Aston Martin’s Q bespoke division has created an ultra-exclusive DBS Superleggera special edition to celebrate 50 years since Concorde first took to the skies. Made in association with British Airways, the DBS Superleggera Concorde Edition features a number of visual enhancements inside and out and is limited to just 10 examples, all sold through Aston Martin Bristol – down the road from where British Concorde manufacturing took place. External alterations include a painted livery using British Airways colours on the roof strake, spoiler and rear diffuser. A black carbonfibre roof sports the silhouette of the supersonic jet. There are neat details, too, including new side strakes milled from solid aluminium, the British Airways ‘Speedmarque’ logo in chrome on the front wings, a black ‘Q by Aston Martin’ wing badge and even the authentic aircraft identifier number of the flagship of the Concorde fleet (G-BOAC) on the body behind the doors. Inspection plates are signed by Aston CEO Andy Palmer and British Airways chairman Alex Cruz. New interior features include the Concorde logo on the front seat facings, ‘Mach Meter’ graphics in the driver’s sun visor and an Alcantara headliner with a ‘sonic boom’ graphic. There are also titanium paddle shifters – made from Concorde’s compressor blades, the firm claims – special floor mats and unique sill plaques. Underneath, the DBS Superleggera’s mechanical make-up is unchanged. It makes use of the 5.2-litre twin-turbo V12 putting out 715bhp and taking the supercar to 211mph. No price is quoted for the DBS Superleggera Concorde Edition, so prospective customers should contact Aston Martin Bristol. Some of the proceeds from each car will be donated to the Air League Trust, a non-profit organisation that supports underprivileged children and teaches them how to
Origin: Aston Martin creates ultra-exclusive DBS Superleggera Concorde Edition
Aston
First Look: 2021 Aston Martin DBX
What is it?This is the DBX, Aston Martins first SUV, one of the most-teased vehicles of all time (Gaydon has been rolling out “spy” photos of the DBX on an almost monthly basis for the past year) and, in the words the company itself, the sport utility with the soul of a sports car.Why does it matter?Well, for one thing, Aston Martin is 106 years old and this is the first time its built anything that even resembles an off-roader. For another, while other marques have built SUVs that are supposed to remind you of their sports cars Im looking at you, Ford, and your new Mustang Mach-E there is, for better or for worse, a lot of Aston Martin sports car DNA in the DBX.Most importantly, Aston Martin sales have been hurting as of late and, as much as many will scream Sacrilege!, if a sport brute can put Gaydon back on a firm financial footing, then so much the better.Thats why its important to Aston Martin. Why it might be important to you is that under the hood is a 542-horsepower version of the twin-turbo V8 sourced from Mercedes-Benz. An active exhaust system, in AMs own words, lets the DBX sound refined one moment and exhilarating the next. The sprint to 100 kilometres an hour takes but 4.5 seconds. Top speed is an impressive 291 km/h.Check Out All Our Auto Show CoverageEven more impressive at least when it comes to that soul of a sports car thing is the adaptive triple-chamber air springs, which allow a completely variable suspensions system. Even more technically impressive is the eARC adaptive roll bar system that, according to Aston, can generate as much as much as 1,033 foot-pounds of anti-roll force per axle. By combining the variable air spring, adjustable dampers and electronically controlled roll bars, Aston says the DBX can transport five in comfort and still handle like its soul is a sports car. When will it be available?In the second half of 2020.Should you buy it?Well, first off, do you have $218,400? You do? Okay, then here are the questions you need to ask yourself beyond is it fast? (yes, it is) and will it handle well? (yes, it should). First off, do you need to transport lots of passengers in the rear seats? Oh, dont worry, the front seats look marvelous the drivers seat, for instance, will accommodate anyone from the 99th percentile male to a 5th percentile female. But the rear seats look a little as is something of an Aston tradition cramped in the legroom. Not as bad as the Rapide (the companys four-door sedan) but tight(ish) nonetheless. Trunk space is, at 22.3 cubic feet, at least adequate.On the positive side, the interior is delectable, the leather and wood trim everything one expects from an English luxury marque. And there are truly bespoke touches such as the Pet Package yes, optional pet accessories in a luxury automobile that includes a portable washer to hose off muddy dogs, a bumper protector to ward off errant claws and even a pet partition just in case the portable washer misses a few bits.There are 10 other packages available ranging from a traditional Snow Package (ski bag and roof-mounted ski rack) all the way to and I am assuming this will be hugely popular in the United States a gun cabinet and shooting stick package that marries a lockable solid aluminum case for firearms with a stick made of leather and wood to help you, I assume, chase after pheasant. How very
