Aston Martin unveils its stunning new convertible
WARWICKSHIRE car maker Aston Martin has unveiled a stunning new luxury convertible to boost its range of models.
The DB11 Volante will cost from £159,900 when it goes on sale early in 2018, joining the DB11 Coupe which went on sale late last year.
The open-topper is powered by a new 4.0litre twin-turbo 510bhp V8 engine and is built around the all-new bonded aluminium structure first seen in the Coupe.
It has been engineered to deliver greater levels of performance and handling to accentuate the more sporting side of its character, while increased refinement, comfort and interior space ensure it remains a real grand tourer.
Visually the Volante features a striking singlepiece aluminium bonnet and innovative “Curlicue” aerodynamic feature from the DB11 Coupe, combined with new wood or carbon fibre veneer panels on the seat backs, a tailored fabric hood and ultraslim tail lights giving the convertible a stunning sporting look.
The defining feature of the DB11 Volante is its roof. Made up of eight layers it takes just 14 seconds to lower and 16 to close and can be operated remotely from the key, or on the move at speeds of up to 31mph with a 31mph headwind.
The new hood system has also led to a 20 per cent gain in boot volume compared to the outgoing DB9 Volante.
Aston Martin’s testing procedures pushed this all-new roof mechanism to punishing extremes.
Engineers subjected the roof to more than 100,000 cycles in special weather chambers designed to simulate conditions in the world’s harshest environments, compressing 10 years of use into a one month test. DB11 Volante development prototypes were put on test in locations including Death Valley and the Arctic Circle.
The Volante’s threestage powertrain and chassis modes work in harmony with an eightspeed paddle-shift automatic transmission, electric power steering and limited-slip differential with dynamic torque vectoring.
The Volante can hit 62mph in just 4.1 seconds and has a top speed of 187mph.
Creature comforts include a heated steering wheel encourage all-season open-air motoring and rear seat ISOFIX child seat attachment points - a first for a Volante model.
Aston Martin president and chief executive officer 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 opentop 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.”