RE: Spotted: Aston Martin Vanquish S manual

RE: Spotted: Aston Martin Vanquish S manual

Author
Discussion

Armen

252 posts

147 months

Wednesday 20th June 2012
quotequote all
Only 2570 ever built between 2001 and 2007 (only 1080 of them were Vanquish S)
Certainly the most beautiful Aston of modern area
Last AM ever built at Newport-Pagnell
Vanquish is a DIVA

James B

1,300 posts

243 months

Wednesday 20th June 2012
quotequote all
As an owner of a Vanquish S I suppose I'm qualified to chip in here. Maybe the early cars were slightly less reliable and may have felt somewhat cobbled together but I'll guarantee that nobody leaves my car without having to find every superlative available to describe the experience. The looks, refinement and driveability of the Vanquish S is unbelievable and all without the "that prick in the Porsche/Ferrari/Lamborghini" mentalility from onlookers which is nice. wink

As for the manual conversion... Well I had made my mind up before collecting my car that it would be getting the manual conversion and that was that. Call me old fashioned but I love the feel of a proper gear lever and clutch so the much maligned automated manual shift in the Vanq would be getting changed at the earliest opportunity. Then I drove it home. Jersey to Aberdeen... cloud9 I made three or four times as many gearshifts as was required for the journey but I challenge anyone not to do the same when presented with the opportunity to hear the crackle from the exhaust after the wee auto-blip on the downshift. I also watched the same Top Gear review where JC was unable to get the next gear down.....I am yet to be able to recreate that in the car...maybe it's just because I only try to select a gear that will work at the speed i'm doing??? rolleyes

As far as i'm concerned the automated manual system in the Vanquish is perfect. Yes, i'm a mere mortal and the car is only ever going to see roads not tracks but it does all I want from a gear shift and I can't think of a single thing it can't do that others can. If I had to find a failing in the system then it would have to be the ASM (automatic shifting) function. It's trying to be a full auto in this mode but does it so unpredictably and is somewhat jerkier that normal 'manual' shifting with the paddles. It has been on a few times but really isn't worth using so I doubt I'll use it again.

Anyway, it's pretty much the best all round driving car I've driven and I've been through a few. Okay, there are cars that specialise in certain areas like handling, out and out performance and practicality but lets be honest, the latter isn't what the discerning Vanq buyer is after. The Vanq does however have a proper boot which my golf spanners fit into as well as some weekend luggage. There is always the usual rear seat storage in GT cars where the, completely unuseable by anyone over 5ft with legs, "+2" seats are. laugh

I find the car is quick but my Subaru track car would have it to 120mph. After that displacement takes over and this is when the Vanq comes alive. It's relentlessly pulling to the limiter in every gear. I haven't actually pulled for 6th after the top of 5th yet because it's already at some pretty lively speeds but I know exactly what it would feel and sound like!

As mentioned before I'm not a driving great but I can hustle a car along the A's and B's in the Scottish Highlands as well as the next guy and I can tell you; this car handles. Admittedly I have had the geo fully setup as it was off when I got it but the good chaps at Clark Motorsport in the 'Shire have worked their magic to dial in the factory S settings and it feels planted. It's also suprisingly sensible in the wet not just for an 1800kg rwd 520bhp car but for most cars. The creature comforts like auto wipers and lights help and so does the bluetooth. The car is as refined as my Discovery and I can cover mileages in it without fatigue just like the Disco.

As for values, I think the Vanq is going to go the way of the 964RS and the like. It's the last handbuilt Aston, it's got the looks, the right engine and was rare enough not to be seen daily for most people. I had the money and the choice between the Ferrari and the Aston and I know I chose wisely. driving




don logan

3,511 posts

221 months

Wednesday 20th June 2012
quotequote all
Has anyone else noticed the DIABOLICAL styling faux pas at the rear of the car?

I like the Vanquish more than any other Aston since the late 80s (One 77 aside) but to put what look like Bicycle reflectors either side of the exhaust is pathetic!

May as well have seperate fog lights and a reverse light dangling on brackets too!

