DBS Superleggera Volante Will Be The Fastest Convertible Aston Martin Ever Made

The Aston Martin DBS Superleggera Volante will allow owners to experience top-down driving at up to 211mph. Hopefully it comes with a decent hair comb too.

I suppose that for some, driving really fast just isn’t enough. They have to be able to do it with the wind in their hair. For those select few, Aston Martin has just revealed the DBS Superleggera Volante convertible.

This new model is officially the fastest convertible that Aston Martin has ever produced. While that may sound silly on the surface, it is actually a pretty amazing achievement. Generally speaking, one of the biggest weaknesses of convertible sports cars is the lack of chassis rigidity. Which is mostly due to the lack of, well, a roof. Turns out the roof of a car does more than just protect passengers from rain and roll over crashes.

A good roof ties the overall chassis together and keeps the car feeling stiff during high speeds and cornering. That being said, the fact that Aston Martin engineers were able to take the roof off the DBS Superleggera and still keep its ability as a track car. Especially one capable of such a high top speed. Which, by the way, is because under the hood is a 5.2 liter, 715 horsepower, V12 engine. Ironically, despite the car being labeled as a “Superleggera” which is Italian for “super light”, this DBS drop top still weighs over 4,000lbs which is still pretty hefty.

Alright, so the car is fast but what about the top? Well it can open in just 14 seconds and close in 16 seconds, which by convertible standards is pretty quick. Not the fastest but definitely quick.

For good measure the roof mechanism also passed a stringent durability test which simulated 10 years of use within 30 days. That test included operating in high heat in Death Valley and extreme cold at the Arctic Circle. Unfortunately they weren’t able to find a way to safely open and close the top while driving at top speed. That would have been awesome, but I guess that will just have to remain a ridiculous dream of mine for now.

Those looking for this ultimate top-down experience should be prepared to part with a significant amount of money. The Aston Martin DBS Superleggera Volante will have an MSRP of $329,100. That is just the starting price. Who knows how much higher that will go once dealers get their hands on it? Oh well, if money is no object then you can expect to buy the DBS Superleggera Volante in the third-quarter of 2019.