Aston Martin has announced that a cabriolet version of its DB12 grand tourer is coming to the UK, with the first orders arriving by the end of 2023.
Like the DB12 coupé, the Volante is more of an evolution of its predecessor, rather than an all-new luxury convertible. It is built on the same foundations as the DB11 Volante, and is powered by the same mid-mounted twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 engine which is supplied by Mercedes-AMG. This engine is paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission.
This cabriolet variant of the new DB12 comes with stiffer suspension and extra chassis bracing, as well as the soft-top roof mechanism carried over from the DB11 Volante, which can open in 14 seconds and close in 16 seconds.
These alterations add 111kg of additional weight, but the convertible can still complete a 0-62mph sprint in a reported 3.7 seconds – a tenth of a second slower than the coupé version. Top speed is capped at 202mph.
Inside, the Volante is piratically identical to the DB12 coupé, apart from the option of wood-veneer seatbacks which Aston Martin says adds “an extra layer of visual interest” with the roof down.
The dashboard features a ten-inch infotainment system that Aston Martin has built in-house, which is compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and will receive over-the-air updates after arrival. An 11-speaker audio system comes as standard, but a 15-speaker Bowers & Wilkins system will also be available on the options list.
The Alcantara leather-wrapped upholstery comes with a new quilting pattern, and five pre-defined drive modes can be selected using controls on the centre console, each varying the car’s amount of grip and traction so that the customer can find their ideal preference.
Safety assistance technology includes adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assistance and traffic sign recognition. The slimmer door mirrors come with blind spot monitoring technology, and a 360-degree parking camera is also included.
Aston Martin says that the DB12 Volante will soon enter production, with the first customer orders set to arrive before the end of the year.
