Aston Martin has taken the covers off the DB11 Volante, the convertible sibling of the coupe creating an open-top sports GT. The car is a direct successor to the DB9 Volante, and apart from the roof, gets the same mechanicals and drivetrain that the Coupe has.
The roof is the party piece here, and it takes 14 seconds to lower and 16 seconds to close and can be operated remotely from the key or on the move at speeds up to 49.8kmph. Aston Martin claim that this new roof has the smallest stack height of any foldable roof in this class of cars, and so it has 20 per cent more free space in the boot compared to the DB9 Volante. Additionally it has deployable spoilers to increase down force along with interiors featuring a full color 12-inch LCD infotainment system, heated steering, satellite navigation and a B&O sound system. It also offers an extensive list of driver aids like electric power steering, DSC, EBD, ABS, launch control, hydraulic brake assist, dynamic torque vectoring, traction control, positive torque control, adaptive damping system, LED lights with DRLs and electric park brake.
Speaking at the unveiling of the DB11 Volante, Aston Martin president and chief executive officer, Dr Andy Palmer, said “For many of our customers, indeed many generations of Aston Martin customer, the Volante has always offered something very special: a unique combination of elegant style, innate sporting ability and sensory engagement that lifts it above other open-top cars. The new DB11 Volante captures those qualities perfectly and promises the kind of pleasure and enjoyment that can only come from driving an open-top Aston Martin”.
Powering the DB11 is same 4-litre twin-turbo V8 mill that does duty in the coupe DB11. It produces a maximum power of 503bhp at 6000rpm and of 675Nm at 2000-5000rpm, coupled to an 8-speed paddle-shift automatic transmission with limited slip differential. These figures are identical to the coupe.