New Aston Martin Vantage Roadster is Rakish Droptop with Staggering Specs
Aston Martin celebrates 70 years with droptop roaring with twin-turbo V8 and world’s fastest Z-fold roof.
Aston Martin has always had an interesting (if not manifold) identity in the automotive community. On one hand, they are seen as the apex of British luxury rides; sophisticated, graceful, posh…they’re James Bond. However, their sports cars evoke a passionate, thrilling, red-hot, breakneck side. Again, they’re James Bond. But with the release of the 2021 Vantage Roadster, Aston Martin delivers an utter knockout. It is a perfect fusion of the two, with both the looks and license to kill.
Celebrating their 70th Anniversary, the Vantage nameplate decided to throw a rager by adding the the Roadster droptop, and dropping the “Volante” name. It also has the fastest folding automatic convertible system of any droptop on the market. The Z-fold mechanism lowers the dashing fabric hood in 6.7 seconds, raises it in 6.8 seconds (at speeds of up to 31 mph).
Powered by the same twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 as the coupe, the Aston Martin Vantage Roadster produces 503 horsepower and 505 lb.-feet of torque. Handled nicely by an eight-speed ZF automatic transmission that goes to the rear wheels, the Vantage Roadster hits 60 mph in just 3.7 seconds, with top speeds of 190 mph with roof down. Plus, the manual 7-speed transmission is an available option on the coupe!
Clearly, this car was not engineered to just be a gorgeous car that tears up the straight-line. The Vantage convertible was built for performance.
“Convertible sports cars are often seen as compromised when compared to their Coupe equivalents,” says Matt Becker, Aston Martin Chief Engineer. “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”.
Adding to the performance and capability, the Vantage Roadster has a choice of Sport, Sport + and Track chassis modes. With this powertrain, suspension, and design, this baby will be turning heads on the road and on the track.
As for the interior…what can we say? It is a lush, luxe two-seater with supple leather, classic style, and all the tech you want. As always, Aston Martin nails the balance of tech and UX with their classic marque’s timeless aesthetic.
Aston Martin added their iconic ‘vane’ grille as an option for both both coupe and roadster. We love that the company chose this sharp blue for the debut. It really emphasizes the polished, sharp, vibrant Roadster.
“Open-top Aston Martins are always firm favorites with our customers, so it’s very exciting to introduce the Vantage Roadster,” Aston Martin President and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Andy Palmer, said. “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”.
Level achieved. The 2021 Aston Martin Vantage Roadster will start rolling out in Europe during the spring; while the U.S. can expect it just in time for the summer delivery.
Photos: Aston Martin
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