Aston Martin’s Vanquish Volante Is The World’s Fastest Front Engine Convertible
The 214-mph droptop is Aston’s fastest and most powerful ever.
The Aston Martin Vanquish is shedding its top and taking a couple of accolades in the process. The new Vanquish Volante, the convertible based on the third-generation Vanquish that debuted in the fall of 2024, is “the world’s fastest, most powerful front-engine convertible,” according to Aston Martin. That means a helluva lot to anyone who’s searching for a droptop that can be comfortably driven long-distance, something that’s generally not possible in most topless mid-engine hypercars.
Just as the Vanquish coupe now reigns as Aston’s fastest ever grand tourer, the Vanquish Volante is the British marque’s fastest production convertible, with an identical 214-mph top speed. It shares its hard-topped sister’s 824-horsepower 5.2-liter V12, marking a huge output uptick over the 595 hp delivered by the previous-gen Vanquish, which was produced from 2012 to 2018.
Those horses are pushed through a ZF eight-speed automatic, but for the first time, that transmission is paired with an electronic limited-slip differential, as opposed to a mechanical limited-slip differential. In theory, the e-diff will work with the Aston’s computer to make power delivery adjustments in milliseconds, thereby greatly improving agility when cornering. And in a straight line, the Volante will hit 60 mph in 3.4 seconds, compared to the coupe’s 3.2-second sprint to the same speed.
For the right customer, two-tenths might be a fair tradeoff for open-air thrills, which can be had at the push of a button that retracts the soft top in 14 seconds. In the event of rain or other unfavorable conditions, the top can be closed in 16 seconds at speeds of up to 31 mph. As Car and Driver points out, the interiors of both Vanquishes are nearly identical, with a two-seat setup, physical controls for all core driver functions, a pair of 10.3-inch digital displays for infotainment and gauge clusters, and a standard 15-speaker Bowers & Wilkins sound system.
C&D expects a $500,000-ish price tag and reports that while orders are open for the convertible, Aston Martin previously said it would keep Vanquish production below 1,000 cars per year, with the first examples due out in the second half of 2025.