After being spied numerous times in recent months, Aston Martin has finally taken the wraps of its Vanquish convertible with the debut of the 2014 Aston Martin Vanquish Volante. Based on the standard 2014 Aston Martin Vanquish, the new Volante replaces the old Aston Martin DBS Volante.
With the exception of the insane Aston Martin One-77, the 2014 Aston Martin Vanquish Volante sits atop of the Aston Martin line-up with its coupe sibling, and benefits from the advanced technical and engineering details found in the standard Aston Martin Vanquish. Consequently, the 2014 Aston Martin Vanquish Volante features the same AM11 6.0-liter V12 engine as well as the same performance figures, meaning it can sprint to 62mph in just 4.1 seconds before topping out at 183mph.
What’s more, the 2014 Aston Martin Vanquish Volante becomes the first carbon-fiber skinned Volante in Aston Martin’s 100-year history and is consequently the stiffest convertible Aston Martin produced for road-use. This engineering genius is showcased throughout the car such as its lightweight fabric roof taking just 14 seconds to fold.
From a visual standpoint, the 2014 Aston Martin Vanquish Volante is almost identical to the coupe with the exception of having a fixed permanent hard top. As a result, it features the same Aston Martin One-77 inspired LED rear light blades. Further separating the 2014 Aston Martin Vanquish from Volantes of the past is that it’s windscreen is now full height meaning it meets seamlessly with the fabric roof, a first for Aston Martin.
The previously mentioned 6.0-liter V12 engine produces an impressive 565hp in 2014 Aston Martin Vanquish Volante guise which arrives at 6,750rpm. Torque output peaks at 457lb-ft of torque at 5,500rpm and all this power is then sent to the rear wheels via a Touchtronic 2 six-speed automatic transmission. Complementing this potent powerplant is the fact that the new Vanquish Volante has a near-perfect 51:49 weight distribution.
From a braking standpoint, the 2014 Aston Martin Vanquish Volante includes third generation Brembo carbon ceramic matrix brakes designed specifically for short stopping distances while remaining resistant to fade. The front brake discs measure 398mm x 36mm while the rear discs measure 360mm x 32mm.
Compared to the Aston Martin DBS Volante, the 2014 Aston Martin Vanquish Volante is 14% torsionally stiffer and has a boot a full 50% larger than the DBS’.
When announcing the new 2014 Aston Martin Vanquish Volante, Aston Martin CEO Dr Ulrich Bez said, “This car is what luxury super GT driving is all about. Great performance, fantastic style and exhilarating Volante motoring in one superb package. Aston Martin is celebrating 100 years of excellence in 2013, and the arrival of this new sports car – our ultimate Volante – underlines that our mission to make the next 100 years even more successful is starting perfectly.”
