“Consider all the cash you’ll save on remedy!” That’s what my brother stated once I purchased a Miata. It wasn’t something particular—a 2010 Grand Touring with the all-important limited-slip differential—however it was a soft-top convertible, and it was mine. A 2,800-mile highway journey proved my brother proper. Driving the top-down Miata felt nice for my psychological well being.
That completely happy little automobile popped into my head final month when Aston Martin provided a fast stint within the DB12 Volante. It has little in frequent with my outdated Miata: double the cylinders, three and a half occasions the ability, 1,500 additional kilos, and a classy eight-speed auto as a substitute of a easy six-speed stick. However they share the identical mood-altering properties by the use of a retractable cloth prime and its related sensory delights. Convertibles, man.
With a base worth of $265,000 (ballooning to my Caribbean Blue Pearl tester’s $339,500 with choices), the DB12 Volante fights for a similar shopper money because the Ferrari Roma Spider and Bentley Continental GTC. The automaker additionally got down to create a automobile that has the hard-edged efficiency of the previous with the long-distance consolation of the latter, a mix of attributes that comprise its “tremendous tourer” advertising and marketing schtick. If true, that mixture of attributes appears tailored to maintain mind serotonin ranges excessive.
That stated, the Aston comes up a wee bit quick on paper—with 671 horsepower and 590 pound-feet, its AMG-sourced, twin-turbocharged V-8 makes extra grunt than the 612-hp Roma and 650-hp Conti GTC Pace. The drop-top DB12’s 0-60 time of three.6 seconds lags behind the Ferrari by 0.3 seconds due to the Italian’s lighter weight, and the Bentley can hit 208 miles per hour as a result of its freight-train 664 lb-ft of torque, whereas the DB12 runs out of steam at “simply” 202 mph.
Skeptics may also forged aspersions on the DB12’s base construction, which isn’t substantively totally different from that of the DB11 it replaces. Aston Martin upgraded the suspension mounting factors, stiffening up the entrance finish particularly by 140 p.c. Torsional rigidity is up 3 p.c. However as is obvious from the proportions and general styling, the DB12 Volante shares greater than a bit with its predecessor.
Professionals: It is A Convertible, It is Stunning, It is Luxurious
However except you drive automobiles in CAD packages as a substitute of the true world, these numbers are merely hypothetical. The Volante is a stunner. The transition from coupe to convertible does nice issues for the DB12, jettisoning the hardtop’s oddly detailed C-pillar, accentuating these voluptuous rear fenders, and holding the huge entrance grille and intricately designed headlights. Aston suits the cabriolet roof inside a commendably low tonneau, consuming into trunk house however preserving rearward visibility and, extra importantly, a low and lean stance. The DB12 Volante passes the car parking zone look-back check with flying colours.
Inside, the convertible has largely the identical inside because the coupe, representing an enormous enchancment over the DB11. Our check automobile’s attractive wooden trim spanned the sprint, heart console, entrance seatbacks, and door panels in an attraction to conventional luxurious, however the matte, golden end appeared virtually Scandinavian in its upscale modernity. Predictably, leather-based and soft-touch plastics seem all over the place, though I used to be upset by HVAC vents that appeared hewn from aluminum however felt chintzy. Higher depart these alone and give attention to the hefty shift paddles sprouting from the wheel as a substitute.
Gone is the DB11’s ovoid heart stack, changed with a extra rectilinear and interesting design that highlights the Aston Martin–particular infotainment system. The ten.3-inch touchscreen is an enormous improve over the DB11’s reskinned Mercedes COMAND interface, with slicker response and multi-touch gesture controls that ought to really feel intuitive to any smartphone consumer. Its solely main disadvantage is a too-dim display screen that’s tilted up at a few 30-degree angle, wholly inappropriate for a sunny-day tourer just like the DB12 Volante.
Dial up the DB12’s four-position drive selector to Sport Plus. Doing so uncorks the exhaust, letting that mellow V-8 snarl by means of upshifts, crackle when braking, and pop on overrun. It additionally sharpens up the electrical steering, giving it some heft to match strong ranges of communication. On the sun-soaked, rain-rutted drive route above Malibu, the DB12 Volante delivered info to the final pebble on to my palms, bettering my confidence within the grippy Michelin Pilot Sport 5S tires. Ditto the elective carbon brakes, which had no bother arresting this 3,960-pound convertible.
Cons: Previous-ish Platform, Intrusive Electronics, Much less Highly effective Than Rivals
The metal springs, adaptive dampers, and fixed-rate anti-roll bars give the Aston Martin very constant dealing with, resisting physique roll even in probably the most lenient Grand Touring suspension mode. In actual fact, given the cracked and potholed nature of California’s roads after some late winter and early spring rains, I most well-liked to arrange the automobile’s Particular person drive setting for gentle suspension, heavy steering, sharp throttle and transmission response, and a loud exhaust.
The Aston Martin completely shines when pushed at a brisk tempo, the place its managed and damped journey, keen powertrain, and plentiful aural drama stimulate the mind so properly that it ought to require a prescription. However any time I ventured past 8/10ths, my anxiousness returned. For the reason that DB12 remains to be a comparatively heavy sportster, the steadiness and traction controls need to step in—particularly in tight downhill corners. As I pushed tougher, the you-ran-out-of-talent electronics grew to become extra apparent and intrusive, eroding my confidence in each the automobile and myself. For the return journey, I selected to only dial all the things again and benefit from the surroundings.
As with my Miata, I discovered once more that if sunshine and spring breezes might be packaged and prescribed, psychological well being would skyrocket. However the two differ in a single different key space: worth. From its $265,000 place to begin, my DB12 tester added the brilliant-but-pricey $18,000 coat of paint, a $14,500 carbon ceramic braking package deal, a staggering $22,900 in leather-based, carpet, and wooden choices, $6,200 for diamond-turned wheels, and $4,500 in blackout physique jewellery. Even the brown seatbelts are a $1,000 possibility.
Fortunately, we nonetheless dwell in a world the place pre-owned Miatas and Mustangs exist, so of us on the lookout for a drop-top repair can get one on a budget. However these with the means will discover Aston Martin’s newest convertible providing to be a tantalizing mix of panache, dynamics, and luxury—a mixture that simply may put your therapist out of a job.