2018 Aston Martin Vanquish S Volante is a Sublime Send-off
The Aston Martin V12, all 5.9 naturally-aspirated liters of it (even though the marketing types in Gaydon have always insisted it’s a nice, round 6.0L), is not long for this world, what with the new DB11 having an also-new 5.2L twin-turbo V12 developed with the aid of Mercedes-AMG and all. But that doesn’t mean the company is done with its almighty atmo engine just yet. Witness the new mack daddy of Aston convertibles, the Vanquish S Volante.
Like the Vanquish S coupe, the Volante is based on the fourth revision of the company’s long-serving VH platform, which means extensive use of carbon fiber in the chassis as well as that borderline-pornographic body. Underneath you’ll find the aforementioned V12 (here rated at 580 horsepower and 465 lb.-ft of torque) driving the rear wheels through ZF’s ever-popular 8-speed automatic transmission. It might not be the most potent or roomy ragtop in the ultra-premium segment, and its heart and skeleton are definitely showing their age but, considering its likely status as the end of an era for Aston Martin’s current engineering philosophy, its $315,775 starting price might seem cheap with the passage of years.
Source: Aston Martin