Manual transmission 100% though!


kambites

67,461 posts

220 months

Wednesday 20th June 2012
quotequote all
don logan said:
... but to put what look like Bicycle reflectors either side of the exhaust is pathetic!
hehe The Elise is exactly the same, it does look a bit daft.

Wadeski

8,132 posts

212 months

Wednesday 20th June 2012
quotequote all
The original Vanquish always looked too....fat to me, compared to the sublime DB7 Vantage it replaced.

James B

1,300 posts

243 months

Wednesday 20th June 2012
quotequote all
don logan said:
Has anyone else noticed the DIABOLICAL styling faux pas at the rear of the car?

I like the Vanquish more than any other Aston since the late 80s (One 77 aside) but to put what look like Bicycle reflectors either side of the exhaust is pathetic!

May as well have seperate fog lights and a reverse light dangling on brackets too!
Haha! Actually, that's the car's one styling failing. Why on earth they chose not to incorporate reflectors into the rear lights I'll never know. I was on an AMOC tour at the weekend and was discussing this exact topic. We wondered how hard it would be to remove the reflectors and fit some into the lights. I may take a look at this one day.

don logan

3,511 posts

221 months

Wednesday 20th June 2012
quotequote all
James B said:
don logan said:
Has anyone else noticed the DIABOLICAL styling faux pas at the rear of the car?

I like the Vanquish more than any other Aston since the late 80s (One 77 aside) but to put what look like Bicycle reflectors either side of the exhaust is pathetic!

May as well have seperate fog lights and a reverse light dangling on brackets too!
Haha! Actually, that's the car's one styling failing. Why on earth they chose not to incorporate reflectors into the rear lights I'll never know. I was on an AMOC tour at the weekend and was discussing this exact topic. We wondered how hard it would be to remove the reflectors and fit some into the lights. I may take a look at this one day.
I`m glad you weren`t offended! :-)


kambites

67,461 posts

220 months

Wednesday 20th June 2012
quotequote all
I've always felt that its major styling failure was the amount of metal above the rear lights and the fact that the boot-lid kinks up into that spoiler but the top edge of the lights continues straight along, below it. The lights should at least have gone all the way up to the crease just above them.

Armen

252 posts

147 months

Wednesday 20th June 2012
quotequote all
Beauty, Charisma, Charm, Bestiality...


James B

1,300 posts

243 months

Wednesday 20th June 2012
quotequote all
don logan said:
James B said:
don logan said:
Has anyone else noticed the DIABOLICAL styling faux pas at the rear of the car?

I like the Vanquish more than any other Aston since the late 80s (One 77 aside) but to put what look like Bicycle reflectors either side of the exhaust is pathetic!

May as well have seperate fog lights and a reverse light dangling on brackets too!
Haha! Actually, that's the car's one styling failing. Why on earth they chose not to incorporate reflectors into the rear lights I'll never know. I was on an AMOC tour at the weekend and was discussing this exact topic. We wondered how hard it would be to remove the reflectors and fit some into the lights. I may take a look at this one day.
I`m glad you weren`t offended! :-)
Not in the slightest. Every car has it's failings and i'm not daft enough to deny that these are a boob on the styling front!!

don logan

3,511 posts

221 months

Wednesday 20th June 2012
quotequote all
Armen said:
Beauty, Charisma, Charm, Bestiality...

BEASTIALITY???????? Are you sure?????? :-)

thewheelman

2,194 posts

172 months

Wednesday 20th June 2012
quotequote all
Gridl0k said:
As nice as these cars are, and always will be, there's an XKR that looks 95% identical and can be had for peanuts. So there's that.

Edit: I typed XJR! What's with car typos today?
With you 100% on the XKR smile

don logan

3,511 posts

221 months

Wednesday 20th June 2012
quotequote all
James B said:
don logan said:
James B said:
don logan said:
Has anyone else noticed the DIABOLICAL styling faux pas at the rear of the car?

I like the Vanquish more than any other Aston since the late 80s (One 77 aside) but to put what look like Bicycle reflectors either side of the exhaust is pathetic!

