Aston Martin, makers of some of the most beautiful cars ever and the only make of car fictional character James Bond ever seems to drive, has just released the drop-top version of their Vantage priced from £126,950 (AU$244,508)
“Open-top Aston Martins are always firm favourites with our customers, so it’s very exciting to introduce the Vantage Roadster. For many, driving with the roof down is the true definition of the sports car experience as it truly brings your senses to life. Vantage has always delivered the purest of thrills, but in Roadster form that adrenaline rush is set to go to the next level” said Aston Martin President and Chief Executive Officer, Dr Andy Palmer.
The company hopes this Porsche 911 Cabriolet rival would turn around the company’s fortunes along with their DBX SUV. And just like their first-ever SUV and the Coupe, the Roadster will be powered by the same M177 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine sourced from Mercedes-AMG.
The wet sump block churns out 385kW and 685Nm. Power is then sent to the rear wheels via an 8-speed ZF automatic transmission. The Roadster will sprint to 100 km/h from rest in 3.7 seconds and will hit a top speed of 305 km/h. It also gets specifically tuned chassis modes and the same differential as the Coupe which includes new rear dampers, revised adaptive damping software and a new ESP calibration.
The Roadster will feature a fabric roof rather than a retractable hardtop like a BMW 4-Series or Mazda Miata RF. Furthermore, Aston Martin goes on to claim that the roof on the Vantage Roadster has the fastest operating hood in the automotive world thus far. The Z-fold fabric roof can be lowered in just 6.7 seconds and can be operated at speeds of up to 50 km/h.
The Vantage Roadster loses 150 litres of boot capacity when compared to the hard-top version. However, Aston Martin says it has 200 litres out back – which is enough to stow a full-sized golf bag – thanks to the roof’s compact design.
Matt Becker, Aston Martin Chief Engineer, adds: “Convertible sports cars are often seen as compromised when compared to their Coupe equivalents, but the Vantage Roadster remains absolutely dedicated true to its mission of delivering precise, agile and expressive handling dynamics combined with stonking straight-line performance. And of course, there’s the added dimension of driving a great-sounding sports car with the roof down”.
The V8-powered Roadster will arrive on Australian shores during the third quarter of 2020.
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