Aston Martin V12 Vantage Roadster Is an Open-Air Swan Song
Only 249 units will be built, and they're already spoken for.
Remember when we said the Aston Martin V12 Vantage will be the last of its kind? Well, it's technically sort-of the second-to-last of its kind, because Aston has also chosen to debut a convertible variant.
Aston Martin on Friday unveiled the V12 Vantage Roadster. Making its debut during Monterey Car Week, this super-convertible continues Aston Martin's sendoff of its V12 gas engine. Only 249 units will be built and they're already sold out.
This is the first Vantage Roadster to use Aston Martin's 5.2-liter, twin-turbocharged V12. Just like the coupe, the engine in the Roadster produces a meaty 690 horsepower and 555 pound-feet of torque, which is sent exclusively to the rear wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission and a mechanical limited-slip differential. It'll reach 60 mph in 3.5 seconds -- just a tenth off the coupe -- and will keep pushing until it reaches its top speed of 200 mph.
As with the coupe, the V12 Vantage Roadster looks the absolute business. Compared to the standard Vantage Roadster, the V12 model is wider, with additional adjustments to improve cooling and downforce. The V12 coupe's standard rear wing is only optional on the Roadster, but Aston Martin promises that "aerodynamic balance is maintained" without it. Inside, sport seats wrapped in quilted, perforated semi-aniline leather are standard.
A little extra sun never hurts.
Convertibles are a little heavier than their fixed-roof counterparts, but Aston Martin has gone to great lengths to shave precious pounds off the V12 Vantage Roadster. Standard carbon-ceramic brakes save 51 pounds of unsprung mass versus steel brakes. The front half of the body is more or less entirely carbon fiber, while the rear bumper and deck lid rely on composites. The stainless-steel exhaust system weighs nearly 16 pounds less than the standard Vantage Roadster's pipes. A lightweight battery shaves a few extra pounds, too. Lightweight wheels can be optioned to reduce the unsprung mass by another 18 pounds, and optional carbon fiber performance seats shed another 16.
Those few optional add-ons are only the beginning for owners. Aston Martin's Q division will turn the V12 Vantage Roadster into a properly bespoke affair, letting you customize the vehicle in all sorts of ways. You'll have to be one of the 249 lucky individuals who already put down cold, hard cash. If you are -- good for you, first of all -- production will kick off in the third quarter of this year, with deliveries expected to begin in the fourth quarter.