2010 Aston Martin DBS Volante

Press release

Completing the DBS line-up, the new Volante affords customers the combination of the DBS’s already-established benchmark sports car characteristics with all the thrills of open-air motoring.

Broadening the DBS’s character, the DBS Volante appeals to drivers who wish to combine the excitement of driving a finely-tuned sports car with the invigorating feeling of being open to the elements. This juxtaposition of ultimate performance and openness stirs the senses on any drive whether a exhilarating jaunt on favoured roads or cruising on lengthy journeys. ‘Volante’, meaning: ‘moving with light rapidity’, perfectly defines the performance potential and the dynamic characteristics of the DBS Volante.

Featuring a motorized retractable fabric roof, the DBS’s beautiful profile is preserved whether up or down. When the roof is closed, it provides a warm comfortable ambience and when open, it neatly disappears behind the new tonneau cover at the touch of a button.

Aston Martin’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Ulrich Bez said: “The DBS Volante delivers the utmost relaxed driving experience with the hood up or down. It combines engineering excellence with design perfection.

“The DBS Volante offers a subtle mix of power and performance. Adding to this, the fine craftsmanship – it is an unparalleled ownership and driving experience.”

Conceived as a Volante from the outset, Aston Martin engineers opted for a fabric hood to closely follow the silhouette of the DBS coupe and due to its lightweight properties, minimize overall weight gain. Fully retractable in only 14 seconds and at up to speeds of 30 mph (48 km/h), the roof will automatically stow under the newly sculpted tonneau, maintaining the DBS Volante’s perfect form – hood up or down.

Power is provided by Aston Martin’s hand-built all alloy 6.0-litre V12 engine producing 510 bhp (380 kW / 517 PS), and 570 Nm (420 lb ft) of torque with a top speed of 191 mph (307 km/h) and 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) time of 4.3 seconds. The nature of the V12, and in particular the torque available at all engine speeds, serves to provide effortless driving in all situations.

Aston Martin’s 16th convertible in 95 years, the DBS Volante draws on the marque’s extensive experience in designing iconic ‘Volantes’ and is a 2+2 featuring two occasional rear seats, ideal for young people or extra luggage. In standard specification, the DBS has a rear-mounted six-speed manual gearbox, while an automatic six-speed ‘Touchtronic’ option is also available. As with the coupe, the Volante is offered with carbon ceramic brakes as standard providing exceptional stopping power. Benefitting from materials derived from the motorsport and aerospace industries, the bonnet, front wings and boot lid are made from carbon fibre all helping to reduce weight.

The DBS Volante also comes with Bang & Olufsen’s renowned ‘BeoSound DBS’ in-car entertainment system, featuring 13 speakers as standard equipment. The BeoSound DBS has been expertly tuned by Bang & Olufsen’s Tonmeisters and Aston Martin’s acoustic engineers specifically for the Volante resulting in a system that senses when the roof has been retracted and adjusts the sound stage to compensate for extra wind noise, providing an unrivalled automotive audio experience.

Design

Although the DBS was originally conceived as a two-seater sports GT, the potential for a Volante version was always in the minds of the design team. Holding a purposeful stance, the muscular shapes and forms of the DBS have been retained exuding confidence.

Aston Martin’s 16th convertible, learning taken from the engineering of previous soft-top cars has resulted in the DBS Volante possessing Aston Martin’s quietest and most refined roof system to date. When raised, the fabric roof is insulated with a layer of Thinsulate® material relieving cabin noise and protecting the inhabitants from the elements. The hydraulic pump has been cocooned in a noise and vibration enclosure reducing noise when raising and lowering the hood.

The newly choreographed hood has resulted in an opening time of only 14 seconds due to a new five-piston hydraulic pump. The roof effortlessly stows below the newly-sculpted tonneau cover which has been redesigned to enhance the muscular attributes of the DBS Volante. Housing the Roll-Over-Protection-System (ROPS) which deploys two roll bars in the event of the car rolling over, the rear humps lead your eye to the new carbon fibre deck lid which has been re-styled for the DBS Volante. Particular to the DBS, a line flows from the leading edge of the bonnet past the elegantly sloped windscreen flowing into the carbon fibre deck lid and to the rear boot ‘flip’.

As with the DBS Coupe, the bonnet, front wings and boot lid are formed from carbon fibre. Preventing the weave protruding the paint finish, Aston Martin employs a patented ‘surface veil’ technology applying a 200 micron thick layer of epoxy glue to the carbon fibre, before the application of seven layers of paint producing a class A level of finish.

The interior of the DBS represents the epitome of Aston Martin’s commitment to using materials honestly, without disguise or embellishment. Lightweight materials are used throughout to save weight; door pulls are made from carbon-fibre, for example, and the carpet has been woven with lighter fibres to save valuable kilograms.

