There is a certain kind of person who buys a convertible sports car. They’re not interested in practicality. They don’t care about cargo space. And they certainly aren’t worried about fuel economy, because if you’re the sort of person who tracks miles per gallon, you are not the sort of person who buys an Aston Martin.

What you really want is noise, speed and a vehicle that makes you look like you’ve just arrived from a yacht somewhere in the Mediterranean. Which is exactly why the 2026 Aston Martin Vantage S Convertible exists. Aston Martin has always been very good at designing cars that look expensive, even when parked next to a private jet.

The Vantage S takes the already handsome Vantage and makes it slightly angrier. The grille is wider, the vents are sharper, and there’s a small but meaningful spoiler on the back. From certain angles it looks less like a car and more like a predator crouched in tall grass. Without question, it’s one of the most beautiful sports cars on sale today. But beauty is expected. And the S? I’ll let you guess.

To aid you, consider that under its hood resides a 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V-8 supplied by Mercedes-AMG and tuned by Aston Martin engineers who appear to have taken a solemn oath to make it as ridiculously powerful as possible. The result is roughly 670 horsepower, 14 horsepower more than the standard Vantage. Now, 670 horsepower channeled through the rear wheels in a two-seat convertible is like giving a chainsaw to a caffeinated squirrel. It’s not remotely sensible. Put your foot down and the car lunges forward like it’s just remembered it left the oven on. Sixty miles per hour arrives in about 3.3 seconds, and if you keep going it hits 202 mph.

And, of course, the best way to drive this car is with the roof down.

The fabric top folds away in seconds, leaving you exposed to the elements and, more importantly, to the sound of this roadster’s V-8. It doesn’t merely roar. It detonates. It crackles. It bangs and snarls like an artillery barrage conducted by heavy-metal musicians. Shifting gears generates a thunderclap from the exhaust that makes small children cheer and environmentally conscious cyclists faint. You downshift just to hear the apocalypse echo.

Once upon a time, Aston Martins were gorgeous, if slightly soft. They were grand tourers rather than proper sports cars. This one, however, has had a serious workout. The chassis is stiffer and the suspension has been retuned. So, when you approach a corner, no doubt faster than planned, the car doesn’t panic. It grips. The front-end bites into the road, the rear follows obediently like the finest automotive ballerina, and you come out the other side feeling like a driving god. That is, until the next corner, when your partner reminds you that you’re not.

Inside, the 2026 Aston Martin Vantage S is exactly what you expect from an Aston Martin. Leather and Alcantara everywhere, a 10.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a 12.5-inch touchscreen fitted with Apple CarPlay Ultra that proves Aston Martin has finally joined the 21st century.

The seats are magnificently firm. They’re heated and ventilated as well, though the heating system seems to have the temperament of a bored aristocrat, switching itself on whenever it desires, even while the ventilation is blowing cool air at full blast. Why? Because it’s British.

Still, the driving position is absolutely perfect. You sit low, staring down a hood that suggests serious speed is about to occur. And the cabin smells like the inside of a billionaire’s briefcase, the sort of expensive aroma that implies a discreet tax arrangement.

Being a proper sports car, practicality has been politely shown the door. Storage is minimal. That said, it did manage to swallow my friend Dane’s absurd 29-inch suitcase and his carry-on bag. The downside was that he then had to sit holding my perfectly sensible 19-inch suitcase on his lap for the entire journey; frankly an appropriate punishment for a man who packs as though he’s fleeing civilization. That said, if you’re the sort of person who buys a 670-horsepower British roadster and then starts fretting about cupholders, you have fundamentally misunderstood the assignment.

Ah, yes, there is one small snag: the price. My 2026 Aston Martin Vantage S Convertible started at $211,000 and bottom lined at $249,500. For that much money, you can buy a perfectly decent condominium or (if you’re feeling particularly nostalgic) about 50 Japanese cars from the era of the second Bush administration. But here’s the thing. None of those will make complete strangers stop and stare as if they’ve just seen a UFO land in the parking lot. And that’s the point.

The 2026 Aston Martin Vantage S Convertible is fast. It’s loud. It’s rare. It’s outrageously expensive. And it’s completely unnecessary, which is precisely why it’s superb. Because the world doesn’t need another sensible car. It needs a 670-horsepower British convertible that sounds like the end of civilization and makes you laugh like a lunatic every time you press the throttle.

In fact, it might just be one of the best Aston Martins ever built.

2026 Aston Martin S Vantage Roadster

Base price: $211,000

Powertrain: Twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8

Horsepower/Torque: 670/590 pound-feet

EPA rating (combined city/highway): 18 mpg

Fuel required: Premium

Length/Width/Height: 177/78/50 inches

Ground clearance: 3.7 inches

Cargo capacity: 12 cubic feet

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