Aston Martin Vantage goes topless with new Roadster

ASTON MARTIN has ripped the top off its Vantage Coupe to create the Vantage Roadster, a 306km/h soft-top boasting what Aston Martin describes as the fastest operating automated roof in the world.

Due to hit Aussie showrooms in the third quarter of this year priced from $315,000 plus on-road costs, the Roadster carries a $15,050 premium over the Coupe ($299,950) with which it shares the same AMG-sourced, bi-turbo 4.0-litre V8 petrol engine and eight-speed ZF automatic transmission.

With the same 375kW/685Nm unit as the Coupe under the bonnet, the Roadster will do the 0-100kmh dash in 3.7 seconds (0.1s slower than the Coupe) due to the extra 60kg worth of roof mechanism and chassis reinforcements – Aston says the roof can be lowered in 6.7-seconds and raised in 6.8s at speeds of up to 50km/h.

Dynamic ability is also said to be on par with the hardtop thanks to engineers fitting the same adaptive damping, dynamic stability control, dynamic torque vectoring and electronic rear differential, albeit in a bespoke, Roadster specific tune.

As is usually the way with convertibles, boot space has been encroached on by the roof mechanism although Aston Martin has done a fine job to still offer 200 litres of cargo space – down from 350L in the Coupe.

Standard equipment includes leather and Alcantara sports seats with memory function, automatic temperature control with dual zone climate control, keyless entry and start, front and rear parking sensors, tyre pressure monitoring, alarm and immobiliser, heated rear screen, automatic steering column adjust and cruise control, side mirror tilt down when reversing, surround-view monitor, auto parking, blind spot detection and a wind deflector.

Tech-wise, the Roadster scores the Aston Martin Audio System as standard as well as an 8.0-inch LCD screen, iPod and iPhone integration with USB playback, DAB+ and AM/FM radio, A2DP Bluetooth audio and phone streaming and an integrated satellite navigation system.

According to Aston Martin president and chief executive officer Andy Palmer, driving with the roof down is the true definition of the sportscar experience.

“Open-top Aston Martins are always firm favourites with our customers, so it’s very exciting to introduce the Vantage Roadster,” he said.

“Vantage has always delivered the purest of thrills, but in Roadster form that adrenaline rush is set to go to the next level.”

Not satisfied with just launching a new model, Aston Martin has used the Roadster’s introduction to usher in a wealth of new options across the Vantage range to celebrate the 70^th anniversary of the iconic nameplate.

A new version of the marque’s famed ‘vain’ grille will be offered as an option on both the Roadster and Coupe as an alternative to the standard ‘hunter’ grille as well as a new range of alloy wheel designs in a choice of different finishes.

Perhaps the option of most significance to sportscar fans however is the revelation that Aston Martin will be offering the limited-edition Vantage AMR’s seven-speed manual transmission as an option in the standard Coupe – Roadster fans, as previously mentioned, have to settle for the ZF automatic.

So far this year ending January, Aston Martin has sold eight cars, accounting for 6.8 per cent of the $200,000+ sportscar market – a 100 per cent increase on the same time last year (four units).