2014 Aston Martin Vanquish Volante Price About price of $297,995

makers of luxurious GT cars make a killing selling convertibles, so Aston’s revealing the 2014 Aston Martin Vanquish Volante is somewhat of a no-brainer. Aston Martin will produce a droptop version of its flagship grand tourer. With the introduction of the new, DBS-replacing Vanquish last year, it was only a matter of time

Visually, the 2014 Aston Martin Vanguish Volante is virtually identical to the hardtop Vanquish in nearly every way save for its rear deck and roof structure. As we pointed out after seeing spy photos of the Volante, the transition from coupe to droptop brought with it proportions that have gone slightly awry. Similarly, the production car suffers from an odd combination of long hood and long rear deck (as opposed to the more classic long-hood and short-deck treatment). On the Vanquish coupe, the aggressively raked roofline masks its elongated-looking wheelbase and balances out its profile. The roofless Volante, on the other hand, exposes its passenger compartment as being nearly entirely contained between the front and rear axles. The helmet-like cloth top doesn’t improve things much when raised, either.

That top, by the way, is a triple-layer job that collapses beneath a tonneau cover in 14 seconds at speeds of up to 30 mph; it can do the reverse in the same amount of time and up to the same speed. Aston Martin is particularly proud of its new full-height windshield; basically, the glass stretches to the top of the header—at least on the outside. Underneath the glass there still is a structural support that ties the two A-pillars together. As is the Vanquish coupe, the 2014 Aston Martin Vanguish Volante is designated as a 2+2, but in reality the two rear seats perform better as really nicely finished parcel shelves.

2014 Aston Martin Vanquish Volante with V-12 Engine

Also like the fixed-roof Vanquish, the 2014 VanguishVolante sits on an aluminum-and-carbon chassis structure and wears carbon-fiber body panels. The same sonorous 5.9-liter V-12 and six-speed automatic transmission found in the 2014 Vanquish live under the Volante’s louvered hood. We’re willing to bet that while the engine’s 565 horsepower and 457 lb-ft of torque might feel the same as they do in the coupe, the Volante will serve occupants Aston’s signature V-12 sound at a gloriously higher volume. Big Brembo carbon-ceramic disc brakes at all four corners help haul the Volante down from speed, and the brand’s Adaptive Damping System (ADS) handles body-control duty. ADS offers drivers three selectable ride modes: Normal, Sport, and Track.

In keeping with the Vanquish Volante’s range-topper status, it gets a range-topping 2014 Aston Martin Vanquish Volante price of $297,995. That’s 2014 Aston Martin Vanquish Volante price $16,000 premium over the Vanquish coupe, nearly $100,000 more than the four-door Rapide S, and a not-insignificant $150,000 more than the 2013 V8 Vantage roadster. Of course, the Vantage line has been around a while, and the Vanquish’s One-77–inspired design cues definitively set it apart from lesser Astons. As for the unique proportions—if you can afford the 2014 VanguishVolante, a few quick stabs of the throttle and the resultant pedestrian rubbernecking should quickly gloss things over.

2014 Aston Martin Vanquish Volante Price About price of $297,995