Aston Martin DB 12 Volante: Unlock everything in just 14 seconds

Now the AMG V8 roars even more powerfully. The arms are attached to a beautiful flounce of leather, which the English of course is very warm. The body is placed on comfortable and sports seats, electric adjustment which is located on the walls of the tunnel center, behind which a powerful cardan shaft rotates from the center of the front engine towards the rear wheels.

More powerful than DB11-V12

Your ears are on the edge of your seat because the V8, which, like in the coupé, delivers 680 hp and 800 Newton meters of torque, has a completely different sound than the standard four-liter engine from Affalterbach. Thinner, straighter. The eight wheels are still spinning in the low-speed range, because Aston’s big turbos need speed. Exactly 3,000 revolutions. Then the speed injection, which unfortunately is always digital but centrally configured, fires up and riots at the limiter at over 7,000 revolutions. It is only here, at the peak of speed in Sport Plus, that the roots of the German engine can no longer be ignored.

As usual with the open GT, sound penetrates the driver’s ear almost unfiltered. Logically, the hard coupe hood insulates and tightens in equal measure. The Volante has the same torsional resistance as its fixed-roof sibling. But the eight-layer fabric cover with Webasto construction and pneumatically expanding electronic extendable roof bars weighs 111 kg, even with the additional reinforcements. The scale tips towards the rear at 47:53 – which shouldn’t be at a disadvantage due to the power delivered to the rear axle by the stronger fluids.

It is slower than the DB12 Coupé

On paper, the performance does not differ from its closed brother: the race from 0 to 100 takes 3.7 seconds to 325 km / h is possible at the limit of the A81, which connects the Swabian capital with the Swabian Sea. In fact, it’s better to complete both closed exercises, although the short close-up dance takes two seconds more, but the DB12 does it at city speeds. With the top open, there are only 196 liters left of the 262 liters suitable for a golf bag. So the second bag is more suitable for +2 seats. In any case, it is cut so sharply that another racket bag cannot slide there.

That’s a good thing, because when this Super Gran Turismo – as the British call it – goes into the bends, there’s really no stopping it. Aston Martin adjusts the steering very precisely. Good driving that does not require any adjustments in the curve, regardless of the angle at which the asphalt runs through the Black Forest. The rear pushes only at the exit point of the curve, because even the normal ESP mode leaves room for maneuvering without hard intervention. Yes, a lot of power on the rear axle is noticeable, but it does not overwhelm the driver. Also because the power burns gently, as the bigger turbos, as mentioned, rip a big hole in the basement and don’t crash violently. It sounds old-school and perfectly captures Aston’s open character, which doesn’t worry about any hybrid in the drivetrain.

Driving comfort in focus

So the GT driver tends to loosen the ESP more, the hip swing expands without sending panic beads across your forehead. The asphalt is not in top shape after a severe winter. But to be honest: the occupants of this Gran Turismo feel little about this. Bilstein’s adaptive fluids quickly cope with the grunts of snow, cobblestones or loose joints. Even the thin-walled Michelin Pilot Sport S5, which sits on 21-inch forged rims that are 27kg lighter, can’t handle the excellent suspension. Of course, others also build good chassis, but Aston Martin carefully focuses on comfort rather than sport and that has become rare even in this league.

Especially since the dampers can be sharpened individually in two steps, like the rest of the driving parameters. Unlike the driving mode selection on the metal ring of the start button, which is clearly visible, the steering wheel and drive train can be adjusted better using a small touch screen. Well, the old DB11’s Comand controller was a relic of the old Mercedes days – but the touchscreen response with a flat display and small touchpads isn’t the best solution. At least Aston Martin leaves the familiar pressure surfaces from the coupe, including the steering wheel controls and function buttons for driving dynamics and a roller for temperature and audio on the center console.

The good life: Made in England

And at Gaydon they put all of this into a beautifully appointed cockpit, which has been treated to the finest leather, soft velor carpet, exposed woodwork and a piano varnish that’s very sensitive to begin with. If one has to complain at this high level, it’s that the DB 12 doesn’t automatically seatbelt the driver, that the seats are heated and cooled, but there’s no neck-warming hairdryer. The touchscreen is getting hotter, while the navigation appears three-dimensional, but consistently follows the north direction and the display is reflective even in dim sunlight. It’s also a shame that the driver now selects speed levels with a short knob rather than using the round glass buttons. Aston Martin covers it with leather, but it doesn’t always jump from “D” to “R” immediately, but instead remains “N” – this can be annoying, especially during quick turning maneuvers, as the Volante is stingy with it. transparency, especially when the roof is closed.

Speaking of which, since avarice hasn’t been hot for a long time, Aston Martin is charging an impressive quarter of a million for the DB 12 Volante. Isolation comes at a price, especially since the open 2+2 seats convey more of a GT feel than any BMW M-8 Series, Mercedes-AMG SL or Porsche 911.