V12 Vantage S Sportshift 3 quick reference driving guide

[roughrider]

Graziano electro-hydraulically automated 7-speed manual with Hill Start Assist. Or, F1 paddleshift.

Clutch: Twin plate single clutch with elctro-hydraulic operation.

H-pattern gearshift: electro hydraulic S-cam operation.

Sport button: Increases hydraulic pressure for quicker clutch/gearshift operation.
Applies to both paddleshift and D mode.

Sport features in paddleshift: Allows full throttle gearshifts [flatshifts] above 5500rpm. 1st to 2nd gearshift is automated, but any subsequent upshift requires plus paddle input, or a rev limiter is encountered.
Optimal downshifting by holding in the minus paddle during spirited braking.

D mode: Gearbox will be computer controlled, and reacts to many factors, such as, gradient, speed, steering angle, throttle input etc.
In Sport, the gears are held for longer.
"Kickdown" works in a similar fashion to any fully automatic transmission.

Reversing: Steering angle equals resistance. Try to avoid reversing on full lock, as this will increase clutch wear, in ANY car.

Selecting D mode: Press the button, OR pull/hold the plus paddle for 2 seconds [from stationary, or on the move[.

Conclusion: Sportshift 3 is best enjoyed by using a little anticipation, and thinking how you would drive a true manual [stick shift] in any given situation.

This is not a definitive guide, but a V12S fans effort to answer any queries a driver may have. The V12S has many different characters, depending on a drivers choice of driving modes. Please add your own comments and opinions.

Edited by roughrider on Friday 5th February 17:07

[Flugplatz]

Yes, forget "D", always press "Sport" and remember its a manual without a clutch pedal and you have one of the most rewarding gear changes available.
Ive used all the modern gearboxes and my preference is the V12S Aston's.
It's one of the best bits of V12S ownership and the moment i hear anyone moaning about it I know they are not driving the car properley.

[roughrider]

Flugplatz said:

It's one of the best bits of V12S ownership and the moment i hear anyone moaning about it I know they are not driving the car properley.

Agreed. It can be rather frustrating..... Uninformed journalism doesn't help.....

[bogie]

it all sounds very complicated to me, think I will stay with a manual

[roughrider]

Most owners tend to drive in Sport mode using the paddles, which is how it is meant to be driven. I wanted to write about the other options available. Also want to help potential owners understand the system.
Manual [stick shift] is great, but with 565bhp going through those rear wheels, you have a lot more control if you're not removing one hand from the steering wheel and pressing a clutch pedal for every gearchange, especially in a dynamic environment.....Plus, if you select the wrong gear in a pure manual car, it can cost a LOT of money to replace the engine, clutch and gearbox [i've seen it done].
We had the opportunity last year to run a Porsche 911 Turbo S against a V12S on a long private straight road. The Porsche leapt away from the line and gained a couple of car lengths, but at a quarter mile the V12S started to reel the Porsche in. At a half mile we were level, then the V12S started to pull away. We concluded the PDK [heavy double clutch] helped the Porsche gain off the line, but the V12S is quite a light car, with exceptional torque, and is slippier through the air.

Edited by roughrider on Wednesday 3rd February 18:13

[robgt3]

roughrider said:

Most owners tend to drive in Sport mode using the paddles, which is how it is meant to be driven. I wanted to write about the other options available. Also want to help potential owners understand the system.
Manual [stick shift] is great, but with 565bhp going through those rear wheels, you have a lot more control if you're not removing one hand from the steering wheel and pressing a clutch pedal for every gearchange, especially in a dynamic environment.....Plus, if you select the wrong gear in a pure manual car, it can cost a LOT of money to replace the engine, clutch and gearbox [i've seen it done].
We had the opportunity last year to run a Porsche 911 Turbo S against a V12S on a long private straight road. The Porsche leapt away from the line and gained a couple of car lengths, but at a quarter mile the V12S started to reel the Porsche in. At a half mile we were level, then the V12S started to pull away. We concluded the PDK [heavy double clutch] helped the Porsche gain off the line, but the V12S is quite a light car, with exceptional torque, and is slippier through the air.

