Drop-top DBS Superleggera hits Australia

INITIAL deliveries of the Aston Martin DBS Superleggera Volante – a convertible version of the carbon-fibre V12 flagship – have arrived in Australia, priced from a cool $559,000 before on-road costs and options.

Commanding a $42,000 premium over the coupe equivalent that promptly sold out and formed 10-month Australian waiting list when it was announced in June 2018, the verbosely named Volante is the British brand’s fastest drop-top yet, capable of wind-in-the-hair motoring at 340km/h.

To put this in perspective, a category five cyclone is characterised by gusts of more than 280km/h.

Aston Martin Australia and New Zealand regional manager Kevin Wall described driving the drop-top Superleggera as “sensory overload”.

“We are thrilled to welcome the new open-top DBS Superleggera into our showrooms, allowing clients to take the wheel and experience the model’s spectacular performance combined with the sensory overload it delivers inside the cabin,” he said.

Depending on whether they are in the mood for such a barrage, Superleggera Volante customers can deploy the fabric roof – containing eight layers of thermal and acoustic insulation – that takes 14 seconds to open or 16 seconds to close.

Aston Martin claims this special roof construction gives the Superleggera Volante “beautiful formed flowing roof line”. Also unique to the convertible 2+2 is an optional carbon-fibre windscreen surround.

The Superleggera Volante is also said to be capable of producing 177kg of downforce at V-max – 3kg down on the coupe – courtesy of tweaks to the front bumper, rear spoiler, deeper side strakes and a double rear diffuser that also enhance stability.

Just as well, for the 5.2-litre twin-turbo V12 delivers 533kW and 900Nm to the 21-inch rear alloy wheels – dressed in Pirelli P Zero tyres – via an eight-speed ZF automatic transmission.

This firepower blasts the Superleggera Volante from standstill to 100km/h in 3.6 seconds, which is 0.2 slower than the coupe due to the drophead’s extra 170kg of mass. Slowing back down again is at the service of ventilated carbon-ceramic discs measuring 410mm at the front and 360mm at the rear, fed by cooling air as a by-product of the Volante’s aerodynamic package.

Contributing to the sensory overload mooted by Mr Wall is a quad exhaust system that Aston Martin says “delivers a pure, harmonic and authentic voice, unmatched by its rivals”.

Rivals for the DBS Superleggera Volante are few and far between, although the Mercedes-Benz S65 Cabriolet and Bentley Continental GTC are both 12-cylinder luxury drop-tops costing in the region of half a million dollars.

“As summer commences, it’s now a perfect time to truly experience the convertible’s outstanding features on local roads,” said Mr Wall.

“DBS Superleggera Coupe has garnered strong interest locally, and we are looking forward to continuing that momentum with the Volante, which has been highly anticipated across the region.”

An extra-special DBS Superleggera coupe was announced in May this year to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the James Bond film On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.

Priced from $661,007 plus on-road costs, the Bond-inspired limited edition is inspired by the original 1969 DBS as driven by Australian actor George Lazenby in his one-time role as the secret agent.