Aston Martin seems to be on a roll at present, with a raft of new and updated sports cars launched during the past 12 months.
Following in the tyre tracks of the mid-engined Valhalla hypercar, limited-edition Valiant and new V12 Vanquish, the latest arrival from this British marque is the 2025 Vantage Roadster.
Based on the Vantage coupe we drove last summer, the al fresco Vantage boasts more power than ever before – and has been ‘engineered for real drivers’, promises Aston Martin.
Vantage drops its top
‘Real drivers’ will be delighted to know that the twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 from the Vantage coupe has made the transition to the Roadster.
An extra 155hp versus its predecessor endows the new Vantage Roadster with 665hp, alongside 590lb ft of torque. This allows for 0-62mph in 3.6 seconds – 0.1 seconds slower than the coupe – plus an identical top speed of 202mph.
Further upgrades include an electronically controlled rear differential, responsible for transferring all that power to the road. An eight-speed ZF paddle-shift automatic transmission comes as standard, too.
Aston Martin developed both versions of the Vantage in parallel, but each received bespoke chassis tuning. The Vantage Roadster comes with Bilstein DTX adaptive dampers, which have been recalibrated to account for its added weight.
A ‘no compromise’ convertible
The Vantage Roadster makes use of a Z-folding fabric soft-top, said to be the fastest-opening electric roof on the market. Dropping the car’s top takes just 6.8 seconds, and can be done at speeds of up to 31mph.
The roof, along with additional chassis bracing and rollover protection, adds a modest 60kg to the weight of the Roadster. Simon Newton, director of vehicle performance at Aston Martin, says there has been “no compromise upon removal of the roof”.
On the inside, the Vantage Roadster is the latest model to feature Aston Martin’s proprietary infotainment system. Developed in-house, the 10.25-inch central display was described as possibly ‘the biggest improvement Aston Martin has made’ when our Tim Pitt drove the Vantage in 2024.
Here comes the sun
Personalising the Vantage Roadster will be a key part of the buying process for many customers, with three new paint colours – Iridescent Sapphire, Satin Iridescent Sapphire and Bronze Flare – all now available.
The bespoke ‘Q by Aston Martin’ service is offered for those who want to go further, including a choice of nine different alloy wheel designs and six paint options for the brake calipers.
No prices have been announced for the Roadster yet, but expect to pay a premium of at least £15,000 on top of the £165,000 asked for a ‘standard’ Vantage.
Production of the Vantage Roadster will begin in the second quarter of 2025, which should see the first deliveries timed perfectly for summer driving fun.
ALSO READ:
New Aston Martin Valhalla revealed: what you need to know
Aston Martin Vanquish 2024 review
Aston Martin DBX707 2024 review
The post New Aston Martin Vantage Roadster will be ready for the summer appeared first on Motoring Research.
