Aston Martin is apparently very eager to show us its new Aston Martin DB11 Volante convertible. It recently released this photo showing the rear end of the new convertible with its top up, with the tagline “Opening Spring 2018.”
The photo shows how Aston reshaped the DB11’s rear in the transformation from coupe to convertible, but the car won’t be available to the public for over a year. Talk about jumping the gun. The DB11 Volante appears to have sharper creases at the tops of its rear fenders than the DB11 coupe, but otherwise the styling is pretty close to that model. Some rough edges, including an ill-fitting panel behind the convertible top and a stubby protrusion that looks like a vestigial rear spoiler, are apparent. It seems Aston still has some development work to do, hence the Volante’s spring 2018 launch date.
The convertible’s front end should be identical to that of the DB11 coupe revealed earlier this year, and the two models should be mechanically identical as well. That means the convertible will get a 5.2-liter, twin-turbocharged V12 engine producing 600 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque. That power will be sent to the rear wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission. Expect a version of Mercedes-AMG’s 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 to be offered as well.Whether a coupe or a convertible, the DB11 is a very important car for Aston Martin. It replaces the DB9, Aston’s highest-volume model and the car that many of the British firm’s other current models are based on. The DB11 debuts an all-new platform architecture, making it the first clean-sheet Aston Martin design in over a decade. It’s also the first model influenced by Aston’s new partnership with Mercedes-Benz.The DB11 Volante will likely be the first of many DB11 variants to come, and its platform will underpin other future Astons as well. That will happen after Aston is done tweaking the Volante, and actually puts it on sale. Stay tuned for more details in the coming months.
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