Aston Martin DB12 Volante: A portrait of the 680PS diva from England

Building a perfect grand tourer is a fine art. You need to add just enough power to make things exciting, and balance this with just the right amount of comfort. Give it precise handling, but avoid bumpy rides. Give it a seductive body with adequate luggage space and an aerodynamic package that makes it stable at highway speeds. Fill it with the latest features, elegant design details and high-quality materials, and you have a grand tourer. Aston Martin is one of the few companies that has been using this recipe for decades and has perfected it in numerous beautiful and desirable models. The latest in this long line of bespoke grand tourers is the fantastic DB12, launched at the end of 2023. However, Aston’s customers are used to being able to choose an open-top model, and so the elegant DB12 Volante was soon unveiled. Some critics say that a soft top ruins the GT experience, but others claim it enhances it. Let’s see who’s right.

Supertourer

Although the DB12 Coupe and Volante are the typical Grand Tourers, Aston is dissatisfied with this designation. Instead, the company is promoting a new designation – the Supertourer. Given the increased performance and capabilities of these models, Aston Martin may actually be right.

Design

Although the DB12 is considered the next generation Aston GT, it is heavily based on the DB11 with numerous improvements to the design, interior and mechanicals. It follows the classic GT shape with a long hood and short rear end with sweeping lines and elegant curves. A massive grille with the new Aston Martin logo dominates the front end, while the C-shaped taillights are aggressive but sleek. Although the DB11 and DB12 look very similar, none of the body panels are interchangeable, and Aston claims that the DB12 is 80% new. The Volante version is, of course, equipped with an automatic folding roof, and the designers didn’t just remove the hardtop; the convertible model is just as elegantly designed without interrupting the lines of the car.

Motor

Aston’s sublime V12 power units are reserved for the DBS model, which means that the DB12 Volante is equipped with a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 engine from AMG. This compact yet potent engine produces 671 hp and 800 Nm of torque to propel the sleek convertible to supercar speeds. The sprint from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) is possible in just 3.7 seconds, with a top speed of 325 km/h (202 mph). This V8 is known for its use in numerous Mercedes products and other Astons. Brand purists might complain as it is not a true British power unit, but everyone else recognizes it as a very modern, capable and powerful choice. This engine is mated to a ZF 8-speed automatic transmission and sends power to the rear wheels.

Interior

One of the biggest weaknesses of the previous DB11 model was the interior, with its strange rectangular steering wheels, slow and outdated infotainment system and poor ergonomics. The DB12 has eliminated all these problems, and now its interior is one of the most beautiful places in the automotive world. Especially when the top is down and the sun is shining through. With the elegant dashboard, the easy-to-read digital instrument cluster in front of the driver and a crisp and fast infotainment system, the DB12 Volante feels premium and modern, just as Aston wanted.

Interestingly, Aston’s designers have managed to avoid falling into the touchscreen trap that many of their competitors have done. The DB12 Volante does have a touchscreen, but most of the important commands (climate, volume) are physically and clearly located on the center console. It’s the ideal mix of analog and digital that makes it so good.

Although the Volante has a folding top, it does not steal any space in the interior and feels just as comfortable and well stowed as the coupé. The eight-layer canvas top is designed not only to protect passengers from wind and weather, but also to dampen noise, especially at high speeds at the same level as the coupé. It can be folded in just 14 seconds (folded up in 16 seconds) at speeds of up to 50 km/h, which is amazing.

Chassis

A key factor that makes the DB12 Volante a Super Tourer rather than a Grand Tourer is the chassis, engineering and roadholding. Aston is proud that this model, despite being a convertible, is 7% stiffer than the previous DB11 Volante. But even more impressive is the 500% increase in power distribution range, making it noticeably sharper and more precise without sacrificing comfort and compliance. Significant improvements have been made to the pillars, chassis bracing and chassis construction. The DB12 Volante behaves like a racing car with communicative steering and ideal road holding when pushed to the limit, but it is also a comfortable summer cruiser when the driver wants it to be.

Conclusion

You might think of the DB12 Volante as a luxury convertible designed for a relaxed coastal drive. But when you start to analyze it and see how much effort and technical excellence has been put into it, you realize that Aston was right. It’s no longer just a grand tourer. It’s a new generation of car for drivers that can be gentle when they need to be, and sharp and fast when you want to push them to their limits. With its seductive body lines, superb interior, powerful engine and a chassis that is a work of art, the DB12 Volante is a super tourer. And to make matters even more irresistible, the soft top quickly adds another layer of driving pleasure to an already fantastic car.