- The 2026 Aston Martin Vantage Roadster has arrived, with a 4.0L twin-turbo V8 making 656 hp
- It uses that power to pull off the zero-to-60-mph (-96-km/h) trick in just 3.5 seconds
- The drop-top Aston goes on sale mid-year, with price not yet disclosed
A new drop-top Aston Martin is always cause for celebration, especially when it can reach a top speed of 202 mph (323 km/h) and look like a million bucks whilst getting there. But don’t spare a tear for the moneyed one-per-centers whose coiffure will be ruined by such velocities — they can probably afford to have a hairstylist on retainer.
Behold the 2026 Aston Martin Vantage Roadster. Under its sultry bonnet sits a twin-turbo 4.0L V8 engine wailing out 656 horsepower and 590 lb-ft of torque. That’s an even 800 newton-metres, if you’re wondering, marking huge jumps of 153 hp and 85 tq compared to the last time Aston offered a topless Vantage. Those improvements come down mainly to larger turbos, revised camshaft profiles, and an optimised compression ratio. All that power is funnelled through the rear wheels, and good for a zero-to-60-mph (96-km/h) acceleration time of just 3.5 seconds.
Weight, compared to the slick-top 2025 Vantage, is said to have increased by just 60 kilograms (132 lbs) despite the different roof and structural enhancements. Aston says this car and the metal-roofed coupe were developed in parallel rather than in sequence, meaning the team was able to account for an expected shift in weight distribution after sawing the top off. The roof itself can apparently vanish in less than seven seconds at speeds up to 50 km/h.
The planning paid off, producing a convertible with a 49-51 front-to-rear weight distribution; and the ability to give its Bilstein DTX adaptive dampers a bespoke tune. Brake discs the size of a dinner plate and calipers the size of a bread loaf haul the Vantage Roadster down from felonious velocities, working in concert with gummy Michelin Pilot Sport S 5 tires.
Aston Martin convertibles have generally always been leg-wobblingly gorgeous, save for a brief moment when the brand was wrestling with its new styling direction. This one hits the spot with an appropriate number of strakes and creases along its flanks, along with a bulging hood and grille that seem ready to vacuum up road debris. This is a car which might clean up on the pavement, literally and figuratively.
There will be 21 official colours, but we bet Aston will paint it whatever colour you wish, provided one supplies a sufficiently large cheque to the Q by Aston Martin personalisation service.
The roof looks good whist up, not like some other costly convertibles which appear to have donned a tramp’s hat, such is the visual challenge they pose with disjointed body lines. Stowed away, there is no need for a bulky tonneau cover, so the whole works can flow and slope easily backwards to the kicked-up area of that distinctive rear spoiler.
Inside, driver and passenger can enjoy a banging Bowers & Wilkins sound system appended to the 10.25-inch infotainment tablet, packed with all manner of gesture commands. Because it is likely Bond himself prefers it, there remain plenty of finely knurled buttons for key mechanical operations such as gear selection, drive selection, heating, and ventilation. It’s all very symmetrical, with a row of buttons flanking the gear selector and topped by dials for temp and audio volume. A large starter button takes an elegant centre stage.
Aston Martin expects deliveries of the 2026 Vantage Roadster to commence in Q2 2025.
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