Aston Martin is readying a drop-top Roadster variant of its Vantage sports car for a spring 2020 unveiling, and our photographers have caught the model testing on public roads.
SEE IT HERE: Aston Martin reveals Vantage Roadster
The prototype in these images is wearing the same matte black camouflage as the model in Aston's official preview images, released last month, but shows the convertible is in an advanced stage of testing.
The hardtop coupé variant of the Vantage has been on sale in its current form since 2018, following its unveiling at the 2017 Los Angeles motor show, spearheading the British firm's design reinvention as part of CEO Andy Palmer's Second Century Plan.
The Roadster retains the low, wide stance of the coupé, with styling changes limited to the addition of a canvas folding soft-top. The Vantage's slim rear light bar and ducktail-style spoiler are retained, as are its prominent front splitter and rear diffuser.
With the introduction of the new Vantage Roadster, Aston Martin will offer a convertible variant of every model in its current line-up, except the four-door Aston Martin Rapide saloon, which is now on sale only inAston Martin performance-focused AMR form. It remains unclear whether the AMR variant of the Vantage, which features the only six-speed manual gearbox in the maker's range, will be offered as a drop-top.
No technical details of the Vantage Roadster have been revealed yet, but it’s expected to use the same 503bhp twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 as the coupé, albeit with a fractional performance sacrifice due to the extra weight of the folding roof and the required structural bracing.
Aston Martin has confirmed the model will become available globally in spring next year. As with the DB11 Volante, it can be expected to command an approximate 8% premium over the hardtop, suggesting a starting price of around £130,500.
The launch will follow the high-profile revealing of the limited-run DBS GT Zagato, which pairs the authentically recreated DB4 GT Zagato in Aston Martin's ultra-exclusive DBZ Centenary collection.
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