Aston Martinhas released the first images of a newVantageRoadster, in engineering prototype form, ahead of an expected launch in the coming months.
The hardtop coupé variant of Aston’sPorsche 911rival has been on sale in its current form since 2018, following its unveiling at the2017 Los Angeles motor show, spearheading the firm’s design reinvention as part of CEO Andy Palmer’sSecond Century Plan.
The prototype retains the low, wide stance of the standard model, with styling changes limited to the addition of a canvas folding soft top. The Vantage’s slim rear light bar and ducktail-style spoiler are retained, as are the model’s prominent front splitter and rear diffuser.
With the unveiling of the new Vantage Roadster, Aston will offer a convertible variant of every model in its current line-up, except the four-doorRapide, which is now only on sale inperformance-focused AMR form. It remains unclear whether theAMR variant of the Vantage, which features the only six-speed manual gearbox in the maker’s range, will be offered as a drop-top.
No technical details of the new model have been revealed yet, but it’s expected to retain the same 503 bhp 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 as the coupé, albeit with a fractional performance sacrifice due to the extra weight of the folding roof and the required structural bracing.
The company has confirmed the model will be available globally in spring next year. As with theDB 11 Volante, it can be expected to command an approximate eight percent premium over the standard model, suggesting a starting price of around £ 130, 500.
The launch will follow the high-profile revealing of the limited-runDBS GT Zagato, which joins theauthentically recreated DB4 GT Zagatoin Aston’s ultra exclusive DBZ Centenary collection.
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