We live in the era of the electric car—lightning that can't be put back in its bottle. This is important to keep in mind when we talk about new cars like the Aston Martin Vanquish Volante, because on paper, it seems hard to justify its half-million-dollar price tag and 800-plus horsepower twin-turbo V12 when things like Rivian's Quad-motor R1 vehicles and Lucid's Air can top its numbers for half the price. I say this not to suck the air out of the room but to put things in perspective, as this was on my mind when I slid into the driver's seat of Aston's latest ultra-luxury option.
What I was quickly reminded of, however, is that this is decadence, which, by its nature, does not need to be justified. Nobody needs an Aston Martin; you want one. You don't simply drive it, either; you indulge in it.
Layer cake
Aston Martin's current state of affairs is a strong one. Thanks to the efforts of Executive Chairman Lawrence Stroll course-correcting the wayward ship of Aston Martin Lagonda—nobody remembers the Lagonda part, not even AML—the brand's portfolio contains four core vehicles, with several derivatives like the Vantage S on their way. This also includes the Volante, or convertible versions, such as this one, which is the fastest and most powerful mainline Aston Martin convertible ever made.
