Q by Aston Martin ‘A3’ Vantage Roadster revealed – retro nod to its earliest ancestor

The oldest surviving Aston Martin in existence, a model known as the ‘A3’, has recently turned 100 so to celebrate Aston Martin has revealed a run of three highly customised examples of today’s Vantage Roadster, featuring a range of bespoke design elements and materials referencing that original model. 

Built by Aston Martin’s Q department, the Roadster is based on a standard Vantage Roadster fitted with the ‘Vaned Grille’, but replaces the traditional slats with a bespoke black mesh insert framed by a polished surround. This bespoke nature extends to some of the car’s other exterior elements such as its fender infill, which is finished in hand-polished aluminium with leather straps integrated into the panel’s undercut. 

The body itself is finished in black metallic and paired with a forged 20-inch wheel design, also in black, plus a set of Bronze brake calipers. The exterior lowers are also gloss black, as opposed to the optional carbon finish, so too the role-hoop garnishes and diffuser vanes. 

Inside, even more bespoke work has been added, with a new vertical ribbed leather seat covered in Obsidian Black leather, contrasted with Chestnut Tan highlights for the centre console and stitching. There’s also bespoke embroidery on the interior cubby between the seats, featuring Aston Martin’s heritage logo in period script. Most dramatically, the air conditioning rotary knobs are made from milled brass, as opposed to the milled aluminium of standard Vantages.

The Vantage’s fundamentals are all otherwise the same as a standard Vantage Roadster, making use of AMG’s M177 4-litre V8 engine, eight-speed automatic gearbox and electronically controlled limited slip differential.

With just the three units to be built by Q, Aston has not revealed pricing of its exclusive new special edition, but all three are available to order now.