Dropped Top: Aston Martin Vantage S Roadster Unveiled

 
                   

Posted By Zach Doell

           

Take a small, light sports car and add the most potent engine you can find. It’s a recipe that has set precedents in British automotive history, and it was Aston Martin’s plan of attack in the V12 Vantage S. Now, just revealed for 2015, there’s a drop top version.

Feast your eyes on the upcoming V12 Vantage S Roadster, the marque’s fastest and quickest-accelerating series production roadster…ever. But don’t worry; it can back up the lofty claim. Fitted with Aston’s mammoth 6.0-liter V12 engine, the Vantage S Roadster soars from nil to 60mph in a brisk 3.9 second, all the way up to a stratospheric 201 mph.


 

 

The striking figures don’t stop there either. The roadster summons 565 horsepower and 457 lb-ft of torque from its aural V12, up 55 hp and 37 lb-ft over the previous model. And seen in the latest teaser for the Vantage S, it certainly hasn’t lost any of its guttural exhaust-blown soundtrack.

Look past the pretty lines and flashy persona, and it’s quite the technical beast. Drive still goes to the rear tires, but for 2015 Aston has adopted its latest Sportshift III automated-manual gearbox, which replaces the six-speed manual found in the previous Vantage Roadster, saving 44lbs in the process.

The roadster also fits Aston’s three-stage adaptive damping system, allowing the driver to tailor the vehicle’s handling for the road and the track. Bordering on too techy for an Aston Martin however, power steering, gearshift response, dual levels of ABS, and exhaust note can all be tuned from the drivers seat.

Like the Vantage S Coupe, the roadster has ditched the aluminum vanes in the Aston Martin grille, replaced instead with a carbon fiber arrangement. Carbon fiber seems to be a recurring motif, as well. The interior features carbon fiber seats and cabin flourishes. Buyers can also spec their Vantage S with an optional exterior carbon pack with flared wheel arches.
 

The V12 Vantage S Roadster goes on sale later this year, pricing not yet announced.