The Aston Martin V8 survived the company's changes of ownership and financial upheavals of the 1970s, appearing in numerous variants, one of the more exclusive being the Volante convertible.

Introduced in response to customers' demands for such a car, the latter first appeared in June 1978.

Arguably the ultimate in soft-top luxury, the Volante boasted a lined, power-operated hood which, when erected, endowed the walnut embellished interior with all the solidity and refinement associated with the saloon version.

Although its open-car aerodynamics meant that top speed suffered with the hood down, the Volante's 140mph-plus maximum nevertheless ranked it among the world's fastest convertibles.

V8 Volante chassis numbers ran from '15001' to '15849', a total of 849 cars.

Although introduced in 1978, the Volante (convertible) did not become available to high-performance Vantage specification until 1986.

Along with the more powerful Vantage engine and its associated bonnet came flared wh...