Aston Martin lifts the lid on 656bhp Vantage Roadster
Must have an epic heater
As surely as night follows day, a drop-top version of the Aston Martin Vantage sports car was always on the cards… and here it is. The much-expected Vantage Roadster offers the glorious mix of a two-seat, soft-top body with the capability of hitting 202mph flat out.
The new and fixed-roofed Vantage coupé arrived in the middle of 2024, and proved to be a sensation for keen drivers, though like a dangerous dog breed it has proved that it can bite if provoked.
Powered by the same 4-litre twin-turbo V8 as the coupé, the Vantage Roadster is likely to have the same eyes-on-stalks experience, though with added wind in the hair. It is the latest in a line that can be traced back 75 years to the first open-top Vantage, which was an engine upgrade pack on the DB2, a car which could be had as a regular coupé and also a convertible “drophead” coupé.
More recently, 2005 saw the introduction of the first Gaydon-built modern-era Aston which wore the V-word as its nameplate, rather than to signify that a Vantage was simply a higher-powered version of an existing model.
Packs a 656bhp punch
Aston claims the Vantage Roadster drives every bit as well as the coupé. It says this is possible because the soft-top was developed as a car in its own right in parallel with the fixed-roof Vantage, rather than the company’s engineers having to spin the Roadster off the existing model.
As well as the 153bhp increase in the V8 bi-turbo’s power, the front-engined, rear-wheel-drive Vantage Roadster has also had an extra 85lb ft added to the mix, which not only allows for the top speed beyond 200mph, but also a 0-62mph time of around 3.5 seconds.
The transmission employed is the same eight-speed automatic as the coupé, while the Roadster also benefits from the Bilstein DTX dampers of its sibling for the best blend of roadholding and ride comfort.
Brakes are carbon-ceramic, with the front discs measuring a huge 410mm, and Aston fits the convertible Vantage with Michelin Pilot Sport S 5 tyres, with what it says is a specific compound for this car.
Folding roof only adds 60kg
The good news for fans of open top motoring is that the new roof, along with the motors required to power it up and down, and the associated structural bracing Aston deems necessary to keep the Vantage Roadster as resistant to body flex as possible, only adds 60kg to the car’s kerb weight.
The actual roof itself is a “Z-fold” item, which Aston claims is beneficial in more than solely packaging terms, such as the fact the Vantage doesn’t need a tonneau cover, a Z-fold roof is lighter than a traditional “K-fold” soft-top, and it keeps the Roadster’s centre-of-gravity low.
Buyers will be able to raise and lower the hood at speeds of up to 31mph, Aston says, and the roof will perform its full balletic operation within just 6.8 seconds, so a sudden downpour means you only have to scrub off speed for a brief moment before getting back up to speed.
But while it has been designed to be light and easy to operate, the British carmaker claims it has made no concessions on refinement, and so the roof is crammed with eight levels of noise insulation to make the Vantage Roadster as quiet as the coupé when it’s travelling at speed.
In connection with this, the suspension on the Roadster has been retuned to compensate for the changes in mass and weight distribution.
Glorious looks, quality cabin
Beyond that, the new convertible has the same updated front-end styling that was adopted by the hardtop Vantage midway through last year, with a choice of new paint colours offered — Iridescent Sapphire, Satin Iridescent Sapphire and Bronze Flare.
To contrast this, the Aston’s roof can be specified in black, red, blue, or a mix of black and silver, while there are four designs of 21in alloy wheels available, plus seven colours for the brake callipers.
Inside, the Vantage Roadster benefits from the much-improved interior finishing of the 2024-on models, including the next-generation infotainment — first seen in the DB12 and developed in-house by Aston Martin — which is presented on a 10.25in touchscreen.
As standard, the car is fitted with a 390-watt, 11-speaker audio system, but a high-power Bowers & Wilkins set-up is an optional upgrade.
But of course, as with any Aston Martin (with its demanding clientele) the Vantage Roadster can be subject to the company’s near-limitless bespoke and customisation services, called Q.
The Roadster is available to order now, with first deliveries due to commence in the second quarter of this year. Even if you can avoid the regular options list and all of Aston’s Q possibilities, expect the Vantage Roadster to cost more than the £165,000 you’d need for a bone-stock coupé.
Related articles
- If you were interested in the new Aston Martin Vantage Roadster, you may want to read our review of the new Aston Martin Vanquish
- You might also like to read what Will Dron had to say about the DB12
- Also check out the Aston Martin Valiant, a 734bhp track-focused sports car developed for Fernando Alonso
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