2024 ASTON MARTIN DB12 VOLANTE OFFERS SUNSHINE AND SUBSTANCE
The 2024 Aston Martin DB12 Volante can pop the decklid and deploy its eight-layer top in just 16 seconds at speeds up to 31 mph, which is useful if your planned open-cabin Malibu day trip takes you right into stormy weather. The Pacific Ocean was iron gray, but the Volante was ocean blue (Caribbean Blue on the order sheet), and with a heated steering wheel and heated seats in leather the color of a white-sand shore, we made our own warm, beachy weather as we outran the rain up the California coastline.
Like the DB12 coupe, the convertible is a big machine. That's big in the good way, like in song lyrics describing desirable partners or restaurant adverts promoting new burgers. The Volante is thick and juicy, a high-calorie treat. After the first anxiety-provoking seconds behind the wheel, mostly focused on not scraping the 21-inch Y-spoke wheels against the stone curbs leaving the hotel parking lot, we adjusted to the Aston's size. Despite its wide hood and curvy flanks, it's not difficult to sense where the edges are, and the result is a car that feels hefty, but pleasantly so, like a Montblanc fountain pen.
There's nothing like putting the pedal down while the top is down, and the Volante's AMG-sourced twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8 rewards with both vigorous acceleration and a predatory roar that grows hungrier with changes in drive mode. The Volante offers four stages of electronic stability control and five drive modes, from the soft GT mode to Sport (our preferred roadgoing setting), Sport Plus (a little lumpy for casual driving), Individual, and Wet (which we didn't use, despite our drive being very). While the DB12 does not currently offer a V-12, and fans of the higher cylinder count may miss its distinctive croon, the V-8 in the Volante sounds amazing. It also gets a bump in power thanks to bigger turbos, new cam profiles, and better cooling, resulting in 671 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque. Aston says it will race to 60 mph a tick slower than the roughly 250-pound-lighter coupe—we expect 3.4 seconds—and top out at 202 mph, a speed at which you'll probably want (and need) the top up.
Click through the gears with the aluminum paddles behind the thick-rimmed steering wheel, or let the ZF eight-speed automatic handle shifting duties, which it will with snappy downshifts and high-revving upshifts. We found the shifts well timed during more aggressive driving but almost comically vigorous at part-throttle acceleration, where the DB12 kicks down and digs in with the enthusiasm of a sled dog in harness.
There's no need for it, as the Aston is plenty torquey even in higher gears. Changes to both coupe and Volante from the DB11 include a shorter final drive ratio for more response where you need it. An electronic rear differential keeps both rear tires in the game. Somewhat rare for a big grand tourer, the DB12 is still rear-wheel drive with no parlor tricks such as rear-wheel steering. We didn't miss it. Even on the narrow roads in the Malibu hills, the Aston stayed tucked in its lane. We won't say it drove like a smaller car, because it didn't, but there's a particular charm to a heavyweight who can dance.
Some credit for the Volante's stable cornering is no doubt due to its bonded aluminum chassis with stiffened mounting points for the rear suspension and additional cross bracing, while new adaptive dampers and retuned rear springs smooth out bumps and potholes. Electric power steering responds quickly to directional input and offers just enough heft to match the car. Michelin Pilot Sport S5 summer tires got a workout during our wet drive, but the Volante slid just a fun amount as we navigated fallen rocks in the hills. Our test car had the carbon-ceramic disc brakes (a $14,500 option), plus bronze calipers (an additional $1800). That's a pricey add-on, but they save nearly 60 pounds of unsprung weight over the standard rotors, and they slowed our go with authority.
Back on the main road, and in a rare spot of sunshine, we had a chance to admire the cabin. Aston offers an incredible amount of customization. Its configurator will have you comparing accent stitches in a rainbow of color combos. Our car's cream and navy leather with dark wood trim gave the Volante a yacht-like swagger that matched its powerboat driving characteristics. The Volante is available with a more aggressive carbon-fiber performance seat option, but why ruin the perfect cruiser with stiff seating? The standard seats not only look and smell great, with their diamond-stitched leather design and gentle bolsters, they're also well padded with standard heating and available ventilation—must-haves for open-weather driving. The rear seats are for belongings, not beloveds.
Aston's big news for both coupe and convertible DB12 is a new infotainment system. No longer a Mercedes hand-me-down, the 10.3-inch touchscreen houses Aston Martin's first in-house software. It has some cool tricks, like a split-screen display and a rotatable camera view. The gauge cluster is digital, changes color with drive mode selection, and is virtually impossible to see with the top down. Convertible problems. Back in the touchscreen, smartphone mirroring is wireless, and there's a charging pad tucked under the sweeping console so you can put your phone there and forget it for three days. Knurled metal switchgear includes hard buttons for things like exhaust sound, stereo volume for the optional Bowers & Wilkins 15-speaker system, and climate control.
At $268,086 to start and $342,586 for our car (with options), there's nothing budget-friendly about the DB12, but if you want a cheap convertible, pick up an ex-rental Mustang. The Volante is for a buyer who wants a say in every detail, with a drive experience that blends heritage coachbuilding with just the right amount of modern convenience.
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