It doesn’t have to be this way. While more and more sports car manufacturers are turning to electrified performance boosts, Aston Martin proves there’s another path—with the new Vantage, more tempting than ever as an open-top Roadster.
Nowadays, it seems you can’t launch a new sports car without some form of electric powertrain. Aston Martin begs to differ, and with its new Vantage Roadster, it gives not just fans of the brand a reason to cheer. The burly, compact roadster is gloriously old-school, a reminder of a time when cars were made to stir the soul. For €209,000, the shamelessly beautiful Brit grumbles and rumbles its way into your garage—and into your dreams. Hopefully, it won’t be the last of its kind.
Lamborghini, Ferrari, Maserati, Porsche—these storied brands now roll out new models that can run almost silently. It’s modern, it’s forward-thinking, and it’s inevitable. But it doesn’t thrill every car lover—especially those who already have a fleet of EVs and hybrids in their garages. Sometimes, one wants to escape, to crave a car as a sensual object and let it carry them away on winding roads. That’s exactly what Aston Martin delivers. Beyond its rich racing pedigree, Aston continues to win over admirers with its unique blend of performance, elegance and exclusivity—even among its most self-assured rivals.
The new Vantage is no different. Just like the Coupé, the Roadster captivates, roof up or down. It offers the familiar Aston recipe of AMG-sourced firepower, finely tuned chassis dynamics and a design that invites you to stare—whether or not the fabric roof is in place. With the top down, the 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 roars even more brazenly, pushing out an eye-watering 482 kW (665 PS) and 800 Nm of torque. That power translates to 0–100 km/h in just 3.6 seconds and a top speed north of 325 km/h. Not that it really matters; anyone needing that regularly should probably opt for the Coupé version, which weighs just 60 kg less.
But that doesn’t take away from the quality of the fabric roof, which is excellently insulated and opens or closes in just under seven seconds at speeds up to 50 km/h. Roof down and heading into the hills, the driver can enjoy every twist and turn, with the eight-speed automatic gearbox choosing its shifts with finesse depending on the drive mode. Massive 410 mm brakes up front do their job brilliantly, and although the steering is on the heavy side, it’s precise. A near-perfect 49:51 weight distribution and stiff chassis help this Roadster—admittedly no featherweight—handle like a slightly oversized go-kart through mountain passes. The electronic rear differential efficiently manages traction through tightening corners and encourages early acceleration onto the next section. Of course, this is where fuel consumption leaves the official 12.3-l/100 km figure behind.
There are a few shortcomings that detract from the otherwise brilliant package, even with the elegant leather interior. With this level of power, an all-wheel drive system would be a worthy addition—especially in colder months. The digital instruments don’t belong in a €200,000+ sports car; they look more like something from a small Asian hatchback. A proper, modern head-up display is missing—just like in its rival, the Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet. With the roof down, the central display is barely readable. An electric wind deflector? Not here. As for the gaps in the driver assistance tech, those are easier to forgive. The Vantage, especially in Roadster form, isn’t designed to be an everyday mile-muncher. Still, Aston Martin could do just a little more to future-proof this exceptional machine, so we can enjoy it for years to come.