Origin: First Look: 2021 Aston Martin DBX
Aristotle, Gestalt and the 2020 Aston Martin Vantage AMR
The 2020 Aston Martin Vantage AMRAston Martin NURBURG, Germany As inspirational as the age-old axiom is, it turns out Aristotle did not say the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. What he actually said, according to a translation by W. D. Ross, was The totality is not, as it were, a mere heap, but the whole is something besides the parts.Doesnt have quite the same uplifting kumbaya spark, does it? Indeed, quite how we got from depressing mere heap to Gestaltian greater than the sum of its parts anthem is beyond me (and, if my cursory research is anything to go by, most historians). Nonetheless, we have come to take Aristotles axiom as gospel, and its inverse that individually we are weaker than the aggregate, the basis of nationhood.A perfect case in point, in the physical world, is Aston Martins latest supercar, the 2020 Vantage AMR. Listen to Matt Becker, Astons chief engineer, detail its upgrades compared with the regular Vantage which took but 15 minutes of PR blather rather than the customary hour-and-a-half and youd swear the trip to the Nurburgring to test the new AMR was a giant waste of time. The biggest news and, as Ive been intimating, it really is small potatoes is that it gets a manual transmission. Oh, and some ceramic brakes. Thats it. For this, they claim they made a special edition run of just 200! At US$179,995 apiece! Are you kidding me? Hell, the damned thing lost power it makes 502 foot-pounds of torque in the base Vantage, but this supposed Fancy Dan version only twists out 469 lb.-ft. at its peak. Doesnt sound so special certainly not super to me.And things do get off to a rough start; the AMR is still slower to 100 kilometres an hour than the automatic transmission-ed version. Oh, part of it is that we humans are relatively slow shifting of gear. Another is the lack of any kind of launch control.But whatever excuses you make, a 4.0-seconds-to-100-km/h time is barely super these days. Plenty are the sedans that are as fleet, and its pretty darn hard to find another coupe or roadster with a super even a GT appellation that cant.Now, the part I havent mentioned yet is thanks to the dumping of the automatic gearbox and jettisoning its e-diff for a real mechanical locking rear differential (not to mention those carbon brakes) the AMR weighs a full 100 kilograms less than the garden-variety Vantage. More importantly, says Becker, whats left over is evenly distributed 50/50 between front and rear axles.Thats why and now I am quoting actual Gestaltian philosophy rather than Aristotelian misrepresentation what is happening in the whole cannot be deduced from the characteristics of the separate pieces. In other words, specs that arent quite up to rich-guy bench-racing standards do not capture the total Aston Martin.That loss in torque, for instance necessitated because the manual transmission cant handle 500 pound-feet is hardly ever noticed. Indeed, the opposite. Every time you gun the big Mercedes-sourced twin-turbo V8, the AMR literally jumps, the throttle response so immediate. The Vantage may lose on paper, but out in the real world it is truly competitive. Up top, itll top out at a legitimately super 320 km/h, just in case youre Grand Touring Germanys autobahns. In other words, behind the wheel, there was nothing lesser about it. The 2020 Aston Martin Vantage AMR Aston Martin Then theres the transmission that is the supposed centerpiece that deserved limited edition status. Sporting seven no, not six forward gears, the Graziano-sourced unit uses the traditional manuals H6 pattern for 2nd thru 7th gears; with 1st down and left, reverse is up and left. Compared with the previous Vantage V12 where we first saw this tranny, 1st is a little deliberate to get into to prevent errant downshifts into what would otherwise be second gear. Reverse, meanwhile, is similarly delineated.All that newfound precision aside, while I like the gearbox thank to its AMShifts automatic blipping, it was slicker than the proverbial knife through a fairly solid emulsion of fat globules Im not sure I see the advantage over a more conventional six-speed. Oh, I get the attraction of a stick. And, like most things these days one, does have to promise more in this case, gears to attract attention. But I remain unconvinced that my drive is any better for having an extra cog in the gearbox.Automatics are almost always better with more ratios, but there may be a limit to the effectiveness with manuals. On the other hand, perhaps if Id spent more than 250 kilometres behind the wheel, Id have become more acclimatized.Specs that aren’t quite up to rich-guy bench-racing standards do not capture the total Aston MartinAs for the chassis, other than the jettisoning of 100 kilos and the subsequent weight redistribution, its really changed little. In fact, Astons engineers liked the comportment of the base Vantage so much they softened the AMRs rear springs so its wheel rate