The Volante features 2+2 seating as standard. The beautifully leather trimmed rear seats are ideal for younger persons or extra luggage making the DBS Volante a practical everyday sports car.

Delivered as standard with Bang & Olufsen’s BeoSound DBS audio system and seamlessly integrated into the DBS Volante’s bespoke interior, the system provides the driver and passengers with an unrivalled audio experience. Consisting of 13 individual speakers and Bang & Olufsen’s unique Digital Signal Processing system, the system transforms the DBS Volante into an acoustically sophisticated venue, capable of conveying subtle and striking musical dynamics from every source. The BeoSound DBS has been specifically revised for the DBS Volante and senses when the roof is up or retracted and adjusts the sound stage to compensate for wind noise and change in acoustics.

The Bang & Olufsen BeoSound DBS system has been developed exclusively for Aston Martin. The system is acoustically and physically matched to the DBS Volante, with a design that follows the inherent quality and material honesty of the Aston Martin interior. The loudspeaker grilles are finished with smoothly contoured aluminium so as to integrate seamlessly with the fluid lines and curves of the cabin. When the system is turned on, the twin acoustic lens speakers emerge silently and swiftly, adding a touch of theatre and technological panache that is the perfect complement to the DBS Volante.

As with the coupe, the Volante affords customers the prospect of specifying the optional ten-spoke 20’’ forged aluminium lightweight wheel with diamond-turned surface – available in either silver or graphite finishes. With an overall unsprung mass reduction of 8 kg, the option aids enhanced handling, improved acceleration, and braking performance.

Performance

The need for high-performance stability, handling ability and low kerb weight defined the DBS’s form and construction. The DBS Volante is powered by the same 6.0-litre V12 engine at the heart of the DBS which was launched in 2007. Producing 510 bhp (517 PS / 380kW), peak power is delivered at 6500 rpm and the 570 Nm (420 lb ft) of torque is delivered at 5750 rpm. Tractable at any time, the DBS possesses a ‘flat’ torque curve providing 85% of the torque from 1500 rpm.

The 3.71:1 (manual) and 3.46:1 (Touchtronic) final drive ratio assures that all the DBS Volante’s power is useable, while also enhancing in-gear acceleration.

Adding to the sonorous V12 enhances the aural soundtrack. Special by-pass valves in the exhaust allow a quieter exhaust note at low speeds; at 4000 rpm these open to reduce the pressure in the exhaust system, raising the power output as well as generating a rousing aural accompaniment.

The DBS Volante is available as standard with a rear-mounted 6-speed manual gearbox with gear ratios optimised to extract the very best from the 6.0-litre engine. Providing customers with even greater personalisation capabilities, a ‘Touchtronic’ 6- speed automatic featuring a torque converter is also available as an option.

Derived from the same ZF transaxle unit that was developed for the DB9, the system has been substantially re-engineered to accommodate the power and performance characteristics of the DBS.

System functionality is consistent with that on the DB9, with ‘Park’, ‘Reverse’, ‘Neutral’ and ‘Drive’ modes selected via facia mounted controls.

When in ‘Drive’ mode, pulling either of the leather-trimmed magnesium alloy paddles mounted on the steering column will activate Touchtronic mode, enabling the driver to control gear shifts via the paddles. Touchtronic mode is also accessible directly on engine start-up. Alternatively, the ‘Drive’ mode can be selected at any time by pressing the ‘D’ control on the centre console, engaging a fully automatic mode which will select the most appropriate gear for the speed and driving conditions automatically.

The system also includes a ‘Sport’ mode - activated by a button on the centre console – which engages a more aggressive gear shift strategy as gear changes feel sharper and more forceful, engine speed matching on downshifts is more aggressive and in full automatic mode, upshifts occur at higher speeds. The Sport setting also incorporates a more responsive throttle map to match the high-performance characteristics of the DBS Volante.

Control

Contributing to the class-leading levels of rigidity, the VH-platform (Vertical – Horizontal) upon which all Aston Martins are founded, ensures a dynamically accomplished convertible translating into an exciting and communicative chassis. The VH architecture is a bonded aluminium structure that provides outstanding strength and rigidity. In comparison to its coupe sibling, the Volante retains 75% of the rigidity equating to 20kNm per degree. This has been achieved by rigidly mounting the rear sub frame and optimising the front and rear shear panels. Working together these components contribute to more than 20% of the total torsional rigidity.

Augmenting the DBS Volante’s supreme handling characteristics is the near perfect weight distribution – achieved by mounting the 6-speed gearbox at the rear placing 85% of the weight between the front and rear axle.

