DB12 Volante combines adrenaline and comfort

In the process of developing a luxury sports car, moreover a convertible, such as the new (and luxurious) Aston Martin DB12 Volante one of the primary objectives of the engineers, in this case British, was to achieve the same or almost the same driving dynamics as the closed version. After all, noblesse oblige, and one of the priority interventions was to reinforce the upper anchor points of the suspension ensuring the right calibration to best absorb bumps and unevenness on the road.

It is no coincidence, then, that the test drive did not include a single kilometre on Germany's speed-limited autobahns, where there would have been a chance to unleash the 680 hp power of the twin-turbo 4-litre V8, but not to appreciate the handling and also the comfort of a bolide with an exaggerated sound, of which, fortunately, one can choose the volume thanks to a button on the central tunnel and thus pass more unnoticed on the roads surrounded by picturesque lakes, but also pretty farms just a stone's throw from the gloomy Black Forest.

DB12 Volante is 4,725 mm long, 1,980 mm wide and 1,205 mm high with a wheelbase of 2,805 mm. The mass of the car is 1,898 kg. The boot has a load capacity of 169 litres with the hood up and 206 litres when the car is closed.

The ease with which the British sports car enters bends even at sustained speed is certainly thanks to a steering that is not only very direct, but well assisted by Michelin Pilot Sport S5 tyres specially made to Aston Martin's specifications. Also good is the gearbox, an eight-speed ZF with a final drive ratio as suggested by the British manufacturer's technical staff.

It's just a pity that we didn't put a car that accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in just 3.7 seconds and, above all, is capable of a top speed of an impressive 325 km/h, to a little more test. On the other hand, the grand routier qualities of the DB12 Volante are beyond dispute. And here it was certainly Roberto Fedeli, the British brand's Italian Chief Technical Officier who was personally involved in making the car truly a technical benchmark in the world of top-of-the-range convertible sports cars and not just another derivation of a Coupé version.