Aston Martin proudly unveils the Vanquish Volante, a groundbreaking convertible that redefines the boundaries of performance and luxury in the open-top category. This stunning vehicle is not just the fastest and most powerful series production Volante Aston Martin has ever created, but it also stands as the most potent front-engine production car available today, sharing this prestigious title with its coupe sibling. The Vanquish Volante uniquely marries exhilarating performance with a breathtakingly elegant and purposeful design, establishing itself at the very pinnacle of ultra-luxury, high-performance motoring. Celebrating 60 years of the iconic ‘Volante’ name, this new model is a testament to Aston Martin’s enduring legacy of open-top excellence.
At the heart of the Vanquish Volante lies Aston Martin’s revolutionary 5.2-litre twin-turbo V12 engine, unleashing an astonishing 835PS and 1000Nm of torque. This powerhouse propels the convertible to a class-leading top speed of 214mph, with 0-62mph acceleration achieved in a mere 3.4 seconds. The Vanquish Volante delivers the unadulterated thrill of the coupe, amplified by the visceral open-air driving experience.
Designed without compromise, the new Vanquish Volante offers the quintessential style and sensory engagement of a convertible, while overcoming traditional limitations in design and performance. Mirroring the beauty of the Vanquish Coupe, with only a minimal increase in weight, the Volante earns its flagship status through both its stunning aesthetics and exceptional engineering.
Image alt text: Front three-quarter view of the Aston Martin Vanquish Volante in vibrant red showcasing its assertive stance and signature grille.
The Vanquish Volante’s lineage traces back 60 years, with its predecessor being the rare 1965 Short Chassis Volante, a model that blended design cues from the DB5 convertible and the DB6 Volante. This historical model, of which only 37 were produced, established the benchmark for all subsequent Aston Martin Volantes, renowned for their beauty and exclusivity.
Aston Martin’s CEO, Adrian Hallmark, remarks, “For six decades, Aston Martin Volantes have embodied the essence of sophisticated, sporty, open-top driving. The Vanquish Volante, with its captivating design and formidable V12 engine producing unparalleled power for a front-engine production car, elevates this philosophy to unprecedented heights. Aston Martin is proud to honour our heritage while boldly advancing towards the future, as demonstrated by the Vanquish Volante’s exceptional performance.”
Engineering Excellence of the Vanquish Volante
The Vanquish Volante’s formidable performance is anchored by Aston Martin’s state-of-the-art twin-turbocharged 5.2-litre V12 engine. The journey of Aston Martin’s V12 began 25 years prior with the DB7 Vantage Volante, which debuted with a 426PS engine. Remarkably, in just a quarter of a century, Aston Martin has nearly doubled the V12’s power output to 835PS, with torque figures similarly surging from 543Nm to an impressive 1000Nm.
Image alt text: Close-up of the powerful Aston Martin Vanquish Volante’s 5.2-liter twin-turbo V12 engine, highlighting its advanced engineering and performance.
The latest V12 in the Vanquish achieves peak torque at a mere 2500rpm—half the engine speed of its predecessors—and sustains this 1000Nm plateau from 2500-5000rpm, culminating in a 214mph top speed. Despite this substantial power increase, the Vanquish Volante’s weight has increased by only 95kg. This meticulous engineering elevates the power-to-weight ratio from 313hp per tonne to 416hp per tonne, pushing performance into a new echelon.
Power is channeled to the rear wheels via an eight-speed ZF gearbox, positioned at the rear axle for optimal weight distribution. It includes the same rear E-differential (E-diff) as the Vanquish Coupe, capable of shifting from fully open to 100% locked in just 135 milliseconds. This E-diff, along with advanced Electronic Stability Programme (ESP) technology, significantly enhances dynamic performance, offering improved agility in corners and superior control during high-speed maneuvers. This system effectively sharpens the car’s responsiveness in tight corners and ensures stability in sweeping curves. The chassis system is designed to provide both supercar-level driving dynamics and the refined ride expected of a flagship Grand Tourer.
Simon Newton, Director of Vehicle Performance and Attributes, explains, “To ensure the Vanquish Volante matched the class-leading performance of the Coupe, our engineering teams developed both models concurrently. This approach allowed us to maintain the dynamic character of the Vanquish Coupe without any compromise in the convertible form. Structural enhancements and bespoke chassis tuning ensure the Vanquish Volante delivers headline-grabbing performance and capability, now with the added pleasure of open-top driving.”
The Vanquish Volante features a uniquely tuned suspension to accommodate its weight distribution, leveraging new Bilstein DTX dampers. These dampers offer exceptional wheel control across driving modes and create a more pronounced distinction between modes than previously achievable.
In GT mode, the Vanquish Volante delivers a smooth, effortless grand touring experience, while Sport and Sport+ modes offer progressively sharper responses and tighter body control. The advanced traction and stability control systems from the Coupe are retained, with a new ESP system designed for enhanced dynamic support and safety. This system utilizes intelligent controllers and algorithms to predict optimal grip and react to instabilities, offering pre-defined ESP modes (On, Track, Off, Wet) selectable from the center console.
