Aston Martin's alfresco Vantage Roadster debuts
The Aston Martin Vantage may have lost its V12 engine, but it is still a handsome and massively powerful sports car that offers a distinctive take on the high-performance car segment.
The coupe variant, for example, is a job well done, and building on its success, the Gaydon-based manufacturer has now revealed the formidable sports car's roadster variant, which seeks to combine open-air thrills with impressive driving dynamics.
To begin with, the Vantage Roadster is everything that the coupe is but without a fixed roof, of course. That said, you still get the same 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbo engine sourced from the folks at Mercedes-AMG with 489kW and 800Nm of torque channelled to the rear wheels via an 8-speed automatic transmission.
While convertibles are generally heavier than their coupe counterparts due to the extra structural reinforcement to compensate for the missing roof, the Vantage Roadster remains impressively quick off the line. As the press release suggests, it dashes off the mark to 100km/h in 3.6 seconds before hitting its limiter at 325km/h, the same as the coupe. Now that’s rapid.
As for stopping power, it comes with carbon ceramic brake discs that measure 410mm at the front, clamped by 6-piston monoblock callipers. It rides on a set of Michelin Pilot Sport S 5 tyres for added grip.
Speaking of the electronically operated roof, its operation is a standout feature. It can be opened and closed in just 6.8 seconds at speeds of up to 50km/h. For comparison, the roof of the Mercedes-Benz CLE Cabriolet, which we drove in late 2024, takes 20 seconds to complete the same task at speeds of up to 60 km/h. Aston Martin also emphasises that the roof only adds 60kg to the overall weight of the car.
As a reminder, the Vantage Roadster’s interior is fitted with a fully integrated multi-screen system that consists of a 10.25-inch touchscreen and a digital instrument cluster. As standard, it comes with a 390-watt, 11-speaker audio system that can be upgraded to a Bowers & Wilkins system at an extra charge.
Aston Martin says deliveries of the Vantage Roadster are expected to start in the second quarter of the year. As for the pricing, expect to pay a premium over the coupe’s already staggering R4,949,999 price tag. Then again, exclusivity, quality design, and that open-top thrill aren’t exactly things you can put a discount tag on, are they?
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