Elegance is a commodity prized by car designers. Often strived for, seldom achieved. But the DB11 Volante has a genuine style that sets the tone for the rest of the car.
It’s the first drop-top in Aston Martin’s new model line-up, and far from being a simple chop-the-roof-off-a-DB11-Coupe job, the Volante has undergone a thorough reworking and upgrade process to ensure it behaves like a big Aston GT should.
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First, the factor that defines the car: the roof. It’s a new eight-layer fabric hood that, according to Aston, is ‘class-leading’ in many ways. From its insulating properties to the devilishly low deck lid when it’s folded that caused Aston’s engineering and design teams more than a few headaches in the gestation phase, there’s more to the DB11 Volante than meets the eye. And what does meet the eye is very pleasant indeed, with clean lines and a very shallow roof giving the car a rakish look.
That’s helped by its long bonnet, under which sits a 503bhp 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 sourced from Mercedes-AMG. The Volante doesn’t get the option of the DB11 Coupe’s V12 and there are no plans for it to feature in the near future, either.
However, there are some more interesting engineering details under the skin. In taking the roof off a big GT like the DB11 you sacrifice some structural rigidity, but in a bid to claw some back Aston’s engineers have developed a new front cross member to stiffen up the suspension pick-up points and the top mounts, while a structural front under tray ties this all in.
The wall thickness of the aluminium sills has been beefed-up to provide reinforcement and increased resistance to twist, while the rear sub-frame that carries the suspension and differential features 45 per cent stiffer bushes to negate the removal of the roof, along with a rear cross member that mimics its front counterpart.
The result is a car that is 65 per cent as stiff as the DB11 V8, weighs 110kg more (identical to the V12) and steers even sweeter than the Coupe. This is one of the Volante’s strongest suits, but its intrinsic to the car and the philosophy Aston has applied.
You can trust it on turn-in and there’s enough in the way of communication with the front tyres to feel the grip and accurately place what is a big car with pretty poor visibility.
This extra bite and crisper front end don’t come at the expense of comfort though. Even in the softer GT mode it’s firm but not harsh, as it feels like there’s ample travel in the dampers and plenty of poise to soak up what the road throws at the chassis, with a nice balance between front and rear. This fluidity is rapidly becoming an Aston Martin trait.
There’s performance to match its GT credentials, too. The 0-62mph sprint takes 4.1 seconds (just one tenth shy of the V8 Coupe), while top speed stands at 187mph. But there’s more to the Volante than just raw numbers. With 675Nm of torque from 2,000 to 5,000rpm, owners are unlikely to ever yearn for more performance than this, while the exhaust note in the powertrain’s Sport+ mode amplifies the engine’s brawny character without ever becoming too intrusive.
In this setting the occasional pop on the overrun is well matched to the motor’s aggression and response. It pulls smoothly and there’s little lag with the boost building quickly to whisk you along on a wave of torque. The gearbox responds adequately to manual changes, while the freedom to select the sharper powertrain mode and the more supple chassis setting is welcome.
Combined, this all makes it more usable than you might imagine. With the roof down – which can be operated electrically from the key or on the move at up to 31mph, taking 14 seconds to open and 16 seconds to close – there’s not much buffeting or turbulence and it’s easy to hold a conversation. You notice a slight increase in the vibrations through the structure as the Volante’s composure is tested more vigorously, but the DB11 remains respectably composed and doesn’t get too wobbly with its top stowed.
There are a few other features Aston’s worked on to deliver this level of usability, too. Those two small rear seats have Isofix points and there is actually enough space for a child car seat. The boot (20% bigger than DB9 Volante, so around 224 litres) will also swallow two sets of golf clubs if you’re that way inclined, or a pair of carry-on cases.
Inside, there are new trim inlays for the rear of the seats, although there are some areas of questionable quality in a car costing as near as makes no difference to £160,000 – those air vents in particular.
The heavy rake of the windscreen and big mirrors also mean visibility is compromised in corners, while with the roof up you squint at what you’ve just passed through a tiny rear window that now sits flush with the hood. However, this is the price you pay for the looks, and they’re minor compromises in an otherwise impressive package.
- Model: Aston Martin DB11 Volante
- Price: £159,900
- Engine: 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 petrol
- Power/torque: 503bhp/675Nm
- Transmission: Eight-speed auto, rear-wheel drive
- 0-62mph: 4.1 seconds
- Top speed: 187mph
- Economy/CO2: 28.3mpg/230g/km
- On sale: Now
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