There is an unspoken list of major social blunders to avoid as a wedding guest. Turning up late is one. Arriving in a car more attention-grabbing than the bride's is another, especially if that car is a roofless, thunderous Aston Martin Vanquish Volante.
This was the precise, glorious faux pas committed during a recent trip to North Wales. With a new drop-top supercar booked for the same weekend as the nuptials, it seemed like serendipity. The region boasts some of Britain's finest driving roads. The reality, however, was pulling up late to a stately home ceremony, every head swivelling from the bride's Bentley to our British V12 symphony. At least, we consoled ourselves, the Aston wasn't white.
The Ultimate British Grand Tourer: Power & Presence
Whether gatecrashing a wedding or cruising through town, an Aston Martin commands a unique reverence. Unlike its more flamboyant Italian rivals, it seldom attracts aggressive behaviour. Perhaps it's the James Bond pedigree or simple national pride, but the Vanquish Volante is treated with the respect its £345,000 price tag and bloodline demand.
This car is Aston Martin's flagship front-engined grand tourer. Its heart is a monstrous 5.2-litre twin-turbo V12 producing 835 horsepower and 738 lb ft of torque, channeled to the rear wheels via an eight-speed paddle-shift gearbox. It rockets from 0-62mph in 3.4 seconds and won't stop until 214mph. Its sole direct rival is the £366,500 Ferrari 12Cilindri Spider, though the Bentley Continental GTC Speed offers a £85,500 saving.
Living With a Two-Tonne, Two-Seater Beast
The Vanquish Volante's design is a masterclass in muscular elegance. It's a DB12 put on a weightlifting regime, with an extra 80mm in its front structure to accommodate the mighty V12. The multi-layered fabric roof is a work of art, folding away in 16 seconds while offering coupe-like insulation. The trade-off is a boot shrunk to just 187 litres when the roof is down.
Packing for a weekend tested this limit. We somehow squeezed in a carry-on case, a suit bag, and an ambitious six pairs of shoes. Under the carbon fibre bonnet, the engine is mounted far back for a near-perfect 49:51 weight distribution. The convertible is 95kg heavier than the coupe, with a dry weight of 1,869kg, swelling beyond two tonnes once fuelled and occupied.
Yet, with so much torque available from 2,500rpm and a 'boost reserve' for instant turbo response, this heft evaporates on the move. Our journey from the Midlands to Wales began in rain, using Wet mode (limiting torque), the roof up, and all heaters on—a decidedly unglamorous but very British start.
Technology & The Final V12 Roar
On the motorway, the Vanquish is a sublime cruiser. Double-glazed windows and noise-cancelling tyre tech create a serene cabin, beautifully finished with a welcome mix of physical buttons and twin 10.25-inch screens. Aston Martin is the first brand to introduce Apple CarPlay Ultra, allowing control of some car functions via the iPhone interface, though signal loss in rural Wales highlighted its reliance on mobile networks.
Only around 1,000 Vanquish models will be built annually worldwide, with two-thirds expected to be personalised by Aston's 'Q' division, potentially pushing prices over £400,000. This car's V12 is part of a dying breed. With the 2035 ban on new petrol engines looming, this is likely the last Vanquish V12.
It is determined to bow out with a bang. Roof down on Welsh A-roads, the engine's rumble builds to a searing crescendo, punctuated by explosive cracks from the titanium quad exhausts. It delivers its power differently to the high-revving, naturally-aspirated Ferrari V12, but the thrill is equally potent.
On twisting lanes, the car's wide hips demand respect, but on fast, flowing roads, it transforms. The electronic differential delivers fluent, throttle-adjustable balance, making all 835hp feel surprisingly approachable. It's an over-engined muscle car with the deftness of a thoroughbred sports car.
The trip ended on a rutted track our Airbnb called a driveway, forcing a 100-metre walk. A final glance back at the cooling Aston, its exhausts ticking softly, was a moment of pure automotive theatre. The wedding weekend promised fun, but the true anticipation was already for the long, roaring drive home in this ultimate British GT.