To take full advantage of its extremely precise and rigid platform, the DBS employs a sophisticated Adaptive Damping System (ADS) which is specifically tuned for the DBS Volante maximising ride comfort. It uses two separate valves to set the dampers to five different positions, allowing instant adjustment of the car’s ride and handling characteristics. The ADS automatically alters the suspension settings to ensure the driver has high levels of control at all times, with the ability to respond instantly to different driving conditions. The dampers can be ‘softer’, with a corresponding improvement in ride quality, or ‘firm’, providing improved body control for more spirited driving.

The damper settings are determined by an electronic control unit which takes sensor readings from the car’s systems, including throttle position, brake position, steering wheel rotation and vehicle speed. This data establishes the prevailing driving conditions and the demands the driver is making on the car.

The DBS Volante’s Adaptive Damping System perfectly captures the car’s sporting character, ensuring that stiffer dampers are available for better handling and control when the car is being driven enthusiastically, without compromising ride comfort during ‘normal’ driving conditions. A designated ‘Track’ mode automatically sets all dampers to their firmest positions, making it ideal for circuit driving. The DBS Volante is fitted with Pirelli P-Zero tyres that have been developed especially for the car.

The DBS Volante also has a revised Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) system specifically tuned to the Volante to help maintain maximum traction in challenging driving conditions. In default operation, the DSC is automatically on. Select and press the button for two seconds and DSC ‘Track’ mode is engaged, raising the threshold at which the system intervenes to allow the experienced driver to explore the car’s limits. Hold the button for four seconds and DSC is disengaged entirely.

Carbon Ceramic Matrix (CCM) brakes are featured as standard. Providing shorter stopping distances with excellent resistance to fade in even the most demanding driving conditions, the CCM brakes are some 12.5kg lighter than a conventional system. This results in reducing the overall weight of the car and, in particular, the unsprung weight and rotational masses, further enhancing the DBS Volante’s dynamics.

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Specification

Body

• Two-door convertible body style with 2+2 seating
• Bonded aluminium VH structure
• Aluminium, magnesium alloy and carbon-fibre composite body
•  Extruded aluminium door side-impact beams
• High Intensity Discharge (HID) headlamps (main beam)
• LED rear lamps and side repeaters

Engine

• All-alloy, quad overhead camshaft, 48-valve, 5935cc V12.
• Compression ratio 10.9:1
• Front-mid mounted engine, rear-wheel drive
• Fully catalysed stainless steel exhaust system with active bypass valves
• Max power: 380kW (510bhp/517 PS) at 6500rpm
• Max torque: 570Nm (420 lb.ft) at 5750rpm
• Acceleration: 0-100km/h (0-62mph) in 4.3 seconds
• Max speed: 307km/h (191mph)

Transmission

• Rear-mid mounted, six-speed manual gearbox Rear-mid mounted ‘Touchtronic 2’ six-speed gearbox with electronic shift-by-wire control system
• Alloy torque tube with carbon fibre propeller shaft
• Limited-slip differential
• Final-drive ratio 3.71:1 (manual) 3.46:1 (Touchtronic)

Wheels and Tyres

• Front: 8.5’’ x 20’’ Pirelli P Zero 245/35
• Rear: 11’’ x 20’’ Pirelli P Zero 295/30

Steering

• Rack and pinion, Servotronic speed-sensitive power-assisted steering, 3.0 turns lock-to-lock
• Column tilt and reach adjustment

Suspension

• Front: Independent double wishbone incorporating anti-dive geometry, coil springs, anti-roll bar and monotube adaptive dampers
• Rear: Independent double wishbones with anti-squat and anti-lift geometry, coil springs, anti-roll bar and monotube adaptive dampers
• Adaptive Damping System (ADS) with Track mode

Brakes

• Front: Ventilated carbon ceramic discs, 398mm diameter with six-piston calipers
• Rear: Ventilated carbon ceramic discs, 360mm diameter with four-piston calipers
• Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) with Track mode
• Anti-lock Braking System (ABS)
• Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD)
• Emergency Brake Assist (EBA)
• Traction control

Dimensions

• Length: 4721mm (185.9’’)
• Wheelbase: 2740mm (107.9’’)
• Width: 1905mm (75’’) (exc. Mirrors)
• 2060mm (81.1’’) (inc. Mirrors)
• Fuel tank capacity: 78 litres (17.2 Imp.galls, 20.5 US galls)
• Height: 1280mm (50.4’’)
• Weight: 1810kg

