Aston Martin Vantage Roadster: Faster to fresh air

Fresh air is in demand at Aston Martin: not only for the handcrafted 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 made of all-aluminum that powers the latest model, but also for customers. Therefore, after the Vantage Coupé, the two-seater Roadster is now making its debut. The open-top Briton impresses with a conventional combustion engine with 665 hp and 800 Nm. "An electric model won't be available until 2030, as customers are currently also coming to us from other luxury brands because they don't want a purely electric car just yet," explains Andreas Bareis, Executive Director Global Sales at Aston Martin Lagonda. E not how electric but how exclusive is in demand at the British brand with 112 years of tradition and plenty of racing genes. "Our CEO Adrian Hallmark comes from the luxury sector," adds Andreas Bareis. "He has made it clear that 'value before volume', i.e. brand value before sales volume, will be crucial for the further development of the Aston Martin brand. Our goal is the 'Ultra Luxury' segment. That's why we need to go one better in terms of vehicles and customer service."

Aston Martin owner Lawrence Stroll, who also owns the Formula 1 racing team of the same name, has invested around two billion in the future of the British luxury brand and is also prepared to invest in the coming years. The result can already be seen in the elegant Zurich showroom, where the latest British model range to date can be admired with the DB12, the new Vanquish and the DBX707 SUV, as well as the Vantage as a coupé and now also as a roadster. "25 percent of our vehicles are now delivered as 'by Q' and therefore with individualizations and special paint finishes from our special Q department. This is also a clear sign that our customers are looking for exclusivity," continues Bareis. However, exclusive special models, small series, such as the hybrid super sports car Valkyrie, or derivatives of existing models are also important for the further development of the brand.

The latest Aston offspring doesn't even need that, the two-seater Vantage as a beguiling roadster. Wider than the previous V12 version, the new open-air Aston underlines its athletic appearance. The fastest electric folding roof on the market not only closes in just 6.8 seconds (and up to 50 km/h), but can also be stowed seamlessly behind the seats without affecting the dynamic lines. The structure and suspension have been modified so that the weight distribution (49:51) is shifted slightly to the rear.

At 325 km/h, the top speed remains the same as the Coupé. This means that the open-top two-seater can easily sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.6 seconds. An 8-speed paddle shift transmission transfers the concentrated power of the V8 twin turbo to an electronically controlled limited slip differential that drives the rear wheels. Pure driving pleasure is therefore pre-programmed - even in the open air. The adaptive Bilstein DTX dampers adopted from the Coupé with suitable tuning and the traction control with eight selectable settings contribute to this.

Inside, the Vantage impresses with high-quality materials, an integrated multiscreen system with full online connectivity and a 10.25-inch touchscreen. There's also an eleven-speaker sound system with surround sound mode - or a system specially tuned by audio partner Bowers & Wilkins on request - but the best thing to do in the Brit is to listen to the wonderful sound of the 4.0-liter V8 anyway! Deliveries of the Vantage Roadster will begin in the second quarter of 2025. The Swiss price of the latest Aston Martin starts at just over 200,000 Swiss francs.