Edited by roughrider on Wednesday 3rd February 18:13

Hi Roughrider, being an ex V8S owner I agree with all of what you have said about solely using the paddles as auto mode is woeful! What I must take to task are your claims. It would be fair to say that the GT12 is the pinnacle model in the V12 Vantage range boasting some 600 BHP less weight and an even faster shifting gear box. Evo magazine have conducted a comparison test and accompanying video based at Anglesey which is well worth a look.

The lap times are as follows.

Porsche 918 1.12.4
McLaren P1 1.12.6
Porsche GT3RS 1.13.6
Porsche 911 TurboS 1.13.6
Ferrari 458 Speciale 1.14.2
Porsche911 Turbo 1.15.2
Aston Martin GT12 1.16
Nissan GTR 1.16.9

Please note that the latest Turbo and S variant have even more BHP and Torque.

Sorry old friend, believe me I loved my Astons and one day might even contemplate another but in the meantime my GT3RS is in another dimension in all respects.

[Flugplatz]

roughrider said:

We had the opportunity last year to run a Porsche 911 Turbo S against a V12S on a long private straight road. The Porsche leapt away from the line and gained a couple of car lengths, but at a quarter mile the V12S started to reel the Porsche in. At a half mile we were level, then the V12S started to pull away.

Although a turbocharger could be

0-150 on the turbo s appears to be 6 seconds sooner in the 991 according to google.

Having used both extensively I would still have the AM (and did)

Edited by Flugplatz on Wednesday 3rd February 19:01

[roughrider]

robgt3 said:

Hi Roughrider, being an ex V8S owner I agree with all of what you have said about solely using the paddles as auto mode is woeful! What I must take to task are your claims. It would be fair to say that the GT12 is the pinnacle model in the V12 Vantage range boasting some 600 BHP less weight and an even faster shifting gear box. Evo magazine have conducted a comparison test and accompanying video based at Anglesey which is well worth a look.

The lap times are as follows.

Porsche 918 1.12.4
McLaren P1 1.12.6
Porsche GT3RS 1.13.6
Porsche 911 TurboS 1.13.6
Ferrari 458 Speciale 1.14.2
Porsche911 Turbo 1.15.2
Aston Martin GT12 1.16
Nissan GTR 1.16.9

Please note that the latest Turbo and S variant have even more BHP and Torque.

Sorry old friend, believe me I loved my Astons and one day might even contemplate another but in the meantime my GT3RS is in another dimension in all respects.

Hi Rob.
Its not a claim, its a fact. I was in the V12S, and somebody else you know was in the Porsche. We ran side by side, and tbh, we were both shocked.
I didn't mention lapping around Anglesey.
Glad you're enjoying the GT3RS

[callevascm]

The wonderful aspect of our cars is we can decide how we wish to drive them, it is our choice and the is one of great aspects of a V12 Vantage S - I am sure many of us keep it in Sport mode and flick up and down the gearbox enjoy the sound and tractability - pure joy. However you can out the car in Drive, normal or sport mode, and while certainly not as rewarding for me with some thought the car is perfectly acceptable. If in any doubt, go and book a Performance Driving Course and see what the car can do (I recall being bellowed at for having too much entry speed at the corner and going on the grass - but hey whoever learnt without pushing the envelope). While I appreciate many of you prefer a "proper" manual as someone who races prewar cars with a crash gearbox and huge inertia the joy of Sportshift 3 gives me a huge smile every time. I think it the best car I have ever owned!

[robgt3]

Hi Roughrider, ever the Gentleman! Certainly not someone who would want to involve themselves in a Aston vs Porsche debate.

I look forward to Aston Martin delivering a new Vantage V8 twin turbo with a state of the art gearbox boasting at the very least 510 BHP and a drastic reduction in weight. Fingers crossed it will happen!

[J12KJR]

But state of the art PDK boxes make for a soul less driving experience IMO, quickest isn't always best.
That is not a slur on Porsche just the belief that you don't have to go everywhere at the greatest rate of knots available to actually enjoy driving.

