Aston Martin Vanquish Volante: How the convertible with the world's most powerful front-wheel drive V12 performs

TARRAGONA – Elegant and powerful lines, a long and sleek front with the characteristic front grille and LED headlights, wide tracks and a muscle car-like rear end, luxurious and refined interiors in leather, Alcantara and carbon fiber with two dry seats, a canvas top that opens in 14 seconds even with the remote control and under the hood a 5.2-liter twin-turbo V12 capable of delivering 835 horsepower and 1000 Nm of torque: this is the new Aston Martin Vanquish Volante, the most powerful front-engine convertible in the world that we tested on the perfect, silent and semi-desert roads on the edge of the Monsant Natural Park, north of Tarragona, inland Catalonia, a couple of hours west of Barcelona, a land of forests, hills, vineyards and sanctuaries.

The new model follows in the footsteps of its coupé sibling, though it was designed in parallel to avoid structural compromises. It further strengthens the Gaydon-based manufacturer's product offensive, which, under the direction of Lawrence Stroll, aims to play an increasingly prominent role in the world of luxury supercars.

Once you open the door and climb aboard the Vanquish Volante, you immediately enter a 007 dimension. The cabin is sophisticated and welcoming, with endless customization options: it's easy to find the perfect driving position thanks to the myriad electronic adjustments, with the seat controls located, as usual, on the sides of the center console. The Sport Plus seats are comfortable and enveloping, the steering wheel has a sporty grip with the main controls on the spokes, while the dashboard and infotainment displays, clear and precise, are compact at 10.25 inches, so as not to distract from the pleasure of driving. This same philosophy inspired the return to many aeronautical-style physical buttons, such as the automatic gear lever.

Once the soft top is opened using the dedicated button or the remote control and the Vanquish Volante is started using the large round button in the center of the dashboard, all hell breaks loose from the twin-turbo V12. Thanks to the four steel or titanium exhaust pipes, two on each side, it delivers a powerful sound, especially in Sport+ mode. The first few kilometers flow smoothly, between well-paved hairpin bends and long stretches of apparently flat road, perfect for savoring the GT mode's calibration, designed for relaxed driving without sacrificing engagement and probably the most suitable for this type of car. Curves flow one after the other with speed and precision. The carbon-ceramic brakes, 410 mm at the front and 360 mm at the rear, are powerful and durable, and even when pushing the pace, the car remains stable and easy to drive, without annoying turbulence in the cabin.

By selecting Sport and Sport+ modes (there are also Wet and Individual modes), the suspension stiffens and the engine response becomes even more responsive, if possible, with remarkable acceleration on short straights and neutral, stable handling through curves and hairpins, thanks in part to the excellent aluminum chassis and Bilstein DTX adaptive suspension. Acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h takes 3.4 seconds, while the claimed top speed is 345 km/h. The only drawback is the eight-speed ZF gearbox, which isn't particularly quick, especially in sportier sections. However, Aston Martin engineers have emphasized that this was a deliberate choice to enhance the Vanquish Volante's Gran Turismo character with smooth, progressive operation, rather than aggressive, like the DB12's gearbox.

After a stop at the Santuario Virgen de la Fuente, just outside Tarragona, the return journey to the Terra Dominicata base follows a different but equally engaging route, where we appreciated the excellent balance (49:51 weight distribution) and precise steering. The custom-designed Pirelli P Zero tires work discreetly on the 21-inch wheels, ensuring traction and silence even on rough surfaces, leaving room for either the engine sound or the audio from the 15-speaker Bowers & Wilkins stereo.

In the age of electrification, the Vanquish Volante is a kind of anti-establishment statement. It's also a celebration of the 60th anniversary of the first Volante, the 1965 Short Chassis. Only 37 examples were produced. This one, however, will be built in fewer than 1,000 units per year, to keep the promise of exclusivity. A promise also guaranteed by the price tag, which approaches €430,000 (€427,512 to be precise), net of all the customization options available through the Q by Aston Martin department.