Interior

• Full grain leather interior
• Matrix alloy facia trim and Iridium Silver centre console surround
• Carbon fibre door trims and door pulls
• Auto-dimming rear-view mirror & garage door opener (USA & Canada only)
• Sports seats with electric adjustment
• Memory seats & exterior mirrors (three positions)
• Dual-stage driver/passenger front airbags
• Side airbags
• Heated seats
• Heated rear screen
• Automatic temperature control
• Organic Electroluminescent (OEL) displays
• Trip computer
• LED map lights
• Cruise control
• Hard Disk Drive (HDD) satellite navigation system1,2
• Bluetooth telephone preparation1
• Powerfold exterior mirrors
• Front and rear parking sensors
• Tyre-pressure monitoring1
• Alarm and immobiliser
• Remote-control central door locking and boot release
• Wind deflector
• Battery disconnect switch
• Battery conditioner1
• Tracking device3 (UK only)
• Boot-mounted umbrella
• Lamy pen and pen holder (Touchtronic only)

In-Car Entertainment

• Bang & Olufsen BeoSound DBS sound system• Integrated Apple iPod® connector
• USB connector with Waveform Audio Format (WAF), Windows Media Player (WMA) and MPEG (MP3) audio file compatibility
• 3.5mm auxiliary input socket

Options

• 20’’ 20-spoke alloy wheels with graphite finish
• 20” 10-spoke diamond-turned alloy wheels
• 20” 10-spoke diamond-turned alloy wheels with graphite finish
• Satellite radio system (USA only)
• Piano Black facia trim and centre console surround
• Personalised sill plaques
• Auto-dimming interior rear-view mirror1
• Auto-dimming interior rear-view mirror with garage door opener (Europe only)
• Alarm upgrade (volumetric and tilt sensor)
• Tracking device1,3
• First-aid kit
• Ashtray and cigar lighter

Prices

Base Price $286,500

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Competitors and press reviews

"The DBS’s handling and braking are more than up to its accelerative capability. We had a few chances to work those big ceramic rotors, and they deliver fade free performance yet with good feel and modulation. The suspension geometry minimizes dive and squat. Ride quality is on the sporty side, but that’s as it should be for a DBS compared with a DB9. We didn’t have the opportunity to run any numbers, but suspect that the DBS’s coupe’s performance levels will be matched, or nearly so. Want to pass? Just massage the right pedal and all that torque blasts you by without thinking twice." (MotorTrend)

"Although the four-place Volante attempts to accommodate more passengers than in the two-seat DBS coupe (rear seats are optional in that car but uninhabitable due to the sloping rear window), nonexistent legroom and the standard wind deflector make the rear chairs more decorative storage cubbies than anything else. But beyond the standard two-plus-two layout, the convertible is largely unchanged from the hardtop, including the standard six-speed manual and optional automatic transmission ($4000)—the latter fitted with a sport mode and column-mounted paddle shifters—two-stage adaptive dampers, carbon-ceramic disc brakes, and gorgeous 20-inch wheels." (CarAndDriver)

"But then there’s that improved Touchtronic transmission, and that is so close to perfect that we’ll go ahead and call it perfect. It shifts faster than before and delivers on every promise – and we mean every single promise – of what a "flappy paddle" transmission can be. Shifts are instant and seamless in every situation we could come up with. And because the exhaust note, the one right behind you, is downloading information on available revs and power straight into your auditory canal, you never have to look at the gear selector display. The sound is the only shift indicator you need." (AutoBlog)

Competitors

The California will be powered by a new V8 engine mounted for the first time in the marque’s history in the mid-front position. The engine develops 460 hp at 7,500 rpm with a torque curve that enhances vehicle dynamics and provides maximum driving pleasure which is typical for Ferrari. It makes the 0 to 60 mph sprint in less than 4 seconds, while top speed goes up to 192 mph. The California is priced at $197,350.

Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 Spyder

The Gallardo LP560-4 Spyder is powered by a 5.2 liter V10 engine that delivers a total of 560 hp and over 380 lb ft. of torque to all four wheels. It makes the 0 to 60 mph sprint in 4 seconds and can go up to 201 mph. The supercar is priced at $221,000.

Porsce 911 Turbo Cabriolet

The 911 Turbo Cabriolet is powered by a 3.6 liter six-cylinder ‘boxer’ engine with biturbo turbocharging and Variable Turbine Geometry (VTG). The engine delivers a total of 480 hp and 620 Nm of torque at 1950 rpm, or, with the optional “Sport Chrono Turbo Package”, up to 680 Nm. The sprint from 0 to 60 mph is made in 3,6 seconds and the top speed is 193 mph. The 911 Turbo Cabrio is price at $143,800.

Conclusion

Driving the same car as James Bond is every man’s dream. Of course you will have to pay the price for that, but you will get an elegant car, with an exclusive design and a luxurious interior. The DBS offers a ride quality like you have never imagined; an afternoon ride could easily become a life-time adventure.

So, yes, maybe we are a bit to enthusiastic about the DBS Volante, but we consider it truly worth all the money.