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Aston Martin V12 Vantage Roadster makes debut

Aston Martin has pulled the covers off a limited run V12 convertible edition of its Vantage sports car, which can reach 60mph in 3.5 seconds

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Aston Martin has unveiled a convertible version of its V12 Vantage sports car at a luxury car show in California this week.

The Aston Martin Vantage is already available in Roadster soft-top guise with a V8 engine, but it is now joined by a twin-turbocharged 12-cylinder version, which gives the convertible 700hp and a 0-60mph sprint time of 3.5 seconds, as well as a top speed of 200mph.

This is around 200hp more than the V8 Vantage Roadster that has been on sale since 2021, although that extra power only improves the 0-60mph dash by a tenth of a second.

As you’d expect, the new soft-top shares its foundations with the recently-announced V12 Vantage coupé, but with a number of additional tweaks. The suspension has been re-tuned to account for the added weight of the roof mechanism, and in an effort to add traction in fast corners, the convertible is 4cm wider than its coupé counterpart.

As a weight-saving measure, the front bumper, bonnet, front fenders and side sills are made from carbon fibre, and a lighter stainless steel exhaust system has been fitted to save a further 7kg.

Aston Martin says that it has made some exterior design revisions over the V8 Vantage Roadster, most notably the addition of a full-width front splitter to increase downforce, and a larger grille and horseshoe-shaped bonnet vent to increase cooling for the more powerful engine.

At the rear, the V12 Vantage is optionally available with a rear spoiler (something missing from the V8 Vantage Roadster equipment list), and a choice of two different 21-inch alloy wheel designs.

Inside, the car comes with carbon fibre sports seats trimmed in leather as standard. If you are not a fan of the navy and cream interior colour scheme, Aston Martin offers the services of its ‘bespoke’ personalisation service, ‘Q’, who can change the colour of the bodywork, carbon fibre features and leather upholstery to meet your preferences.

Aston Martin V12 Vantage Roadster

The V8 Vantage Roadster already on sale costs north of £130,000, but there has been no word from the manufacturer about this new V12 version’s pricing. Not that it matters too much – only 249 models are in production for sale worldwide, all of which are currently reserved.

The Aston Martin Vantage range has received unanimously positive reviews from the UK motoring media since its arrival in 2018 – considered to be a huge step forward dynamically from the previous-generation Vantage. It currently holds an Expert Rating of 76%.

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Sean Rees
Sean Rees
Sean is the Deputy Editor at The Car Expert. A enthusiastic fan of motorsport and all things automotive, he is accredited by the Professional Publishers Association, and is now focused on helping those in car-buying need with independent and impartial advice.