V8V Manual or Sportshift ??
Discussion
I had two manual Vantages (absolutely brilliant), a manual DBS (also brilliant), and then a 2011 Sportshift Vantage. I sold it after a week of ownership, primarily because of the gearbox. Sportshift is really not great in my opinion, and feels antiquated. I also have a four year old M6 with SMG III which feels generations better than Sportshift, and it is quite old tech now.
I think the most annoying aspect of Sportshift is the lack of a hill-hold feature (now available on the Vantage S), which means on any incline you have to either handbrake or left foot brake in order to pull off with out rolling back and roasting the clutch. All other paddle-shift cars I've driven have some kind of hill-hold to prevent this and protect the clutch.
Other than that I find the Sportshift full-bore upshifts to really be quite unnecessarily harsh, often unsettling the balance of the car, with or without a throttle lift. The downshifts mostly work quite well, but every so often it will make a stupid mistake and hold off re-engaging the clutch, and then will suddenly re-engage it with a lurch as the engine is forced to match speeds.
On the whole the paddle response speeds, gear engagement speeds and clutching actions are not up to scratch. Your passengers head will be seen lurching back and forth regularly.
Low speed maneuvering in tight spaces is also hard and no matter how good you are you can just sense the clutch being roasted. By way of comparison I've owned my M6 for over 75,000km now, and it is still on the original clutch without issue, whereas I had no confidence that the Vantage clutch would last very long. The M6 at low speeds is a doddle as well.
The paddles are also too short for fixed position paddles, so you're often left feeling thin air for a shift even if you're just slightly turning the wheel. You have to take your hand off the wheel and find the paddle, which I found slow, disconcerting and distracting. If the paddles must be short, they need to be fixed to the steering like the M6, or else if they're steering column mounted, they need to be nice and long like Maserati / Ferrari.
Basically, I was disappointed in this car, because I thought it was just so good as a manual, but with Sportshift it felt like I was driving only 75% as good a car, and knowing that it had all that extra potential lying there wasted meant I couldn't find my way to love it. It also is disappointing when you have a 2011 car with technology that feels so far behind all the other current sequential semi-automated manual cars on the market. It didn't feel like they really tried, it just feels like they did it because they had to to fill a market gap.
So my advice is: definitely get the manual, it's a brilliant car! And I shall now run for cover while the S/S brigade fire-bomb me!
I think the most annoying aspect of Sportshift is the lack of a hill-hold feature (now available on the Vantage S), which means on any incline you have to either handbrake or left foot brake in order to pull off with out rolling back and roasting the clutch. All other paddle-shift cars I've driven have some kind of hill-hold to prevent this and protect the clutch.
Other than that I find the Sportshift full-bore upshifts to really be quite unnecessarily harsh, often unsettling the balance of the car, with or without a throttle lift. The downshifts mostly work quite well, but every so often it will make a stupid mistake and hold off re-engaging the clutch, and then will suddenly re-engage it with a lurch as the engine is forced to match speeds.
On the whole the paddle response speeds, gear engagement speeds and clutching actions are not up to scratch. Your passengers head will be seen lurching back and forth regularly.
Low speed maneuvering in tight spaces is also hard and no matter how good you are you can just sense the clutch being roasted. By way of comparison I've owned my M6 for over 75,000km now, and it is still on the original clutch without issue, whereas I had no confidence that the Vantage clutch would last very long. The M6 at low speeds is a doddle as well.
The paddles are also too short for fixed position paddles, so you're often left feeling thin air for a shift even if you're just slightly turning the wheel. You have to take your hand off the wheel and find the paddle, which I found slow, disconcerting and distracting. If the paddles must be short, they need to be fixed to the steering like the M6, or else if they're steering column mounted, they need to be nice and long like Maserati / Ferrari.
Basically, I was disappointed in this car, because I thought it was just so good as a manual, but with Sportshift it felt like I was driving only 75% as good a car, and knowing that it had all that extra potential lying there wasted meant I couldn't find my way to love it. It also is disappointing when you have a 2011 car with technology that feels so far behind all the other current sequential semi-automated manual cars on the market. It didn't feel like they really tried, it just feels like they did it because they had to to fill a market gap.
So my advice is: definitely get the manual, it's a brilliant car! And I shall now run for cover while the S/S brigade fire-bomb me!
Edited by jus on Wednesday 2nd March 07:58
Good morning all. What about a vote on sticking the manual V sportshift thread on FAQ as it seems to be popping up every week or so. I've only been on the Aston forum for a month or so (yep a newbie) and reckon i have seen it start anew at least 3 times.
Hope I'm not speaking out of term as a newbie?
Hope I'm not speaking out of term as a newbie? Brisvegas said:
Good morning all. What about a vote on sticking the manual V sportshift thread on FAQ as it seems to be popping up every week or so. I've only been on the Aston forum for a month or so (yep a newbie) and reckon i have seen it start anew at least 3 times. Hope I'm not speaking out of term as a newbie?
Did think about putting it in the FAQ's. However, was trying to keep the FAQ's objective, not subjective. Manual vs Sportshift is down to personal preference. Hope I'm not speaking out of term as a newbie? Could put a link in the FAQ to this / other discussions.
Brisvegas said:
Good morning all. What about a vote on sticking the manual V sportshift thread on FAQ as it seems to be popping up every week or so. I've only been on the Aston forum for a month or so (yep a newbie) and reckon i have seen it start anew at least 3 times. Hope I'm not speaking out of term as a newbie?
How would that work exactly? Hope I'm not speaking out of term as a newbie? Q: V8V - Manual or Sportshift?
A: Test drive both and then make your decision
I know it seems a little trite but the idea of FAQs is to have questions with factual and objective answers from the the forum collective. As you have already seen, manual vs s/shift is a very subjective topic with divided opinion so I'm not too sure how it would fit.
But that's just my opinion
mikey k said:
+1
Only ever in auto when I'm being lazy on the M way
(Hi Mike - how ya doing?)Only ever in auto when I'm being lazy on the M way
Rarely use the Auto mode - have found that when ive used Auto on the M way at 'cruise speed' just a light squeeze on the throttle can result in a 2 gear down change! The V8's torque is plenty enough without changing down - car just wants to play!!
Graham
Knights of Aston said:
Just wait 'till you try the Vantage S 'box. All new from the ground up built specifically for Aston. 7 speeds, faster changes, and they've deleted the awkward creep function. Much better.
Test driving one on Saturday!OH has said I have to leave credit cards, cash etc at home as she knows I have no willpower when it comes to Astons.
famoussas said:
True but in the real world that's not always possible. The Sport shift is good when you're on the move, but low speed manoeuvring, traffic - it's crap.
I've had absolutely no problem with low speed manoeuvring at all in my n420, I've had E-Gear & that was truly bad at low speed...I had DSG in my GTR & I thought that was great but a bit sterile...
I am off soon to drive the new 7 speed box (V8S) to see if its a major improvement...
ferdi p said:
I've had absolutely no problem with low speed manoeuvring at all in my n420, I've had E-Gear & that was truly bad at low speed...
I had DSG in my GTR & I thought that was great but a bit sterile...
I am off soon to drive the new 7 speed box (V8S) to see if its a major improvement...
Think my mum is doing the same, but is afraid to as no doubt it will be a drastic improvement - will be costly. Look forward to hearing your opinion. PS, often go to Sazio's St A if it's your chain I had DSG in my GTR & I thought that was great but a bit sterile...
I am off soon to drive the new 7 speed box (V8S) to see if its a major improvement...
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