox with the option of Aston Martin’s semi-automatic Touchtronic ‘box.

The Volante posts almost identical performance figures to the coupe, accelerating from 0-62mph in just 4.2seconds (0.1seconds down) and hitting the same top speed of 191mph. Carbon ceramic brakes do the stopping while adaptive dampers and double wishbone suspension with 20-inch alloy wheels and sticky Pirelli P-Zero rubber should mean the Volante is prodigious around corners. Inside the luxurious 2+2 cabin gets a bespoke Bang and Olufsen sound system as standard.

On sale this autumn, the DBS Volante is expected to cost around £170,000 – some £11,000 more than the coupe.

Aston’s fastest Vantage roars in

V12 supercar promises 190mph top speed and will features lighter, more muscular body.

Meet the fastest, most powerful Vantage ever! This is Aston Martin’s new V12-engined supercar – a striking machine which packs race-derived technology into a stunning body. And Auto Express has been given access ahead of its world debut at next month’s Geneva Motor Show.

The V12 Vantage was first seen as the RS concept in 2007, and the production version has lost little in its translation from dream to reality. Under the many bonnet louvres lies a mighty 6.0-litre V12 producing 510bhp and 570Nm of torque. That’s 90bhp and 100Nm more than the regular 4.8-litre V8 Vantage. The powerplant is hooked up to a six-speed manual gearbox driving the rear wheels. This means the new model does 0-62mph in 4.2 seconds and accelerates on to a top speed of 190mph.

The new hand-built unit has been developed from the same V12 found in the bigger DB9, as well as the LMP1 Le Mans 24 Hours racer.

Engine airflow is improved by an intake bypass that opens up at 5,500rpm, along with a revised induction system and re-profiled inlet ports. The bigger unit is 100kg heavier than the V8, but by fitting carbon ceramic brakes, new 19-inch 10-spoke aluminium alloys, lightweight inner body panels and optional carbon and Kevlar seats, Aston has kept overall weight gain down to only 50kg.

The rear suspension is more compact to accommodate wider wheels and tyres, while the ride height is lowered by 15mm. In addition, the springs have been stiffened by 45 per cent, and the front and rear anti-roll bars by 15 per cent and 75 per cent respectively. As a result, the V12 Vantage is said to generate up to 1.3G of cornering force.

Most of the body panels are new, and the car looks just as aggressive as the concept. More muscle has been added to the standard model’s meaty shape, with some inspiration from the N24 race car.

At the front is a new splitter, while the bonnet features neat louvres, the side skirts are deeper and there’s a pronounced boot spoiler.

These changes are designed to improve the aerodynamics, although there are plenty of stylish updates, too – such as neat spotlights in the front spoiler and clear lenses in the tail-lamps.

Inside, the instrument dials are easier to read, while carbon fibre door pulls are accompanied by Alcantara suede. The new centre console also features a Sport button which sharpens throttle response and opens up baffles in the exhaust, giving the car a sportier sound.

A three-stage traction control system is also added to the mix. In normal mode, the Dynamic Stability Control package is automatically on, but selecting ‘track mode’ raises the level at which it intervenes, allowing the driver to slide the car more before the system cuts in.

Aston Martin says it will limit production to 1,000 models, with deliveries starting towards the end of the year. Prices haven’t been confirmed, but it is expected to cost just under £140,000.