Aston Martin Vantage Roadster

We love the Vantage coupé, but can the Roadster deliver roof-down thrills and a pure driving experience? On sale Late 2025 Price from £175,000

- STUART MILNE [e-mail]

CONVERTIBLES ARE OFTEN to live music what coupés are to a compact disc. You know you'll get a better sound from your home audio set-up, but there's nothing as visceral as seeing your favourite band live. The excitement and energy that comes from live music can't be replicated elsewhere, and nor can the assault on the senses you get from a drop-top sports car.

The Aston Martin Vantage Roadster is no mere tribute act to the coupé, either. It was developed alongside the fixed-roof model, and that's immediately apparent when you open and close a door with the reassuring thunk of something solid.

Yet it's even more apparent on the move, because - regardless of whether the roof is up or down - the Vantage Roadster feels magnificently taut, without the creaking, groaning or flexing that comes with less rigid drop-tops.