Aston Martin’s DB11 V8 now available as a convertible
The DB11 Volante is powered by a 4.0-litre V8 and costs from £159,900 – £15,000 more than the coupe
Aston Martin has pulled the covers off a convertible version of its DB11 grand tourer.
Called the DB11 Volante, the new soft-top Aston is powered by a 4.0-litre Mercedes-AMG-sourced V8 engine that develops 503bhp.
While no word has been issued on specific performance figures, the DB11 coupe can complete the sprint from 0-60mph in 3.8 seconds and hit a top speed of 187mph – so expect the Volante to boast similar stats.
As with the DB11 coupe, the Volante’s power is sent to the rear wheels via an eight-speed paddle-shift automatic transmission.
The folding fabric roof – which takes 14 seconds to lower – has been put through extensive testing, with Aston Martin engineers using special weather chambers to simulate 10 years of use within the space of a month. Prototypes of the DB11 Volante were also tested in Death Valley, California, and the Arctic Circle for extreme temperatures.
Aston Martin CEO and president 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.”
Max Szwaj, Aston’s chief technical officer, added: “With the DB11 Volante we have maximised the advantages of the DB11’s all-new bonded structure to underpin our new Volante with a structure that’s 26kg lighter and five per cent stiffer than its predecessor [the DB9 Volante]. The result is a truly magnificent car.”
With prices starting at £159,900, the DB11 Volante is a hefty £15,000 more expensive than the DB11 V8 coupe. First deliveries are expected in spring 2018.
