2019-10-07 08:00
Aston Martin has revealed the first official images of the new Vantage Roadster. The latest open-top Aston will go toe-to-toe with the Porsche 911 Cabriolet and the Audi R8 Spyder when it’s released in spring 2020.
Ditching the coupe’s metal roof has altered the Vantage’s shape quite dramatically. Gone is the long, gentle slope of the rear screen towards the ducktail rear spoiler; in its place is a small fabric hood, which joins a flattened boot lid just ahead of the rear axle line.
The compact design allows the hood to fold away just behind the rear seats without any need to engineer a moveable tonneau cover. This should help to minimise any weight or practicality compromises relative to the coupe, while ensuring the operation of the roof should be quick, too. When lowered, gusts are reduced in the cabin courtesy of a glass wind deflector.
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While Aston Martin is yet to confirm any mechanical details, the Vantage Roadster is likely to remain mechanically similar to the coupe. That means power will come from a 4.0 twin-turbocharged V8 sourced from Mercedes-AMG - albeit tweaked to deliver a character unique to Aston Martin. In coupe form, power stands at 503bhp, and torque is rated at 685Nm.
Expect the roof mechanism and any extra chassis bracing to add to the coupe’s kerb weight, which in turn will mean that the soft top is unlikely to match the current car’s 3.7-second 0-62mph time. The coupe’s top speed is 195mph.
Drive is sent to the rear wheels via an eight speed automatic gearbox; whether the coupe’s optional seven-speed manual will also feature remains to be seen. An electric differential will help deploy the power to the road, while standard steel disc brakes and optional carbon ceramic items are likely to feature.
Like the coupe, the Roadster will be two-seat only. Expect little to change inside, with a dashboard lifted pretty much wholesale from the coupe.
The Vantage Roadster should carry a price premium over the coupe, which starts from £120,900.
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