Aston Martin DB11 Volante 2018 Review

What’s it all about?

Aston Martin’s latest soft-top creation, the DB11 Volante, is unapologetically about being seen.

Hot on the heels of the DB11 coupe, the Volante (a name designating soft-top Astons since the legendary DB5 driven by Bond, James Bond) has arrived in Australia bearing quintessential British styling, charm and attitude.

The Volante also brings a healthy German bent in the form of a new mechanical tie-up with Mercedes-Benz. Under the bonnet resides an AMG-sourced 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 that makes 375kW and 675Nm in this application, sent to the rear wheels via an eight-speed ZF automatic transmission.

The engine is synonymous with the latest performance models over at Affalterbach – AMG GT hot rod included. Like that creation, the Aston makes use of a hot-vee configuration, with the turbos positioned inside the cylinder vee for faster throttle response.

How much will it cost?

Entry into the Volante fold isn’t cheap, the new DB11 setting buyers back $398,495 plus on-road costs.

That price represents a $30,000 premium over the existing DB11 coupe on which the Volante is based. It does undercut the $428,032 price tag of the V12-powered DB11 coupe, though (to keep things simple, Aston decided against offering the same V12 engine in Volante form – no big loss if dynamism is key).

As is customary with high end luxury cars, our tested Volante is dripping in options, including a ‘Dark chrome jewellery pack’ and 20-inch forged wheels. Aston Martin didn’t provide exact as tested figures, but rest assured this particular Volante would likely start with a four, not a three.

The Aston’s four-seat interior is a classy place to sit nonetheless – at least for front row occupants. Lashings of immaculate, soft-touch leather and carbon fibre inlays are complemented by a low-slung driving position and comfort-oriented seat bolstering.

Why should/shouldn’t I buy it?

The Volante is a cruiser first and foremost, something it does quite well. In honesty, few cars will leave the driver with the same indelible smile with the top down on a sunny autumn day.

The engine is the centrepiece to its open top charm, offering a broad bandwidth of accessible power along with emphatic mid-range reserves.

The matching eight-speed auto is equally intuitive and clinical in its shifts, helping orchestrate a claimed 0-100km/h time of 4.1 seconds – brisk by any standard.

Despite the obvious Mercedes influence, the Aston is imbued with token British toff in the way its exhaust snarls and crackles. With the exhaust open, sound bites are sonorous and resounding, adding a real zing to the driveline.

Neatly, owners can opt for a ‘don’t wake up the neighbours mode’ by holding down the starter button momentarily upon start up.

That aural attitude is matched by an underbody design that goes to extraordinary lengths to avoid compromise over the regular coupe. Additional bracing is found between the rear wheels and around the front suspension, while the fancy Aeroblade wing of the coupe has been deleted.

As such, the Volante affirms its GT bias inordinately quickly; the ride is forgiving and compliant over road joins, and the cabin isolates occupants from unnecessary road and wind noise – protecting from buffeting with the top down.

On silky smooth tourist roads around Wollongong, south of Sydney, the Volante connects rolling corners effortlessly, using slow but precise steering and polished body control to instil driver confidence.

Push a little harder in default comfort mode, and the car’s 4.7-metre length and portly 1870kg mass become more noticed, pitching and rolling through corners. Arrive too hot into a corner, and the rear unloads mass as if it’s about to break loose.

That impression improves in Sport and Sport+ as the Aston’s throttle, gearbox, steering and body channel added zeal. Suddenly, the Volante feels sharper and well executed, carrying higher corner speeds and admirable levels of agility in spite of its ever-present proportions.

As for the bad bits? The Volante’s infotainment system is simply archaic for this price point.

Beyond the intricate niceties, the interior looks and feels overly complicated, too, miss-matching parts and switchgear from Mercedes-Benz and, at times, seemingly placing form (and tradition) before function. Take the dash-mounted push button gears as an example.

This is also the case for the infotainment software and associated circular controller and touchpad, which are difficult to navigate through on the move and forego basic items including music streaming apps.

In the face of rivalling offerings like the crisp, clean and Teutonic internals of the Audi R8 Spyder, the Volante is way off the pace in this regard.

The Volante does make up some ground with its clever roof system, capable of opening in 14 seconds and closing in 16 seconds at speeds of up to 50km/h.

The eight layers of roof lining fold into a relatively small space, albeit one that significantly reduces the 206-litre capacity of the boot once stowed.

When is it available in Australia?

The Volante is on sale from May 2018. The caveat: well-heeled and well-connected buyers need only apply.

Not only is the DB11 Volante subject to a hefty starting price, it is also believed to be extremely limited in local numbers. Aston Martin stakeholders have told motoring.com.au only a handful has been designated for local showrooms.

Those spoiled enough to have a DB11 in their driveway will no doubt be enamoured by its open road charm, dazzling looks and rich British sound.

So, what do we think?

In an increasingly tightly-fought segment, the DB11 makes a strong argument as a drop-top cruiser.

It lacks the pace and cornering agility of McLaren’s 570S, and the Teutonic feel and sensibility of the Audi R8, but it feels and importantly looks magic on the road, so long as you’re willing to make some compromise (read: interior and infotainment).

The German influence has been integrated tastefully, too. In true Aston Martin fashion, this latest generation of Volante is shaken, not stirred.