- The Aston Martin Vanquish Volante is the British marque’s new flagship convertible
- The drop-top version of its Vanquish coupe is powered by a 5.2L twin-turbo V12 that produces 823 bhp and 737 ft lb of torque
- The two-seater speeds from 0 to 100km/h in 3.4 seconds and boasts a top speed of 344km/h
Towards the tail end of last year, Aston Martin announced the return of the iconic Vanquish for the first time since its discontinuation in 2018. The Vanquish—pictured in an alluring cherry red shade—went on to replace the DBS as the British marque’s incumbent flagship model. Now, Aston Martin has unveiled its drop-top sister model; the Vanquish Volante.
The new Aston Martin Vanquish Volante is the fastest, most powerful front-engine convertible in the world—and probably the universe too—thanks to a 5.2L twin-turbo V12 that churns out 823 bhp and 737 ft lb of torque. This translates to enough speed to whip your toupe off, with the Vanquish Volante charging from 0 to 100km/h in 3.4 seconds with a top speed of 344km/h. This impressive output is just a fraction of a second slower (and a single kilometre less) than its hardtop sibling, despite the soft-top adding an extra 95kg to its kerb weight.
Said K-fold roof can be deployed at speeds of up to 50km/h and can be opened in 14 seconds and closed in 16 seconds, with the roof also operable using the key fob within a two-metre radius. When not in use, the K-fold roof is completely concealed under the tonneau which is colour-matched to the body of the vehicle.
Like the full fat, clothes on Vanquish, the Vanquish Volante is fitted with eight-speed ZF automatic transmission which is housed in the rear axle for optimal weight distribution and the same rear E-differential. It also comes with the latest Electronic Stability Program technology for improved cornering at low to medium speeds and better control during high-speed lane changes.
The exterior retains the sculpted design language of the Vanquish—which in turn is faithful to the original design by British automotive designer Ian Callum over two decades ago—with a wide, low stance that sees the chiseled bonnet accented with an oversized grille, which is flanked by sculpted air intakes. The kicked up Kamm tail at the rear rests above the signature ‘shield’ which is designed to appear to float on the rear of the car.
“The challenge is always to maintain Aston Martin’s core brand DNA and it was vitally important to create the Volante alongside the Coupe in order to deliver excellence in proportion and drama,” said Marek Reichman, executive vice president and chief creative officer at Aston Martin. “Vanquish Volante epitomises this; not only is it one of the most breathtakingly beautiful cars ever to wear the nameplate, it goes far beyond the expected and, like Coupe, captures the immense performance and intended purpose of a flagship model.”
Production of the Aston Martin Vanquish Volante contributes to the 1000 build units of the classic Vanquish, meaning it’ll be rare to catch one on the streets. Australian pricing is yet to be announced, with deliveries set to take place in Q3, 2025.
Words by Henry Blake
