Aston Martin has taken the covers off its newest offering – the DBS Superleggera Volante. It becomes the second convertible product under the company’s ‘Second Century Plan’. While that might not be enough to run a shiver down your spine, the following fact surely will – it is the fastest convertible that Aston Martin has ever produced. And let’s not argue, with the soft-top folded away it is a beauty to behold.

Powering the 2+2 convertible is the same engine that does duty in the DBS Superleggera Coupé. It is a 5.2-litre V12, which is boosted by two turbochargers. The result is 725PS of power and a mammoth 900Nm of torque. The oomph is fed to the rear wheels via an 8-speed automatic transmission. Aston Martin claims that the setup is enough for a 0-100kmph time of 3.6 seconds (0.2 seconds slower than the fixed-roof version) and a top speed of 340kmph – the same as the Coupé’s.

Then there’s the DBS Superleggera Volante’s party piece – the foldaway roof. It takes just 14 seconds to open and get neatly stacked behind the rear seats. Aston Martin claims that the class-leading stack height of 260mm ensures the best of both worlds – delivers a seamless rear profile of the grand tourer and offer a good amount of luggage space. The closing operation takes 16 seconds to complete but you don’t have to be inside the car for it to finish. It can be done with the remote key, which has to be within a two-metre radius of the car.

Though the DBS Superleggera Volante is no track monster, it does have volcanic power. There comes the need for downforce, for it should stick to the road on high-speed runs and turns. Compared to the Coupé, the Volante’s 177kg of maximum downforce is just 3kg shy. And, no points for guessing, the lists of standard and optional features are extensive, to say the least.

Needless to say, the Volante is costlier than its fixed-roof sibling. At current exchange rates, the convertible grand tourer would cost Rs 2.24 crore in the UK, which is nearly Rs 20 lakh more. Aston Martin says that deliveries of the DBS Superleggera Volante will commence in the third quarter of this year.