ASTON MARTIN V8 Volante 1978-1989 Photos, engines & full specs

While his hard-top cousin V-8 Vantage gathered all the glory as a company car for an MI-6 employee named Bond, the Volante version got the attention deserved by a luxurious convertible.

Aston Martin had a long history with open-top vehicles and even patented its own designated name for them: Volante (flying – Latin). The British carmaker tried to convince its customers that the V-8 model was, in fact, a Grand Tourer and not a sports car. It was shown in the opening scene of “The Living Daylights” movie. But that was not its only good side.

From the outside, the British Grand Tourer featured a low height, a long hood with a bulge in the middle, that differentiated it from the other Aston Martin V8 (Series 3) model. In the front, it featured two round headlights and two additional fog-lights. Its canvas-roof was retractable behind the rear seats/parcel.

The exclusive interior design featured a mix of wood and leather. While the front bucket seats with high-bolstered areas promised a good, comfortable ride in the back, the carmaker offered an option for two individual seats or a parcel to store more luggage for a very long trip. When retracted, the roof was protected by a vinyl cover.

Under the hood, there was a 5.3-liter engine that offered 305 hp when it was introduced. With a different set of carburetors, that was able to provide up to 403 hp after 1986. The early models featured a 5-speed manual, while the later ones received a 6-speed manual.