Aston Martin rips top off DBS Superleggera

ASTON Martin has expanded its gorgeous DBS Superleggera range to include a soft-top Volante body style, which is set to touch down in Australia in the fourth quarter of this year.

Local pricing is yet to be confirmed, but fans can expect to fork out more than the $517,000 plus on-roads Aston Martin asks for the Superleggera coupe.

Obviously, the defining factor of the Volante is its fabric soft-top roof, which incorporates eight layers of insulation and acoustic enhancement materials, and adds 170kg of weight over the coupe to tip the scales at 1863kg dry.

Operation of the roof takes 14 seconds to open and 16 seconds to close, and has been put through over 100,000 cycles of opening testing in extreme hot and cold-weather environments. Opening the soft roof can be done on the key fob when within a two-metre radius of the car.

The Volante shares the same beating heart as the hard-top, namely a 5.2-litre twin-turbo V12 pumping out 533kW at 6500rpm and 900Nm from 1800-5000rpm, driving the rear wheels via an eight-speed ZF automatic transmission.

Acceleration from standstill to 100km/h takes just 3.6 seconds – 0.2 slower than the coupe – while top speed is level with the hard-top at an eye-watering 340km/h.

When at top speed, the Superleggera Volante is capable of producing 177kg of downforce – just 3kg less than the coupe – thanks to enhancements such as an enhanced front splitter and airdam, deeper side strakes, double rear diffuser and a revised version of the Aeroblade II rear bootlid spoiler.

Aston engineers have worked to give the V12 mill a sonorous engine note, which can be dialled up or down with the drive mode select, while owners can become popular with neighbours thanks to a programmable ‘quiet start’ mode that backs off the revs on start-up.

The Superleggera’s striking styling is complemented with silver 21-inch alloy wheels wrapped in Pirelli P Zero rubber, while stopping power comes courtesy of ventilated carbon-ceramic discs measuring 410mm up front and 360mm at the rear.

To give customers the chance to make their Superleggera Volante unique, Aston Martin is offering eight different colours for the car’s hood including Bordeaux Red, Atlantic Blue and Titan Grey, while six different headliner colours are available for the 2+2 roadster.

For the first time in a convertible Aston, the windshield’s surround is available with a 2x2 twill carbon-fibre finish, which can also be optioned in other areas of the car.

Aston Martin Lagonda president and CEO Andy Palmer said the DBS Superleggera Volante provided an addicting experience for the driver’s senses.

“There is nothing on earth that compares to the roar of an Aston Martin V12, and I believe that the DBS Superleggera Volante provides one of the greatest sensory experiences in the automotive world,” he said.

“This is truly a testament to the no compromise approach of our engineers and designers, to deliver the two key aspects of a convertible Super GT.”

More information including local pricing will be revealed closer to the Volante’s launch in the fourth quarter.