Origin: Aristotle, Gestalt and the 2020 Aston Martin Vantage AMR
Aston Martin teams up with an icon to build its first-ever motorcycle
The Aston Martin and Brough Superior AMB 001Aston Martin When Aston Martin recently announced it was building a motorcycle in conjunction with Brough Superior, most car enthusiasts were probably wondering why the storied automaker was stooping to build a motorcycle.In fact, if anyone is slumming in this new relationship, it is Brough, once the pinnacle of two-wheeled exclusivity and favourite of the most famous motorcyclist of all time.Brough Superior was the brainchild of George Brough, who between 1919 and 1940 crafted some 3,000 some of the most exquisite and exclusive motorcycles the world had ever seen. Most were custom-built, and though the engines were outsourced usually from J.A. Prestwich but later also Matchless almost everything else was hand-hewn in house.Indeed, legend has it that, after H. D. Teague of The Motor Cycle labelled Brough the Rolls-Royce of motorcycles, the famed automaker sent over a representative to tell George to cease and desist advertising as such.Luckily, Brough and his crew were in the process of final assembly for an impending motor show and the Rolls representative was so impressed the techs were supposedly wearing white gloves whilst assembling bikes that he reported back that Broughs motorcycles really did deserve the appellation.What has made the Brough name an enduring legend, however, is the devotion of its most famous client, T.E. Lawrence. You know him better as Lawrence of Arabia, and his love of motorcycles A skittish motor-bike with a touch of blood in it is better than all the riding animals on earth and Broughs in general he owned eight, and gave them all names knew no bounds.He famously died on an SS100 he was trying to avoid two young boys who had wandered into the road and his passing so traumatized his attending physician, Hugh Cairns, that he went on to create the research that paved the way for mandatory helmet use. More recently, Brough was resurrected by long-timer enthusiast Mark Upham in conjunction with Thierry Henriette of Boxer Design, who craft the double-overhead-cam 990-cc 88-degree V-twin on which the AMB 001 is based.In Aston Martin guise, said big-twin is turbocharged for an output of 180 horsepower stock modern Broughs are good for about 120 hp and is mated to a chassis constructed of aluminum, titanium and carbon fibre.According to Aston Martins chief creative officer, Marek Reichman, in addition to applying the skills we have developed for cars such as the groundbreaking Aston Martin Valkyrie, we have also been able to bring our special expertise in the traditional craft techniques to this project.The result is a motorcycle with a double-wishbone front suspension still something of a rarity in the biking world and a completely carbon-fibre body which helps keep the AMB 001s overall weight down to 180 kilograms.Only 100 examples of the 001 will be made available to the public, at a price of 108,000 Euros about $157,200 Canadian and delivery will begin at the end of
Origin: Aston Martin teams up with an icon to build its first-ever motorcycle
Aston Martin shows off DBX SUV’s interior, reveals pricing
Its early November and Aston Martin is teasing us, as it always does, with the upcoming reveal of its DBX SUV. Soon to be revealed in full, the brand decided to show off just a couple of features that make its first SUV so unique.While the exterior of the DBX remains a secret, this newest head-on photo does show some details. The front fascia looks like it was borrowed from the gorgeous DB11, slightly elongated to fill out the SUVs large stance.A large panoramic sunroof is also visible.The interior has been kept less of a secret, with the teaser image showing the view out of the front window from the back seat. In the distance we can see the banked curves of the Brooklands racetrack, the place where Aston Martin set a few speed records in the 1920s. The luxurious materials covering the interior are on full display, and theres no doubt theyre of the highest quality.According to Aston Martin, six months of development were devoted specifically to the driving position, taking into account visibility above all else, to the controls and to the space around the vehicle.The driving position also allows the driver to see the hood, which should make the relatively large vehicle easier to maneuver. Aston also consulted with children to determine the optimal ingress and egress experience, using a model at its design studio.The 2020 Aston Martin DBX will debut officially on November 20, which is also when orders will be taken. In Canada, if youre interested in getting one, youll want to know the DBXs starting price is
Origin: Aston Martin shows off DBX SUV’s interior, reveals pricing
Aston Martin DBX: pricing confirmed from £158,000
