My new baby (DBS Volante Manual)
Discussion
After more than 5 years enjoying my "good old V8 Vantage", I finally made the jump last week to a DBS Volante (with manual gearbox!).
Driving with the top down, combined with the V12 sound and the involvement you get from the manual gearbox, makes this the ultimate car for me! :-)
Like in my V8V, my dealer mounted the "fuse 22" button, so I can drive with the valves always open when I want, or close them when arriving home late (it makes the car sound even more special than the V8V, the "button" makes it sound really like a "supercar" :-)).
It has got the modified manual gearbox, which is more smooth (and does not make the "peeping" noise) than before, and as written elsewhere I did the 2011 maps upgrade on the HDD nav system.
Will post some sound/video clips later, but here already some pics:
Driving with the top down, combined with the V12 sound and the involvement you get from the manual gearbox, makes this the ultimate car for me! :-)
Like in my V8V, my dealer mounted the "fuse 22" button, so I can drive with the valves always open when I want, or close them when arriving home late (it makes the car sound even more special than the V8V, the "button" makes it sound really like a "supercar" :-)).
It has got the modified manual gearbox, which is more smooth (and does not make the "peeping" noise) than before, and as written elsewhere I did the 2011 maps upgrade on the HDD nav system.
Will post some sound/video clips later, but here already some pics:
Thx for all positive responses, I certainly enjoy it!
The difference with the V8V is huge, especially in driving, mainly because of:
- the amount of torque: you can drive 40 mph in 6th gear if you want, and still have enough torque to overtake, the car needs much less revs than the V8V, so your driving style changes
- the longer wheelbase: this also makes big difference in driving, more relaxed, less nervous, and of course the standard ADS helps with this
- and of course.......the sound of the exhaust! it is lower than the V8V, but also louder, more supercar like, the V8V is more "racy".
Overall the DBS is more GT, which can driven like a sports car, where the V8V is more sportscar, that can be driven like a GT. Both are great cars, but have a different character.
The interior/dash is similar, so if you are standing still and sit behind the steering wheel, there is little/no difference with newer V8Vs, since I upgraded from a MY06 v8V, the difference for me is bigger with the new dash, key, etc.
Here some more pics, including one of (my old) fuse 22 button and a head-2-head with my old V8V:
George H said:
Very nice. Did you get it brand new or just get lucky finding one 2nd hand?
Any better pictures than just a side profile too?
The V8V I got from new, this one was used (9K miles on the clock), but looks like and drives new :-)Any better pictures than just a side profile too?
sc11eng said:
Beautiful!! What colour is it? Quantum silver?
Let us know how it compares with the V8, cos I percieve alot of V8 owners would like to know (including myself).
What do you get when you have a mounted fuse 22; is it a button somewhere on the dash? Are most dealers pretty proficient at 'mounting' fuse 22?
Anyway - enjoy.
The color is Hammerhead Silver (I think it was introduction the color of the V12V?). Let us know how it compares with the V8, cos I percieve alot of V8 owners would like to know (including myself).
What do you get when you have a mounted fuse 22; is it a button somewhere on the dash? Are most dealers pretty proficient at 'mounting' fuse 22?
Anyway - enjoy.
The difference with the V8V is huge, especially in driving, mainly because of:
- the amount of torque: you can drive 40 mph in 6th gear if you want, and still have enough torque to overtake, the car needs much less revs than the V8V, so your driving style changes
- the longer wheelbase: this also makes big difference in driving, more relaxed, less nervous, and of course the standard ADS helps with this
- and of course.......the sound of the exhaust! it is lower than the V8V, but also louder, more supercar like, the V8V is more "racy".
Overall the DBS is more GT, which can driven like a sports car, where the V8V is more sportscar, that can be driven like a GT. Both are great cars, but have a different character.
The interior/dash is similar, so if you are standing still and sit behind the steering wheel, there is little/no difference with newer V8Vs, since I upgraded from a MY06 v8V, the difference for me is bigger with the new dash, key, etc.
Here some more pics, including one of (my old) fuse 22 button and a head-2-head with my old V8V:
Edited by AWV12 on Monday 23 January 11:28
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