[CSK1]

robgt3 said:

I look forward to Aston Martin delivering a new Vantage V8 twin turbo with a state of the art gearbox boasting at the very least 510 BHP and a drastic reduction in weight. Fingers crossed it will happen!

You mean a rebodied AMG-GT? No thank you.

I'd rather keep my N/A V12 with SportshiftIII (or a manual V12V).

Edited by CSK1 on Wednesday 3rd February 19:49

[DB9VolanteDriver]

J12KJR said:

But state of the art PDK boxes make for a soul less driving experience IMO, quickest isn't always best.
That is not a slur on Porsche just the belief that you don't have to go everywhere at the greatest rate of knots available to actually enjoy driving.

Exactly.

With PDK, you don't need the paddles, so you end up leaving it in auto mode because you can. With SSM, you need to be involved all the time just because it is crappy in auto mode. If I didn't want to shift, I'd buy a true automatic.

Hurrah for SSM !!

[robgt3]

DB9VolanteDriver said:

J12KJR said:

But state of the art PDK boxes make for a soul less driving experience IMO, quickest isn't always best.
That is not a slur on Porsche just the belief that you don't have to go everywhere at the greatest rate of knots available to actually enjoy driving.

Exactly.

With PDK, you don't need the paddles, so you end up leaving it in auto mode because you can. With SSM, you need to be involved all the time just because it is crappy in auto mode. If I didn't want to shift, I'd buy a true automatic.

Hurrah for SSM !!

Other than city driving I never use Auto on the RS. Always select manual and use the paddles;the box will not shift unless you make it do so, that means you have total control and are very involved. With PDK you have all eventualities covered. Bear in mind that I have owned a manual V8 Vantage and two Vantage S's both of which were treated to a twin plate clutch upgrade which went someway to speeding up the gear change . I honestly believe that Aston Martin make the very best of the resources that they currently have available and look forward to what the future will offer especially with the increased investment that is going there way.

[J12KJR]

robgt3 said:

Other than city driving I never use Auto on the RS. Always select manual and use the paddles;the box will not shift unless you make it do so, that means you have total control and are very involved. With PDK you have all eventualities covered. Bear in mind that I have owned a manual V8 Vantage and two Vantage S's both of which were treated to a twin plate clutch upgrade which went someway to speeding up the gear change . I honestly believe that Aston Martin make the very best of the resources that they currently have available and look forward to what the future will offer especially with the increased investment that is going there way.

Personally I found that using the paddles on the PDK was still akin to having an auto, full bore shifts go in in a nano second with your foot on the floor. I am glad you enjoy it but for me it was too sanitised. After one SS1 and an SS2 before the PDKs I am looking forward to a return to SS. Thankfully we are all different so while you enjoy your latest tech dual clutch automated manual I will look forward to my return to that antiquated AM single clutch one.
I am sure we will both have big smiles on our faces but for totally different reasons.

[MollyGT3]

roughrider said:

Manual [stick shift] is great, but with 565bhp going through those rear wheels, you have a lot more control if you're not removing one hand from the steering wheel and pressing a clutch pedal for every gearchange, especially in a dynamic environment.....

Edited by roughrider on Wednesday 3rd February 18:13

With BHP figures going ever higher I think that is such an important point. Forget all that macho stuff about having a gear lever in your hand - when you are really flying control is everything and BOTH hands should be firmly on the steering wheel.

Now wait for the flack ...

PS Hi Paul

[roughrider]

MollyGT3 said:

With BHP figures going ever higher I think that is such an important point. Forget all that macho stuff about having a gear lever in your hand - when you are really flying control is everything and BOTH hands should be firmly on the steering wheel.

Now wait for the flack ...

PS Hi Paul

No flack here! A good thread so far....

Hi Amanda. You still hangin on for dear life??

[roughrider]

callevascm said:

If in any doubt, go and book a Performance Driving Course and see what the car can do (I recall being bellowed at for having too much entry speed at the corner and going on the grass - but hey whoever learnt without pushing the envelope).