May as well have seperate fog lights and a reverse light dangling on brackets too!
Haha! Actually, that's the car's one styling failing. Why on earth they chose not to incorporate reflectors into the rear lights I'll never know. I was on an AMOC tour at the weekend and was discussing this exact topic. We wondered how hard it would be to remove the reflectors and fit some into the lights. I may take a look at this one day.
I`m glad you weren`t offended! :-)
Not in the slightest. Every car has it's failings and i'm not daft enough to deny that these are a boob on the styling front!!
It`s SUCH a small detail but once you`ve spotted it.........

Big Six

37 posts

146 months

Wednesday 20th June 2012
quotequote all
This is my favorite Aston of all time. I really don't now why...It just is! The shape is perfect in everyway & the rear I have always thought looked better than the later Astons. It just looks correct from every angle.

The manual conversion came to late in it's life cycle but at least it came.

By the way I have the very brakes on this car fitted to my e28 M5! smile

LuS1fer

41,086 posts

244 months

Wednesday 20th June 2012
quotequote all
I think the original Vanquish takes it though I do find as modern designs "improve and evolve", the older models (like the 575 for example which I never liked) suddenly start to look attractive in comparison.

Sadly, while there may be many modern Aston variants, some sitting above or on top of other Astons, they all pretty much blur into one to me and all look like derivations of a DB9 rather than one being better than others. That is the danger with following a dogged design path.

I couldn't really tell one 911 from another, either, after about 1977 though I can tell a "996" from the headlamps though if i took the time to care, I'm sure I could become an admirable anorak in identifying the variants.

All I know is that I saw an orange Aston Volante with white rear lights the other day and thoughtv "Urgh" and that was all I needed to know.

marcosgt

11,011 posts

175 months

Wednesday 20th June 2012
quotequote all
The 'proper' Vanquish was the last lustworthy Aston in my mind.

The new ones, I'm sure, are great cars and look pretty good, but I've never felt a longing to own one.

I did with the Vanquish and still do even though I realise it'll almost certainly never happen!

M.

Neil1300R

5,487 posts

177 months

Wednesday 20th June 2012
quotequote all
Wadeski said:
The original Vanquish always looked too....fat to me, compared to the sublime DB7 Vantage it replaced.
Except it didn't replace the DB7, was never intended to, and was sold alongside the Db7.
DB7 was replaced by the DB9

hondansx

4,562 posts

224 months

Wednesday 20th June 2012
quotequote all
Indeed. It was a standalone model, and was very different to the DB7. The new Vanquish clearly shows Aston are clearly in need of funding; it is a shame they have 'wasted' the name on a tarted up DB9.

My father has a Vanquish S. The paddleshift is pretty awful, but then the old school nature has its charm; in a similar way i preferred my M3 CSL's jerky but 'involving' gearchange to the efficient, refined, smooth, 'better' change on the DSG 'box in my Golf R.

The rest of the Vanquish S is fantastic. It shrinks around you; feeling a lot lighter and smaller than it would suggest. It of course sounds fantastic, and has far more presence than other modern Astons. I have a feeling some haven't seen one for a while, because in the flesh it is far more striking than a DB7 Vantage, which is looking its age.

Not the most reliable of cars; my dad's had a replacement gearbox after just over 10,000 miles. Fortunately, Aston Martin covered that - certainly worth getting the AM Extended Warranty!

Some shots after getting the car serviced at Aston Martin Works...





Think this is the first ever Vanquish



This one also has provenance, can't for the life of me remember why!










don logan

3,511 posts

221 months

Wednesday 20th June 2012
quotequote all
Neil1300R said:
Wadeski said:
The original Vanquish always looked too....fat to me, compared to the sublime DB7 Vantage it replaced.
Except it didn't replace the DB7, was never intended to, and was sold alongside the Db7.
DB7 was replaced by the DB9
AND the Vanquish had curves, the doors were inset unlike the weak looking DB7, they also ruined the DBS by filling the curve with a nasty sill / "skirt"

JSE993

30 posts

160 months

Wednesday 20th June 2012
quotequote all
I drove a regular Vanq and found the very tall gearing and paddle box let the car down. I did enquire about the Works Service manual conversion but the feedback was that the gear lever was sited too far forward, causing you bang your knuckles on the dash. Was this wrong feedback? BTW, agree about it being the best looking modern Aston...