RE: Aston Martin Vantage AMR manual confirmed

[Redline88]

Thanks to Aston for at least continuing to give us the choice.

Will it be a success - let’s wait and see but as one poster said, the US do love a manual in the sports cars so they may just have it.

I personally would love one!

[CedricN]

Buster73 said:

I’ve got a manual Vantage N430 , there’s plenty of times when driving I’d rather have the instant gear change through a paddle shift similar to the PDK of a 911.

Often find my fingers going for the non existent paddles on the Aston , that I have on my daily driver.

Driver involvement with a manual ? , I’m not convinced those on here demanding it have the experience of using both in sports cars.

Time and a place for both , but don’t write off a good PDK box.

Ive driven some of them, PDK in a 911gts for example, it killed the experience in my opinion. But we are all different. I like the full control and mechanical interaction i get when doing perfect revs matches etc. But some just want quick cars.

[Viahuerto]

I will buy one for sure.

[Midshipracer]

The foolishness of mankind is complete when some contribute say PDK is faster.

It has never been about the speed of PDKs, they are convenience plain and simple. The people who buy them I'd hazard a guess, are not buying for the speed of the gear changing. It's because they don't want to be manually changing gears.

Let's get the real facts out. I'd say 90% if ppl with the PDK will never smell a race track to full exploit the "faster" gear changes.

It's a little like the IPhone when Apple removed the headphones jack. You then get people furiously arguing they didn't need it anyway and it's better without when it's clearly not. Or we cannot remove are own phone batteries anymore all for a shiney back or glass finish.

What ties all this together is choice. Manufacturers want to railroad us to having one option which is easier for them and they can control. Most are sleep walking into this

More choice is never a bad thing.

[Viahuerto]

I've had both the PDK and manual versions of the 911. PDK is, indeed faster and not without its charms. I've had thrilling drives on curvy canyon roads with the PDK. Yet, the manual version (which I currently own) provides a greater thrill for me. There is a connection I have with the car and with the act of driving that is only possible with the manual. Rowing gears isn't precise the way the PDK is but in those moments when is comes together it is a symphony.

I don't care if I'm a dinosaur as long as they sell a manual I will choose. As for the Vantage I think mating the manual to the 4.0 V8 will be brilliant & I cannot wait to experience.

[Cold]

Stripes. Always with the AMR stripes.






Edit to add: 7 speed, 95kgs lighter than standard car, run of 200 cars beginning end of this year.

Edited by Cold on Wednesday 1st May 00:35

[BlackPrince]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

great post, however I have to disagree with your comment about the 430, and indeed single clutch boxes in general. I've driven a few dual clutch cars in my time, and the most advanced example is the 2018 Audi R8 V10 Plus. The gearchanges were so instantaneous as to almost seem synthesized out of Gran Turismo or something. I've driven a 430 and though I didn't love the car as much as I thought I would, the gearbox was fine. Was it impossibly-quick like the R8? No, but that gave it a more "manual" feel imho.

I found the same to be true about the M3 CSL and its 'atrocious' SMG.

I remember an evo magazine article from 2006 comparing the 430 to the Ford GT and how the GT was a great exemplar of a bygone era whereas the 430 was the future. Evo stated that the 430 worked better with the F1 gearbox than the manual because of the interconnectedness of the electronics with the gearbox.

Now, if they were to go back and test the car now, they might have a different opinion, but to pretend that all those who chose the F1 gearbox are Italian Corvette owner wannabes, is a bit of a superficial analysis

[MDL111]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

I agree the F1 box feels a lot more manual than a dual-clutch and I enjoy it much more. Having said that on the road I would prefer a manual (on track I am not actually sure - prefer the F1 to the dual clutch, manual to F1 might be a toss up / very close anyway). I would have bought the car with a manual over the F1, but alas does not exist (did consider converting it before I drove it, but enjoy it more than I thought possible - so will leave it as is for now)

[MDL111]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

agree - I drive the car mostly to get to the track, drive on track and then back again (which still means a lot of road miles in fairness - call it 15k km total a year probably). Don't really do many weekend mountain drives in it anymore as I find these cars too fast for this type of use - rather drive my Clio then due to lower power and manual.