Aston Martin is gearing up to reveal a brand new model at Pebble Beach, and although the brand has stopped short of confirming it will be the new DB12 Volante, we’ve already seen the car undergoing final stages of development so it’s highly likely that the new soft-top model will gets its first official outing at Monterey Car Week.
The unveiling of this new model – likely to be the DB12 Volante – coincides with the British firm’s 110th anniversary celebrations, which will be marked at Pebble Beach by the presence of the recently unveiled Valour limited-run special, the mid-engine Valhalla PHEV supercar and the DBX 707.
We’ve spotted the new DB12 Volante testing multiple times before, so a full reveal soon is certainly in the offing. In our latest photos, despite the camouflage, we can clearly see design elements shared with the DB12 coupe. As with previous Aston Martin Volante models, changes to the body work compared to the coupe will be minimal, with the only visible alteration being the fabric roof.
If the DB12 coupe is anything to go by, the Volante will feature the traditional proportions of the Gaydon firm’s flagship car, with a long, loping bonnet, aggressive rear haunches and, of course, the iconic grille shape.
Several design characteristics of the DB11 will be carried over, such as the air vents flowing out of the front wheel arches. Flushing-fitting door handles will also be used and we can expect a twin-exit exhaust system to the rear.
An interior shot of the DB12 has been released by Aston Martin so we’ve seen a multi-screen setup mixed with a few physical controls for the more frequently used functions. We should really see an identical dash to the coupe here, with a bespoke Aston Martin set up and a 10.25-inch infotainment system with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity.
The DB12 coupe was launched with a reworked version of a Mercedes-sourced 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine. We don’t expect any changes with the powertrain in the Volante, which means 671bhp and 800Nm – the drop-top might not be able to match the coupe’s 0-60mph time of 3.5 seconds and 202mph top speed.
We expect the DB12 Volante to go on sale later this year and while there’s no word on pricing, it should cost slightly more than the £185,000 DB12 coupe.
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