Aston Martin’s latest drop-top, the DB12 Volante, seeks to bring new levels of handling and performance to top-down summer cruising, and the company went to great lengths to make sure that the convertible delivers a similar experience to the recently introduced DB12 coupe. We recently spent a couple of days with Aston’s new stunner to see how it fares without a roof.
Aston Martin chose AMG’s twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8 to power the DB12, and it suits the car perfectly. The engine was previously used in the DB11, where it produced 503bhp and served as a more affordable option to the 630bhp Aston Martin V12. Now that the name has caught up to number of cylinders, the V12 is gone. The consolation is that the V8 now produces 671bhp.
Ease into the heavy throttle pedal and boost builds linearly, resulting in impressive acceleration with hardly a growl from the V8. Step on the throttle more assertively and the eight-speed automatic quickly drops down a gear or three to deliver serious torque and rocket the car forward with a more authoritative rumble. An adjustable exhaust was supposed to allow for a more aggressive note, but even with it switched on the sleek convertible sounded more polished and proper than rough and rowdy. If you’re used to Aston Martin’s previous big GT cars and their dual-clutch transmissions, the eight-speed is nothing like it. Comfortable at low speeds and intuitive when driving spiritedly through canyons, the ZF eight-speed is, as in every other application we’ve experienced it, well-suited for the DB12.
Many of the DB12’s competitors employ all-wheel drive and all-wheel steering, but Aston Martin splits the steering and propulsion duties entirely. This works in the DB12’s favour. Turn-in is precise and quick, and there’s none of the disconnected feeling that comes with rear steering, particularly at low speeds. The DB12’s wide tyres and polished suspension give it loads of grip, and its reinforced chassis keeps things rigid. Though the extra chassis bracing and the mechanism for the convertible top result in weight gain of just over 110kg compared to the coupe, the retained stiffness is worth it.
The DB12 was more than enough car on the freshly paved canyon roads we sampled outside of Los Angeles, and it was tough to resist the urge to power through corners and let the electronic differential do its best to keep up, but if you find the right roads, the DB12 can still be plenty fun at low speeds.
Specs: 2024 Aston Martin DB12 Volante
- Price: £199,500 (base MSRP)
- Powertrain: 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8, eight-speed automatic transmission, rear-wheel drive
- Horsepower: 671bhp
- Torque: 590lbft
- Layout: Rear-wheel-drive, front-engine four-seat convertible
- Kerb weight: 1898kg
- Fuel economy: 17mpg average
The interior offered much to love, from the comfortable, highly adjustable seats to the balanced audio system. We also appreciated the customisable dash that colour-coordinated itself with the drive modes that altered the transmission’s shift points and firmed up the suspension and steering. Virtually everything you touch in the interior feels premium, particularly the upholstery and the open-pore walnut veneer trim. Our biggest complaint came from the user interface, which often left us frustrated. Perhaps with more time we could have become better acquainted, but plenty of other cars are more quickly intuitive.
For example, most of the steering-wheel buttons are tasked with cruise control, so we had to hunt through the centre stack buttons or the fickle touchscreen to make adjustments. Perhaps most irritatingly, the lane departure warning and the speed warning both turn on every time the car is started. Both will beep at you incessantly, but only the former can be turned off, and it required delving deep into the menu in the centre touchscreen. The speed warning, mandated on cars sold in the European Union, will beep each time the car exceeds the speed limit. In California, and in plenty of other locales in North America, driving the speed limit on the freeway effectively makes you a moving chicane, so the speed warning made its presence known frequently. The strange part is that consistently exceeding the speed limit will keep the warning quiet. We have a feeling this will encourage constant speeding rather than the alternative.
Our only other gripe is to be expected of a convertible: For a GT car, the DB12 doesn’t have much in the way of luggage room. The quiet and well-insulated fabric top stows neatly behind the seats and allows for a low decklid, giving the car a beautiful silhouette, but it does encroach into the boot space. If you plan on keeping the top up, a divider can be propped forward to nearly double the boot volume and allow for a pair of carry-on bags. With a tall driver, the back of the front seat will be almost touching the front edge of the rear seat, so those rear seats are better suited to carrying a pair of duffel bags than they are at transporting people for any distance. Two people packing relatively light for a three-day trip would have no problem.
That aside, the DB12 Volante has seemingly done away with the compromises of owning a convertible. It’s quiet with the top up, the chassis is rigid, and the driving experience is everything you’d hope for from a 671hp Aston Martin.
2024 Aston Martin DB12 Volante
Price: £199,500 / £266,375 (base / as-tested)
Highs: Rigid chassis, beautiful cabin, and a powerful, responsive powertrain.
Lows: Annoying and ever-present electronic nannies.
Takeaway: Very few compromises for one of most beautiful top-down luxury GTs on the market.