The upcoming Aston Martin DBX SUV will go on sale in the UK from £158,000, with the first official images of the car’s interior now revealed. The car, which is Aston’s first high-riding model and will arrive with the same 4.0-litre, twin-turbocharged V8 as the DB11 supercar, is set to make its debut in Beijing on the 20th November. Order books will then open, with a $189,900 asking price in the USA and €193,500 in Germany. In the UK, pricing is set to include three years of servicing as standard. A single image was released to coincide with the pricing announcement, giving a first official look at the DBX interior, with copious amounts of leather seeking to embody the firm’s characteristic blend of comfort and opulence. Visible details include perforated leather seats, an expansive panoramic glass roof, and wood-finished interior door handles. It confirms spy photos previously seen in September, which showed Aston would continue to use Mercedes-sourced switchgear and technology combined with its own bespoke trim. Previously only a single image teasing the interior had been officially released, showing a portion of the car not clad in its now-familiar prototype camouflage and revealing that a chunky black plastic rear bumper will be available. Bootspace was then confirmed as well, with the DBX’s 632-litre rear loadspace giving it a significant practicality advantage over its Bentley Bentayga rival. The new range of accessories, available from the model’s launch, includes a number of separate options packs to suit the owner’s hobbies and pastimes. The Snow Pack, for example, contains a boot warmer, ski bag, roof-mounted ski rack and set of snow chains. The Pet Pack, meanwhile, brings a bumper protector, a portable washer and a cabin divider, while the more conventional Touring Pack comprises a tailored luggage set with first aid kit and under-seat locker. Additional packages include the Essentials Pack, Event Pack, Interior Protection Pack and Expression Pack. Aston Martin says it has “worked with its trusted brand partners to ensure that it is offering the best solutions to customers, whatever the usage, journey or destination”. Ahead of launch the DBX was papped without any disguise during what looks like a promotional shoot by Spanish site Autopista. As expected, the design has significantly moved on from the concept, with a front-end inspired by the DB11 and details such as a tail-lights that curve up and across the tailgate. Although the car in these images appears to be pink, the DBX in these photos is most likely red, and the effect is simply due to low quality photography. First orders for the high-riding Aston were taken at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance and it made its UK public dynamic debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in July. A video released on Twitter by Aston CEO Andy Palmer gives a very quick glimpse of the car’s front end without any camouflage. Aston Martin Lagonda’s most recent financial update revealed more details on the development timeline of the DBX, which is set to rival models such as the Bentley Bentayga Speed and Lamborghini Urus. Aston started building pre-production versions of the new model at its new St Athan plant earlier this year, ahead of it going on sale in the first half of 2020. The company said it remains on track to begin series production at St Athan in the second quarter of 2020, which suggests first customer deliveries will follow in the second half of next year. The new 90-acre factory in Wales, built on a former Ministry of Defence site, has been under development since 2016 and will be the sole production facility for the DBX. The electric models of the revived Lagonda brand will also be built there. Ahead of the machine’s official launch later this year, Aston Martin previously issued images of the DBX sporting a camouflage livery reflecting its new Welsh home. The machine is currently undergoing final testing using pre-production versions. A video published earlier in the year shows the DBX undergoing extreme weather testing in Sweden at Pirelli’s Flurheden proving ground, part of the two brands’ ongoing partnership. Speaking about that test, Aston Martin chief engineer Matt Becker said: “Testing these prototypes in cold climate conditions helps us to assess the car’s early dynamics and, crucially, ensure confidence-inspiring sure-footedness on low-grip surfaces. “This car propels Aston Martin into a new segment and our engineering team are enjoying the challenges of developing a quality luxury SUV experience through this robust testing schedule. Progress is on track and I am confident that we will deliver over and above what our customers would expect from an Aston Martin SUV.” The DBX is the first Aston Martin to go through a new dedicated test programme, to ensure it can produce the kind of dynamic on-road performance on which Aston has always made its name, allied to some credibility off
Origin: Aston Martin DBX: pricing confirmed from £158,000
New Aston Martin DBX: interior shown with bespoke luggage set
