Aston Martin has been teasing the much-anticipated DB11 Volante since last year. Today, spy photos are now all over the internet revealing the new model testing at every automaker's favorite testing facility in Nurburgring.
On the aesthetic side, there's not much difference from the coupe aside from the roof itself. The latest sighting by the spy photographers reveals that the Volante was sporting a gray canvas soft top and a very light camouflage around its rear section.
The Volante could be powered by the similar 5.2-liter twin-turbocharged V12 engine from the traditional DB11, the new Aston Martin DB11 Volante isn't expected to stay too from the standard 600-hp rating. It's also anticipated that it will keep the superb eight-speed ZF automatic gearbox.
One of the expected changes will be the car's weight, as a power retractable soft top will surely add some weight to the already heavy vehicle. However, the additional weight won't affect the Volante's performance because chopping off the roof gives the driver and passengers closer to the Aston Martin's V12 concerto.
Meanwhile, after the launch of the Volante, Aston Martin is said to introduce its new twin-turbocharged V8 entry-level coupe and convertible variants to complete the DB11 lineup. These brand new twin-turbocharged V8 engine will be borrowed from the Mercedes-AMG, which already signed a technical partnership with Aston Martin.
However, it's still unknown on what exactly Mercedes-AMG will be giving to Aston Martin. Some speculations suggest that it will likely be some version of the brand's twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 that is available in the C63, E63, AMG GT S, and other AMG vehicles.
Furthermore, the automaker said that the production version of the Aston Martin DB11 Volante wouldn't be around until the spring of 2018. Even though it's very clear that the development of the Volante is progressing at a fast pace, the side of the test mule still has the "Opening Spring 2018" decal. which means that customers still have a bit of a wait before they can have one.
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