Equipped with immense power, the Vanquish Volante features a standard carbon ceramic brake system, providing exceptional stopping power. These brakes are 27kg lighter than traditional iron discs, offering increased longevity and fade resistance, while also enabling torque vectoring for enhanced cornering stability. Aston Martin partnered with Pirelli to develop custom Pirelli P ZERO™ tires for both summer (P ZERO™ PZ4) and winter (P ZERO™ Winter 2) conditions, optimized for Vanquish’s performance demands.
Underpinning the dynamic systems is a bonded aluminium structure, enhanced for more engaging dynamics. Optimized underbody stiffening increases lateral stiffness by 75% compared to previous flagship convertibles, closely matching the Coupe’s structural integrity. Simultaneously designing both Coupe and Volante models addressed the challenge of creating a convertible with minimal weight gain, maximum torsional rigidity, and maintaining a timeless design whether the roof is up or down.
Exquisite Exterior and Interior Design
The Vanquish Volante retains the contemporary elegance of the Coupe, characterized by its muscular stance, broad proportions, and fluid lines. F1®-inspired thermos louvres on the sloping bonnet aid cooling, while the 80mm wheelbase extension accentuates its classic front-engine, cab-rearward aesthetic. The distinctive Kamm tail and the ‘Shield’ design at the rear complete its iconic silhouette.
Image alt text: Rear view of the Aston Martin Vanquish Volante showcasing its sculpted tail lights, quad exhaust pipes, and elegant rear spoiler.
The lightweight K-fold roof opens in 14 seconds and closes in 16 seconds, operable up to 31mph (50km/h) via a center console switch or remotely from the key fob within a two-meter radius. Remarkably, it offers thermal insulation comparable to the Coupe. With a class-leading stack height of just 260mm when retracted, the acoustically enhanced fabric roof stows seamlessly beneath the tonneau cover, preserving the car’s flowing lines.
Mirroring the Coupe, the Vanquish Volante features a redesigned front bumper, fender, and grille for a more assertive presence. The traditional vaned grille’s surface area is increased by 13% for enhanced engine cooling. New outer bumper vents channel air to cool the front wheel arches and brakes. Matrix LED headlights with integrated Daytime Running Lights (DRLs) and intricate details, including the Aston Martin wordmark and a red ‘V12’ side strake motif, enhance the lighting signature. Sleek frameless door mirrors and electronically deployable flush-fit door handles maintain the smooth profile.
Marek Reichman, Executive Vice President and Chief Creative Officer, notes, “Creating a flagship Volante is a rare privilege. Maintaining Aston Martin’s core DNA was crucial, necessitating concurrent development with the Coupe to ensure exceptional proportions and drama. The Vanquish Volante embodies this, exceeding expectations and capturing the performance and purpose of a flagship model. Its visceral design, noble beauty, and road presence are uncompromised by the elegant roof system packaging. The collaboration between design and engineering teams has truly delivered the crown jewel of our core model portfolio.”
The Vanquish Volante features a newly developed stainless steel exhaust system with a unique geometry and quad tailpipe layout. With the roof down, occupants enjoy an amplified V12 sound experience. An optional Titanium exhaust system further enhances the aural experience with a louder, clearer V12 sound and a 10.5kg weight reduction.
Inside, the Vanquish Volante’s 2-seat configuration emphasizes precision craftsmanship and delivers an unmatched sensory experience. It incorporates the interior architecture of next-generation Aston Martin models, featuring a lowered center console for a spacious feel, enhanced by the open-air experience. The interior balances modern touch screen technology with tactile physical switchgear, retaining an ultra-luxury feel and intuitive controls. A 10.25” TFT driver display and a 10.25” Pure Black touchscreen system offer seamless connectivity and control.
Image alt text: Luxurious interior of the Aston Martin Vanquish Volante showcasing premium leather seats, carbon fiber accents, and state-of-the-art digital displays.
The Vanquish Volante is equipped with a 15-speaker Bowers & Wilkins double amplified surround sound system, expertly tuned for the convertible. A machine-knurled rotary dial surrounds the illuminated Stop/Start button, alongside physical switches for essential controls. A new roof operation switch and a shortcut button for ADAS controls are added for convenience. Sports Plus Seats are standard, with carbon fibre Performance Seats optional. The cabin design prioritizes driver and passenger comfort, with a low center console and scalloped door panels optimizing space. The rear cabin is equally luxurious, featuring sculpted cross brace and dedicated storage for bespoke saddle leather luggage sets. Extensive customization options are available, with Q by Aston Martin offering bespoke tailoring to create truly unique vehicles.
The sensational Vanquish Volante is available to order now in limited numbers, with first deliveries in Q3 2025.
Six Decades of Aston Martin Volantes
The Vanquish Volante represents the pinnacle of a 60-year Volante lineage, starting with the 1965 Short Chassis Volante. The Volante name has been consistently used since, with notable examples including HM King Charles III’s DB6 MkII Vantage Volante and James Bond’s V8 Volante in ‘The Living Daylights’. Today, the Volante name graces both the DB12 and Vanquish Volante, symbolizing Aston Martin’s enduring commitment to open-top luxury and performance.