The new 90-acre factory in Wales, built on a former Ministry of Defence site, has been under development since 2016 and will be the sole production facility for the DBX. The electric models of the revived Lagonda brand will also be built there. Ahead of the machine’s official launch later this year, Aston Martin previously issued images of the DBX sporting a camouflage livery reflecting its new Welsh home. The machine is currently undergoing final testing using pre-production versions. A video published earlier in the year shows the DBX undergoing extreme weather testing in Sweden at Pirelli’s Flurheden proving ground, part of the two brands’ ongoing partnership. Speaking about that test, Aston Martin chief engineer Matt Becker said: “Testing these prototypes in cold climate conditions helps us to assess the car’s early dynamics and, crucially, ensure confidence-inspiring sure-footedness on low-grip surfaces. “This car propels Aston Martin into a new segment and our engineering team are enjoying the challenges of developing a quality luxury SUV experience through this robust testing schedule. Progress is on track and I am confident that we will deliver over and above what our customers would expect from an Aston Martin SUV.” The DBX is the first Aston Martin to go through a new dedicated test programme, to ensure it can produce the kind of dynamic on-road performance on which Aston has always made its name, allied to some credibility off road. Testing is also due to take place in the deserts of the Middle East, on German autobahns and at the Nürburgring. Unlike the concept, the production DBX will feature a more conventional five-door layout rather than the sleeker three-door design that was originally expected. The DBX is one of the most important models in Aston Martin’s history and the next phase of the company’s turnaround plan under boss Andy Palmer. While every Aston produced under Palmer to date as part of his ‘Second Century’ plan has been a replacement for an existing model (DB11, Vantage and DBS Superleggera), the DBX breaks new ground by having no direct predecessor. During its life cycle, the DBX will introduce hybrid technology to Aston and it will also play a key role in trying to attract female buyers to the Aston Martin brand. The DBX is built on an Aston Martin architecture that will be closely related to that set to underpin the Lagonda saloon and Lagonda SUV, which Aston also has in the pipeline. The new Lagondas will be built alongside the DBX in Wales, starting from 2021. However, whereas the Lagonda models will be electrically driven, the DBX will start life with petrol power before getting Mercedes-sourced hybrid technology early in the next decade. Aston Martin’s own V12 and Mercedes-AMG’s V8 engines will both find their way into the DBX, with Mercedes also donating the car’s electrical architecture. The DBX will compete against the likes of the Lamborghini Urus, Bentley Bentayga, Rolls-Royce Cullinan and upcoming Ferrari SUV. Given the broad appeal and rise in popularity of SUVs, the DBX is expected to quickly become Aston’s best-selling model. Sharp body creases and a pronounced shoulder line help reduce the overall visual bulk of what is the most high-sided Aston yet produced, while a new integrated grille design performs a similar role at the front of the car. It will also be the first all-new Aston Martin model launched after the company’s stock market flotation, after the firm returned to profitability last year. Since then the share price has plummeted, however, so it will be a crucial car to restore faith in the brand for investors. Palmer has underpinned that growth with his so-called ‘Second Century’ plan, which is formed of seven models being launched over seven years at the rate of one per year, each then on sale for a seven-year model cycle with various derivatives and special-edition versions launched within that. Hybrid powertrains to arrive later in DBX’s lifecycle Daimler will provide Aston’s hybrid technology and is also one of two routes for sourcing full-electric drivetrains, according to Palmer, with other external partners also being explored. Aston has sourced an 800V system for its first electric car, the limited-run RapidE due later this year, and Palmer said 800V and access to the latest chemistry is key to any future EV powertrain from the firm. Although hybrid versions of the DBX are a long way off, the car will be launched with a Mercedes-sourced 4.0-litre V8 and Aston’s own 5.2-litre V12 as core engine options. Palmer said that although he lists the DBX’s rivals as the Bentayga, Urus, Cullinan and upcoming Ferrari, each model performs a very different role in the super-luxury SUV segment. “Those minded towards a beauty of execution will move to Aston,” he said. First-time Aston customers are expected to be found in China and North America in particular for the DBX, but Palmer said plenty of
Origin: New Aston Martin DBX: interior shown with bespoke luggage set
James Bond to drive 4 different Aston Martins in new film
