German Car Zone

James Bond's current motor of choice has gone topless. The DBS, Aston Martin's high-protein version of the DB9, has heretofore been sold only in coupe form. That changes with the introduction of the DBS Volante. In Aston speak, Volante means convertible, and S stands for Sport. The DBS is best known for its appearance in the two most recent 007 thrillers. Considering the careening, bullet-riddled ride it endured in the opening scene of "Quantum of Solace," it's best that Our Man James was riding in the closed model.

The conversion from coupe to convertible is straightforward yet well-detailed. Aston eschewed the currently fashionable notion of a retractable hardtop for three reasons: cost to develop, aesthetics, and a desire to preserve trunk space. We applaud the call. The DBS Volante looks fabulous, top up or down. The rich cloth adds a certain "British carriage nature" to the car's appearance, and the boot will at least hold your riding gear (plus its standard umbrella). All Volante tops are improved this year, with more insulation. While the DBS coupe can be had as a 2+2 or a pure two-seater with a package shelf aft of the seats, the DBS Volante is served 2+2 only. Front and rear chassis shear panels have been revised in the name of greater structural rigidity, and the DBS-level suspension has been retuned for open-air duty.

The rest is standard DBS fare: 5.9-liter, 510-horsepower V-12 up front, backed by your choice of Graziano six-speed manual or ZF six-speed automatic transaxles. The bodywork is largely aluminum, plus a few carbon fiber bits. Fully independent suspension. Pizza pan-size carbon ceramic brake rotors. Lots of hand-stitched leather and milled-aluminum trim. A 1000 watt Bang & Olufsen audio system that offers some of the clearest sound imaging to be heard in automobile. And a little aluminum plate in the engine compartment is signed off by the guy who gave the car its final inspection as it rolled off the Gaydon, England, assembly line. There are virtually no options, and if you don't like one of the standard colors, Aston Martin will mix one up to match whatever you like.……

2009 Aston Martin DBS Volante First Drive and Review - Motor Trend