2018 Aston Martin DB11 Volante Review

Convertibles are almost always heavier than the hardtop models on which they’re based.

You’d think that chopping the lid off a car would result in a leaner, meaner machine, but the additional reinforcements required to prevent these vehicles from feeling like a pair of wagons connected by an overcooked lasagna noodle offset any losses netted by all those top-side cutbacks.

Despite their voluminous engineering expertise, not even Aston Martin can steer around this apparent law of physics: convertibles are chunky.

In the process of losing its fixed lid, the 2018 Aston Martin DB11 Volante gained a not-outrageous 243 pounds (110 kilograms), 98 of which (44.6 kilograms) went into bolstering its structure. There are thicker sill extrusions, a different windshield surround, the rear bulkhead has been changed and, of course, they’ve added rollover hoops for passenger protection should you have a really, really bad day and manage to flip the car.

But a key takeaway with this new convertible is that performance has not been affected by the added mass it hauls around. With a husky curb weight of around 4,134 pounds, the DB11 Volante can still hit 62 miles an hour (100 km/h) in as little as 4.1 seconds. That sprint time is just one-tenth slower than what the coupe model can deliver, thanks to better traction from the extra pounds over its rear end. Essentially, in real-world driving, you’re never going to notice a difference between these two cars, other than, of course, the ability to sunbathe while driving the Volante version.

Delivering that breathtaking acceleration is a familiar friend, an Aston Martin-tuned 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 sourced from Mercedes-AMG. As in the coupe model, it’s rated at 503 brake horsepower and 498 foot-pounds of torque. A perfectly on-point eight-speed automatic gearbox sends all that twisty goodness to the car’s meaty rear tires.

SEE ALSO: Aston Martin DB11 V8 Tuned to Sound Like an Aston Martin

Curiously, the unequivocally orchestral V12 available in coupe versions of the DB11 will not be offered here. Aston Martin spokes folks say this engine is undesirably heavy for this application where they’ve already added a fair bit of weight.

A dozen cylinders or not, acceleration is fiery, with the Volante’s powertrain making all kinds of great noises as it works. The exhaust, in particular, really wails when you bury your right foot, burbling and popping with each upshift, histrionics that are especially noticeable when the top is tucked away.

Helping enable this thrill-show is an astute eight-speed automatic transmission. Refined when you’re cruising about town, this gearbox can nonetheless shift with frightening speed when the DB11 is in one of its sport modes.

On the subject of driving-modes, Aston Martin lets you fine-tune how the Volante behaves in action. There are three damper setting and three options for the chassis and powertrain. I found myself just leaving the dampers in their softest setting, which provides a surprisingly smooth ride and the tiniest wisp of body roll.

The car’s ragtop can be retracted or deployed at speeds up to 31 miles an hour (50 km/h), opening in as little as 14 seconds (putting it back again takes an additional two seconds). Also, it’s powered by a new hydraulic mechanism that’s far smoother and quieter than previous systems employed.

During development this entire assembly was subjected to 100,000 cycles in special weather chambers to simulate 10 years’ worth of use in just a month, meaning it should last for the long haul.

For better noise attenuation, this roof is comprised of eight layers. Even when driven in anger, the Volante’s cabin remains relatively serene. During testing, no obtrusive ruckus from either the wind or road surface made its way into the car’s well-isolated cabin.

SEE ALSO: 2018 Aston Martin DB11 V12 Review

Engineers opted to go with a fabric roof instead of a hardtop for several reasons. First, it would have been impossible to get the sweeping body shape they wanted using pressed metal. Second, is packaging. A hard lid would have been incredibly difficult to fit within the DB11’s already snug body. As it is, the rear fenders had to be elevated by 0.43 inches (11 millimeters) just to accommodate the ragtop assembly, which supposedly has the industry’s lowest folded height of just 10.24 inches (260 millimeters).