The next great Aston Martin convertible has arrived

On Friday, Aston Martin unveiled the new DB11 Volante convertible.

Volante means "flying" in Italian and is Aston's designation for its convertible models.

The stylish drop-top is the third variant of Aston Martin's next-generation grand tourer to debut, after the V12 and V8 Coupes.

The new Volante is an important addition to Aston's lineup. The open roof GT is expected to account for half of all DB11 sales worldwide, Aston Martin CEO Dr. Andy Palmer told Business Insider.

The DB11 Volante will be powered by a new 503-horsepower, 4.0 -liter, twin-turbocharged V8 engine that debuted on the V8 Coupe.

For now, the convertible will be available exclusively with the V8. According to Palmer, Aston's decision to forgo the coupe's 600-horsepower V12 was based on the need to have the lighter V8 compensate for the added mass of the convertible body style.

Performance-wise, the DB11 is no slouch. According to the boutique sports car maker, the Volante can hit 60 mph in a brisk 4.1 seconds with a top speed of 187 mph. That's not far off the 3.9-second 0-60 time and 200 mph top speed of the much more powerful DB11 V12 coupe.

The V8's power finds its way to the rear wheels by way of an 8-speed automatic transmission.

For the Volante, Aston Martin decided to go with a canvas soft top as opposed to the always-popular folding metal roof. The canvas won out because it is easier to package and allowed designers to keep the height of the rear decklid low, thereby preserving the DB11's sleek lines, Palmer said. The convertible top can be controlled using the DB11's key fob and can operate at speeds of up to 31 mph.

Inside, the DB11 coupe's interior carries over to the Volante. That means tons of brogued leather, wood accents, and a Mercedes-Benz-sourced infotainment system. A new addition to the DB11's bag of tricks is the use of wood veneer on the Volante's seat backs. The design feature is meant to evoke the aesthetics of classic luxury yachts, Palmer added.

The new Aston Martin DB11 Volante is expected to arrive in showrooms during the summer of 2018 with a starting price of $216,495.

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