2016 Aston Martin Vanquish Volante: Expensive Thrills
| Strong points |
|
|---|---|
| Weak points |
|
Today’s high-end performance luxury cars can’t just be pretty, insanely powerful or scandalously expensive. They must offer a unique purchase and ownership experience, one that will never make their owners question their investment, even if it’s pocket change for them. And in most cases, they have to act as a flashy status symbol.
Of course, these are all assumptions, since I’m not part of this upper-crust portion of society that can purchase cars like the 2016 Aston Martin Vanquish Volante, or rivals such as the Bentley Continental GT Speed Convertible, the Ferrari California T and the Mercedes-AMG S 65 Cabriolet. What makes the Aston so special?
- Also: Aston Martin Festival At ICAR: True Thoroughbreds
- Also: 2017 Aston Martin DB11: The Next Chapter
Well, for starters, it boasts a naturally-aspirated, 5.9-litre V12 engine that produces 568 horsepower and 465 lb.-ft. of torque. Don’t mind the “6.0” inscription on the top of the engine, it’s just Aston’s way of rounding off a displacement of 5935 cubic centimetres.
While engine downsizing and turbocharging is the new way of doing things, and the new Aston Martin DB11 is the English brand’s first contribution to the trend, prodding a free-breathing, twelve-cylinder, musical masterpiece such as this one is an experience that gets the adrenaline pumping in my veins every time. The Vanquish’s engine is managed by an eight-speed automatic transmission, called Touchtronic III, that includes wheel-mounted paddle shifters. It’s not the smoothest gearbox in supercar kingdom, but does its job nonetheless.
With the help of a launch control system, the rear-wheel drive 2016 Aston Martin Vanquish Volante blasts off with the ferocity of an animal hunting down its prey, accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h in four seconds flat. It can also claw its way up to a top speed of 317 km/h. The Vanquish coupe is even quicker, shaving two tenths on the 0-100 km/h dash and reaching a maximum velocity of 324 km/h.
The Volante also has the capability of circling around a racetrack without pulling a muscle, despite not being the sportiest car of the manufacturer’s lineup. The convertible’s curb weight of 4065 lbs. is nicely balanced at 51% front, 49% rear. Sure, it’s fast and sounds fantastic, but the Vanquish seems more comfortable as a Grand Touring car than a track beast. And that’s fine with me.
With a structure made from aluminum and carbon fibre, the 2016 Aston Martin Vanquish Volante is a technologically advanced automobile, something that couldn’t be said of their model lineup of 20 years ago. Having visited the company’s assembly plant in Gaydon, England, I can attest to the high levels of craftsmanship baked into this flagship model.
The Vanquish Coupe can sit two passengers, but the Volante has a back seat, so two more people can enjoy the ride under the sun. Truthfully, these two potential extra occupants might be all that interested is spending time back there, as there’s very little wiggle room. It’s better than walking or taking a crowded bus at five o’clock, though. The convertible top can be lowered in 14 seconds, and operates even when the car is moving at speeds below 50 km/h. The trunk’s volume of 276 litres can easily swallow that oh-so-important set of golf clubs, too.
The detailed stitching patterns on the leather seats look stunning and the interior materials are of extremely high quality. The driver instrument pod and the steering wheel design aren’t as striking, but tasteful nonetheless. The centre stack’s glossy black finish is equally elegant, and rotary dials for temperature and fan settings is always the most user-friendly type of control while driving. On the other hand, mashing the crystal-tipped keyfob into the top portion of the dash, and pushing it to start the engine, feels a little clunky, especially in a car of this price.
The 2016 Aston Martin Vanquish Volante is also equipped with the brand’s AMi III infotainment system that includes a rather small 6.5-inch screen that pivots into the dashboard when not used. However, it isn’t a touchscreen, so browsing through the system’s features requires a little more time and patience. There’s a 13-speaker, 1000-watt, Bang & Olufsen surround sound system on board too, but I preferred listening to the V12’s song than Justin Bieber.
Oh, there’s also the matter of fuel consumption, as if a typical prestige car buyer really cares. It’s bad, even if we’re leisurely strolling down the highway. Figure a combined average of at least 17 L/100 km if you drive it like it was designed to.
The Vanquish Volante also doesn’t come cheap, but again, it all depends on what you do for a living, legally or not. Be prepared to shell out at least $350,000 before customisation and sales taxes. That princely sum gets us an exclusive performance luxury convertible that’s downright sexy, terribly fast and which sounds absolutely phenomenal.
