2026 Aston Martin Vanquish Volante First Look: No, Go Ahead, Take Another Look
This 214-mph, V-12-powered droptop is drop-dead gorgeous.
The reveal of the Aston Martin Vanquish Volante, which is set to arrive in the U.S. in the third quarter of this year, will surprise no one. After all, with convertible versions of the DB12 and Vantage already on sale, it was only a matter of time before Aston Martin launched a soft-top variant of its newest flagship front-engine Vanquish coupe. What may surprise a few people, however, is that even though it has a soft top, the Vanquish Volante is not the "soft" option: Weighing just 209 pounds more than the Vanquish coupe, the 824-hp, V-12-powered Vanquish Volante boasts same 214-mph top speed and the same claimed 3.3-second 0-60mph acceleration time.
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That’s because both coupe and convertible versions of the Vanquish were developed simultaneously, says Simon Newton, Aston Martin’s director of vehicle performance and attributes. With a body structure that’s 75 percent stiffer than that of the DBS Superleggera Volante, Aston’s previous flagship V-12 convertible, the Vanquish Volante thus required only moderate recalibration of the suspension to account for the five percent weight increase over the coupe and slightly different front-to-rear weight bias. “That allowed us to retain the dynamic capabilities and character of Vanquish coupe with no compromise,” says Newton.
Under the hood is the revamped version of Aston Martin’s 5.2-liter twin-turbo V-12 that develops its 824 hp at 6,500 rpm and 738 lb-ft of torque from just 2,500 rpm through to 5,000 rpm. Though based on the engine that debuted in the 2017 DB11, the block has been strengthened and redesigned cylinder heads feature new intake and exhaust port geometries and repositioned spark plugs. The four valves per cylinder are actuated by re-profiled camshafts, and the combustion chambers are fed by higher flow-rate fuel injectors and filled by reduced inertia turbochargers.
The muscular V-12 drives the rear wheels through an eight-speed ZF automatic transmission and an e-diff that can transition from fully open to 100 percent locked in 135 milliseconds. The electronic locking differential enhances the agility of the chassis in low and medium speed corners, but its main task is to work in concert with the new stability control system to manage the rear end of the car at high speeds, ensuring driver confidence through fast sweepers and lane change maneuvers.
Suspension is multi-link front and rear, controlled by Bilstein DTX adaptive shocks and larger anti-roll bars. First used on the DB12, the Bilstein DTX shocks allow finer tuning of the damping characteristics in the three drive modes, GT, Sport, and Sport+. The electric power steering rack is controlled by way of a non-isolated steering column to improve feel, and four stability control settings—On, Track, Off, and Wet—help the driver manage the engine’s prodigious torque.
Standard brakes are carbon-ceramic, with 16.1-inch rotors up front and 14.2-inch items at the rear that allow fade-free braking at temperatures up to more than 1,400 degrees Fahrenheit and reduce unsprung mass by 60 pounds compared with steel brakes. Standard wheels are 21-inch forged alloys, which are fitted with Pirelli P Zero tires, 275/35 at the front and 325/25 at the rear, that have been specifically developed for the Vanquish.
Removing the roof from the Vanquish coupe has resulted in a convertible of smoldering sensuality, its voluptuous curves teased out over a wheelbase that’s 3.15 inches longer than that of the DB12 Volante, with all that extra length spliced between the base of the A-pillar and the front axle center line to enhance the proportions. The big grille offers 13 percent more surface area for greater airflow than the grille of the 760-hp DBS 770 Ultimate, Aston’s most powerful front engine 12-cylinder car until the new Vanquish. As in the coupe, the truncated Kamm tail is capped by a semi-floating structure nicknamed the ‘Shield’ that can be finished in custom colors or carbon fiber.
The Vanquish Volante’s lightweight K-fold soft-top can be opened in 14 seconds and closed in 16 seconds at speeds up to 31 mph. The roof can also be opened or closed remotely from the key fob if you’re within six feet of the car, and with a stack height of just 10.2 inches when retracted, it stows under the tonneau behind the seats without interrupting the front-to-rear sweep of the car’s shoulder line. Aston says the soft-top has high levels of thermal and acoustic insulation, which suggests the Vanquish Volante should prove almost as quiet and comfortable as its coupe cousin with the roof up. An optional titanium exhaust system, which is 23 pounds lighter than the standard steel setup, features a smaller muffler for those who want to hear more of the V-12’s snarl under acceleration.
As in the coupe, the Vanquish Volante features an interior awash with premium materials and high technology. The screens and switchgear and all their attendant functionality are shared with the DB12, the Vantage, and the upgraded DBX707, but a horizontal center console delivers an increased sense of spaciousness. Other unique interior design elements include the chrome horizon line across the dash and new quilting patterns on the standard Sports Plus seats. Lightweight carbon-fiber shell Performance Seats are available as an option. A sculpted rear cross brace behind the seats defines storage areas that can accommodate an optional leather luggage set.
No official word on price yet, but if the price difference between the DB12 coupe and Volante models is a guide, the Vanquish Volante is likely to retail for about $460,000. Not that the folks who can afford cars like these will notice, but that means the ultimate front engine Aston Martin convertible should cost slightly less than its closest rival, the Ferrari 12 Cilindri Spider.
I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t fascinated by cars. My father was a mechanic, and some of my earliest memories are of handing him wrenches as he worked to turn a succession of down-at-heel secondhand cars into reliable family transportation. Later, when I was about 12, I’d be allowed to back the Valiant station wagon out onto the street and drive it around to the front of the house to wash it. We had the cleanest Valiant in the world.
I got my driver’s license exactly three months after my 16th birthday in a Series II Land Rover, ex-Australian Army with no synchro on first or second and about a million miles on the clock. “Pass your test in that,” said Dad, “and you’ll be able to drive anything.” He was right. Nearly four decades later I’ve driven everything from a Bugatti Veyron to a Volvo 18-wheeler, on roads and tracks all over the world. Very few people get the opportunity to parlay their passion into a career. I’m one of those fortunate few.
I started editing my local car club magazine, partly because no-one else would do it, and partly because I’d sold my rally car to get the deposit for my first house, and wanted to stay involved in the sport. Then one day someone handed me a free local sports paper and said they might want car stuff in it. I rang the editor and to my surprise she said yes. There was no pay, but I did get press passes, which meant I got into the races for free. And meet real automotive journalists in the pressroom. And watch and learn.
It’s been a helluva ride ever since. I’ve written about everything from Formula 1 to Sprint Car racing; from new cars and trucks to wild street machines and multi-million dollar classics; from global industry trends to secondhand car dealers. I’ve done automotive TV shows and radio shows, and helped create automotive websites, iMags and mobile apps. I’ve been the editor-in-chief of leading automotive media brands in Australia, Great Britain, and the United States. And I’ve enjoyed every minute of it. The longer I’m in this business the more astonished I am these fiendishly complicated devices we call automobiles get made at all, and how accomplished they have become at doing what they’re designed to do. I believe all new cars should be great, and I’m disappointed when they’re not. Over the years I’ve come to realize cars are the result of a complex interaction of people, politics and process, which is why they’re all different. And why they continue to fascinate me.Read More
