Wednesday 27th April 2016

Aston Martin V12 Vantage S manual: Time for Tea?

See - and hear - Aston Martin's new V12 Vantage S manual in action

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There has been a lot of good news from Aston Martin in recent weeks; we had confirmation of a new pared back, track-focused V8 Vantage GT8, we've got a buying guide for the DB9 live today and - of course - the recent confirmation of a new manual version of the V12 Vantage S.

This is a proper hairy-chested Aston Martin of the old school and it's heartening to see boss Andy Palmer deliver on the promise to offer a stickshift in as many of the firm's cars as possible. Indeed, he sees it as something of a point of pride that where others are deserting manual transmissions Aston Martin will be keeping it real. And it seems the market could well be behind him - from Porsche doing an about face and making its latest GT products manual only to the premiums commanded by rare manual versions of recent sports and supercars it seems the pendulum is swinging back. Yes, the car is fitted with a rev matching system - known as AMSHIFT - but the video at least demonstrates how you turn it on or off as required.

To keep our excitement brimming ahead of getting in the car here's a little promo vid Aston Martin has shot, demonstrating why a V12 Vantage S would be a very good thing indeed. Word on the inside has it the unnamed driver is in fact Matt Becker, poached not so long ago from Lotus and bringing his insight (and considerable driving skills) to the fore in his new role at Gaydon. We were fans of his work at Lotus; we're looking forward to seeing what he can do at Aston.

Watch the video here

 

[tram50]

Why do Marketing types have to put an annoying sound track over the sound of an engine! Job justification maybe...

[unpc]

Yep the soundtrack killed it for me. I'll have one one day though...

[SFO]

the yellow highlights are worse than Helfreuds tat

[Zod]

The wheels look like my winter wheels. I coudl be wrong, as I didn't see them propery from the side at a standstill.

I'd like one, without the silly yellow and have no particular interest in the rev-matching software. I just want a power upgrade, I suppose.

[cookie1600]

It would be nice just to listen to the car please - AM Marketing please note.

[DPSFleet]

Bit of a Dinosaur these days I am afraid. I enjoyed my V8 but just all a bit past tense and very expensive to service. Moved back Jag and Porsche. Oh and the fuel consumption on a V12 is just too painfull.....even if you can afford it all that stopping to refill, not for me.

[Zod]

DPSFleet said:

Bit of a Dinosaur these days I am afraid. I enjoyed my V8 but just all a bit past tense and very expensive to service. Moved back Jag and Porsche. Oh and the fuel consumption on a V12 is just too painfull.....even if you can afford it all that stopping to refill, not for me.

It's every 300-350 miles on the motorway. You should stop that often anyway.

[MrBarry123]

cookie1600 said:

It would be nice just to listen to the car please - AM Marketing please note.

Quite.

Whoever thought it was a good idea to incorporate music into the video was wrong.

It would have been massively more effective with no music.

[RamboLambo]

Is this a step forward really ? The car is effectively over 10 years old now and as much as its a beautiful thing putting some lipstick on the front is hardly classy

You got to be mad to buy one of these things new and suffer massive depreciation in year 1

[NDNDNDND]

Yeah, that video would have been quite sweet simply with the music removed and just car noises.

Stupid marketing departments.

[purple haze]

Ruined completely by the unnecessary musack. I switched the vid off after 20 seconds. What a waste when we could have just listened to the V12. AM's PR/Marketing department have a lot to learn

[SPMX5]

if it was just the road and car noise it would look like random b roll footage, and wouldn't pull the video together for the general audience. However, having the music play over the engine throughout the whole video is madness, should have been at least a moment when it was just the car.

[Ex Boy Racer]

Agree about the music...
But I was more bothered by the fact that it hardly featured the new manual gearchange! Just a couple of shots of a gearstick and a dash display...

[ben5575]

Ex Boy Racer said:

Agree about the music...
But I was more bothered by the fact that it hardly featured the new manual gearchange! Just a couple of shots of a gearstick and a dash display...

As well as a completely unnecessary and tedious shot of a man putting a pair of gloves on. Unlike the people in AM's marketing department, the people who can afford to buy one of these are not hipsters from 4 years ago, so why inflict their music on them (and us)? What a shame we're talking about how bad the video is as opposed to AM's decision to use a manual.

[audidoody]

i wiuld have liked some footage of how it is to drive on the M25 on a wet Friday afternoon.

[MyCC]

A cliche to use, but this is a modern day classic. Fantastic car, may not be perfect but offers an emotional attachment in spades.

Regards,

MyCC.

[ecs0set]

Very nice... so long as you delete the stupid yellow bits.

[Adam Ansel]

There is very little else on the market you can compare this too. Good old fashioned high revving N/A grunt, rear wheel drive, maximum driver engagement. A bit like TVRs once were.
Allied to fabulous heritage, great build quality, modern handling capabilities and sublime looks.
Probably the best thing that AM have ever made for the enthusiastic driver. And something that only, sadly, has a limited window of production.

Sod the lipstick and the silly colour. Go classy with burgundy, blue or green. One of these would be the true definition of a "keeper".

[The Badger]

ecs0set said:

Very nice... so long as you delete the stupid yellow bits.

Yeah, quick, make it duller. Make it as Audi as possible. The neighbours! The neighbours!