Two years after Aston Martin gave us a sleeker, more refined Vantage Coupé, the British marque has unveiled the convertible version of its much-beloved speedster. The Vantage Roadster, as it is officially known, is a two-seater that is nearly identical to its Coupé older sibling, in terms of performance, handling and styling. However, there are a few new extras that reveal themselves upon closer inspection.
Matt Becker, Aston Martin Chief Engineer, said: “Convertible sports cars are often seen as compromised when compared to their Coupé 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 Roadster is powered by the same Mercedes-AMG-sourced Aston Martin 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 engine as the Coupé. On the Roadster, it has a maximum power output of 503BHP at 6000rpm, with a maximum torque of 685NM between 2,000 and 5,000rpm. In the real world, this translates to a 0-to-100 kmph acceleration in 3.8 seconds, and a top speed of 306kmph with the roof raised.
While the engine is front mid-mounted, the power is delivered to the rear-wheel, as in the Coupé. The engine is coupled with an 8-speed ZF automatic transmission, which is rear mid-mounted for better weight distribution. It has an alloy torque tube with carbon fibre propeller shaft and an Electronic Differential on the rear axle to manage the flow of the power to the rear wheel. Exhausts flow through a fully catalysed, electronically controllable, stainless-steel exhaust system.
The Roadster weighs just 60kg more than the Coupé thanks to a new, lighter Z-fold roof mechanism and optimised exterior and chassis revisions throughout the car. Structural shear panels and chassis components have been designed to ensure the Roadster retains the performance and handling characteristics experienced on the Coupé. While it has the same Adaptive Damping, Dynamic Stability Control and Dynamic Torque Vectoring as the Coupé, the Roadster benefits from specific dynamic refinements. These include a bespoke tune for the rear dampers, Adaptive Damping System software and ESP calibration.
The Coupé comes with a choice of Sport, Sport+ and Track chassis modes – tuned specifically for the Roadster. These three are optimised to work in conjunction with the corresponding Sport, Sport+ and Track powertrain modes. This synchronising offers incremental increases in the car’s overall responsiveness. This means the Roadster offers a broad breadth of ability, either on the road or the racetrack.
The folding fabric roof is tautly tailored and is operated by a compact, electric-powered Z-fold mechanism that delivers the fastest full operating cycle of any automatic automotive convertible system. It can lower the roof in just 6.7 seconds or raise it in 6.8 seconds at speeds of up to 50kmph. It also boasts an impressively low stack height, which enabled the designers to create a seamless rear profile with minimal impact on the Roadster’s luggage space. It has a boot capacity of 200-litres, enough to store a full-sized golf bag and accessories.
The Roadster debuts a range of new options that are being rolled out across the Vantage range. To celebrate the 70th Anniversary of the Vantage nameplate, Aston Martin is introducing the ‘vane’ grille as an option, available on both Coupé and Roadster as an alternative to the track-inspired ‘hunter’ grille featured on the Coupé during its launch in 2018. There is also a new range of optional alloy wheel designs in a choice of finishes. For enthusiasts, the brand now offers a manual seven-speed transmission as an option on the Coupé. This was, until now, only available in the limited-edition Vantage AMR.
As with all Aston Martins, the Vantage Roadster comes with a seemingly endless array of customization options, from the set-packs such as Sports Plus, Exterior Black, Tech and Comfort Pack, or all-out bespoke customization with the brands Q division. Some stand-alone options include 16-way seat adjust, ventilated seats, leather steering wheel in combination with twill gloss carbon fibre or pure Alcantara, Q exterior graphics pack and many more.
“Vantage has always delivered the purest of thrills, but in Roadster form, that adrenaline rush is set to go to the next level.” – Dr Andy Palmer, President and CEO, Aston Martin
“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,” he added.