The upcoming No Time to Die is historic in that it marks the 25th James Bond film in the franchise. To mark the special occasion, no fewer than four Aston Martin vehicles will be used in the movie, the automaker announced on James Bond Day, October 5.Aston Martin has been synonymous with the film series ever since a DB5 was used as Bonds primary mode of transportation in Goldfinger, and, following a short stint or two where the spy piloted Lotus and BMW vehicles, has cemented itself as the brand of choice for the worlds suavest secret agent.The lineup breaks down like this: First, we have the one and only DB5. A staple of James Bond history, it needs no introduction, and neither does 007.As another nod to the past, No Time will feature a V8 Vantage like the one Timothy Dalton used in the 80s-era films.Past, present and future.To mark the 25th Bond film, #NoTimeToDie, four of our cars will be featured in the film.From the classic DB5 and V8 Vantage, to the new DBS Superleggera and Aston Martin Valhalla, there is something for every Bond fan.#JamesBondDay@007 pic.twitter.com/cmKvswriHo Aston Martin (@astonmartin) October 5, 2019A surprise addition to the film is the DBS Superleggera its role on-screen was announced October 5. (Wed already known about the other star cars.) Totally befitting of Bond, the gorgeous GT car is powered by a twin-turbo V-12, and has all the amenities of a comfy grand tourer.Finally there’s the Valhalla. Were not sure how Bond is going to get himself into a situation that requires a low-slung supercar, but as per our interview with CEO Andy Palmer, we understand the vehicle will also have a few tricks up its sleeve, as per 007 traditions. (That means gadgets!)How do you like the first images of a new @astonmartin Vantage Roadster, in engineering pre-production form, ahead of its launch in the coming months? pic.twitter.com/5Ccm6STvbQ Dr. Andy Palmer (@AndyatAston) October 7, 2019On top of the smorgasbord of Astons that Bond will drive, the brand itself revealed yet another car October 7, albeit one based off one of its already popular models. The Aston Martin Vantage Roadster will be revealed soon, Palmer tweeted out, with images of a prototype stylish drop-top that will surely blow your hair
Origin: James Bond to drive 4 different Aston Martins in new film
Aston Martin’s newest DBS GT Zagato lets you complete the set
Aston Martin DBS GT ZagatoHandout Aston Martin says this is the modern twin of the DB4 GT Zagato Continuation. I say its got 760 freaking horsepower. Ill leave it up to you to determine which of those statements is the more important descriptor of the new DBS GT Zagato.Said monstrous power comes from twice-turbocharging Astons 5.2-litre V12. Bespoke pieces like the machined 3D wheels and carbon fibre litter this latest DBS. Inside, theres Caithness Spicy Red leather dont ask me what Caithness is; I dont know plus Zagato seat quilting in the shape of a Z, and satin twill exposed carbon fibre. But the most interesting thing about this announcement is that both the DBS GT Zagato and the DB4 GT continuation be built alongside one another, despite the obvious difference in years. Both are part of Astons DBZ Centenary Collection and the Continuation is part of that run of 19 original DB4s being recreated that should be read handbuilt at Aston Martin Works. Its worth noting that modernity has intruded ever so slightly into the Continuation models; all the original 60-year-old patterns have been digitized, and thanks to modern metallurgy, the original inline-six has been punched out to 4.7 litres and a very modern 390 horsepower.All of the DB4 GT Zagato Continuation cars will be delivered by the end of
Origin: Aston Martin’s newest DBS GT Zagato lets you complete the set
New Aston Martin Vantage Roadster: first images released
Aston Martin has released the first images of a new Vantage Roadster, in engineering prototype form, ahead of an expected launch in the coming months. The hardtop coupé variant of Aston’s Porsche 911 rival has been on sale in its current form since 2018, following its unveiling at the 2017 Los Angeles motor show, spearheading the firm’s design reinvention as part of CEO Andy Palmer’s Second Century Plan. The prototype retains the low, wide stance of the standard model, with styling changes limited to the addition of a canvas folding soft top. The Vantage’s slim rear light bar and ducktail-style spoiler are retained, as are the model’s prominent front splitter and rear diffuser. With the unveiling of the new Vantage Roadster, Aston will offer a convertible variant of every model in its current line-up, except the four-door Rapide, which is now only on sale in performance-focused AMR form. It remains unclear whether the AMR variant of the Vantage, which features the only six-speed manual gearbox in the maker’s range, will be offered as a drop-top. No technical details of the new model have been revealed yet, but it’s expected to retain the same 503bhp 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 as the coupé, albeit with a fractional performance sacrifice due to the extra weight of the folding roof and the required structural bracing. The company has confirmed the model will be available globally in spring next year. As with the DB11 Volante, it can be expected to command an approximate eight percent premium over the standard model, suggesting a starting price of around £130,500. The launch will follow the high-profile revealing of the limited-run DBS GT Zagato, which joins the authentically recreated DB4 GT Zagato in Aston’s ultra exclusive DBZ Centenary
Origin: New Aston Martin Vantage Roadster: first images released
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