Aston Martin DBS Superleggera Volante: A True Luxury Sports Car

Aston Martin is a British brand known for making blisteringly fast thoroughbred sports cars. Over the span of a century, it has improved vastly and has shown its prowess in building such masterpieces which can go head-on against Ferraris and Lamborghinis. Last year, Ferrari came up with their most advanced 812 Superfast. To rival it, Aston Martin now has its ultimate supercar, the DBS Superleggera Volante. Can it assume the throne of the king of the segment?

Exterior

Seen from a distance, the Aston Martin DBS Superleggera Volante is easily identifiable with its family styling, leaving no room for differentiation. Design cues include the bulged hexagonal grille and the smartly curved headlamps. There are two large indentations on the long hood with four straight creases adding drama. Despite being the halo model, it doesn’t have anything unique about it; succinctly put, it is a simple-looking roadster. The front end flaunts large air intakes and matte black embellishments on the bumper.

The side features a massive front fender with imperative air intakes giving it a prominent look. The tight wheel arches further elaborate its appeal, while the rest of the side profile remains clean yet sharp looking.

The car looks most striking from the rear, owing to the sleek narrow tail lamps with LED inserts and a black strip running across them. You will also notice air vents on the trunk in place of the spoiler. Some touches, such as the quad exhaust pipes, work well with the overall layout of the car. The Volante also houses a large diffuser, giving it an aggressive stance.

Interior

Like other Aston Martins, the driver-centric interior makes its way into the DBS Superleggera Volante as well. You will find yourself sitting in the lap of luxury, thanks to a combination of different materials and textures making it look posh. Worth eyeing is the digital instrument cluster segmented into three compartments showing you the fuel meter, speedometer, tachometer, oil pressure, etc. The flat-bottomed steering wheel also has paddle shifters mounted on it, along with a slew of keys wrapped in aluminum for cruise control, Bluetooth telephony, volume controls, etc.

The center console looks conventional and incorporates an 8” infotainment screen atop the dashboard, mainly showing navigation and radio functions. Expected features include a Bang and Olufsen sound system, ventilated seats, and a tracking feature that provides the car's location through a smartphone app. Driver assistance systems include:

• Dynamic Stability Control
• Electric parking brake
• Brake Assist
• ABS
• Dynamic Torque Vectoring

The center console also features a Mercedes-Benz inspired touchpad and keys for automatic climate control, fan speed, etc.

Engine and Performance

The Aston Martin DBS Superleggera comes with the option of a single 5.2 V12 naturally aspirated engine, producing 715 hp and a breathtaking 900 Nm of torque, mated to an 8-speed ZF automatic transmission. Aston Martin claims a top speed of 340 km/h and a 0-100 km/h time of 3.6 seconds. With such figures, it is easily one of the most brutal luxury convertibles, falling just a shade under the Ferrari 812 Super-Fast. Truly a commendable job done by the folks at Aston Martin.

Verdict

The Aston Martin DBS Superleggera Volante targets its immediate rivals, which include the Ferrari 812 Superfast and the Bentley Continental GT. The roadster strikes a perfect balance between performance and luxury, giving it an upper hand over both its rivals. We think you should definitely consider it if you fancy a sports car that handles grocery commutes just fine, seats four, and is an absolute beast when driven hard on the racetrack. A perfect all-rounder!