Volante Vision Concept: Sneak preview of Aston Martin’s ‘sports car of the skies’

Aston Martin unveiled plans for its Volante Vision Concept, a flying three-seater luxury sports car that could hit speeds of up to 200mph, at the Farnborough International Airshow

Sometimes there’s just not enough road ahead to get up to full speed – but the Aston Martin Volante Vision Concept shouldn’t have that problem.

The British luxury vehicle brand’s “sports car of the skies” is a futuristic personal aircraft that could hit speeds of about 200mph – enabling owners to travel from Birmingham to London city centres in half an hour.

In keeping with other flying cars in the design and prototype phase, it has vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) capabilities.

But unlike many of those concepts, the hybrid-electric Volante Vision Concept aims to offer luxury personal transportation in aviation.

Although only in the design stage right now, the company hopes to have a flying version ready for the next show in two years’ time.

Aston Martin’s Volante Vision Concept will overcome congestion problems

Aston Martin president and CEO Dr Andy Palmer said: “With the population in urban areas continuing to grow, congestion in towns and cities will become increasingly demanding.

“We need to look at alternative solutions to reduce congestion, cut pollution and improve mobility.

“Air travel will be a crucial part in the future of transportation, the Volante Vision Concept is the ultimate luxury mobility solution.

“Humans have always spent on average, one hour commuting to and from work. The distance we live from our workplace has been determined by the methods of transportation available.

“The Volante Vision Concept will enable us to travel further with our hourly commute, meaning we are able to live further away from where we work.

“Cities will grow, and towns that are today too far away from cities to be commutable will become suburban.

“With Aston Martin and our ‘dream team’ of British innovation across industry and academia, we are positioned to change the future of transportation, giving our customers a new dimension of freedom.”

Rolls-Royce partners Aston Martin in Volante Vision Concept project

The three-seater Volante Vision Concept will have autonomous flying capability for both urban and inter-city air travel.

The idea has been created with help from some of the world’s best aerospace experts, propulsion specialists and designers at Rolls-Royce, Cranfield University and Cranfield Aerospace Solutions.

Professor Iain Gray, director of aerospace at Cranfield University, said the “forward-thinking” project showcases British innovation at its best.

Cranfield Aerospace Solutions CEO Paul Hutton said: “The introduction of autonomous and electric propulsion technologies into new aircraft designs is both inevitable and challenging and, as the UK’s leading aircraft design and production SME, we are excited to be playing this key role in the Volante Vision Concept and so to be at the vanguard of this revolution in aerospace.”

Rolls-Royce electrical director Rob Watson added: “Rolls-Royce has already delivered hybrid-electric systems for other applications including ships and trains, and we’re very excited about the potential of the technology in aerospace.

“This is a great opportunity to collaborate on a pioneering project which will use high performance hybrid-electric propulsion technologies for personal air mobility concepts that could transform the future of transportation.”

As the designer of cars such as the Aston Martin DB11, new Vantage, DBS Superleggera and Aston Martin Valkyrie hypercar project, Aston Martin EVP and chief creative officer Marek Reichman holds the key to the distinctive design language of the new Aston Martins.

He said: “We are at the beginning of a new generation of urban transportation, vertical mobility is no longer a fantasy.

“We have a unique chance to create a luxury concept aircraft that will represent the ultimate fusion of art and technology.

“We have used forms and proportions that express the same devotion to design, engineering and beauty that shape our cars.”