My New V12 S Manual Roadster
Discussion
Lovely looking car. Yes the design goes back many years (I purchased my first vantage in 2006), but it's still in my mind the best looking roadster on the market.
I also have a vantage v12sr manual and over the last 1000 miles I have enjoyed it more than any car i've had before. The gearbox is great, contrary to most american reviews. I have a dbs manual as well and while a v12 vantage should be a little more sporty I completely agree with the op on the difference in power and gearshift. They feel generations apart to me imho. The dbs has added less than 100 miles since I got the vantage.
I also have a vantage v12sr manual and over the last 1000 miles I have enjoyed it more than any car i've had before. The gearbox is great, contrary to most american reviews. I have a dbs manual as well and while a v12 vantage should be a little more sporty I completely agree with the op on the difference in power and gearshift. They feel generations apart to me imho. The dbs has added less than 100 miles since I got the vantage.
Edited by britaway on Friday 3rd March 23:57
britaway said:
Lovely looking car. Yes the design goes back many years (I purchased my first vantage in 2006), but it's still in my mind the best looking roadster on the market.
I also have a vantage v12sr manual and over the last 1000 miles I have enjoyed it more than any car i've had before. The gearbox is great, contrary to most american reviews. I have a dbs manual as well and while a v12 vantage should be a little more sporty I completely agree with the op on the difference in power and gearshift. They feel generations apart to me imho. The dbs has added less than 100 miles since I got the vantage.
Hi Britaway,I also have a vantage v12sr manual and over the last 1000 miles I have enjoyed it more than any car i've had before. The gearbox is great, contrary to most american reviews. I have a dbs manual as well and while a v12 vantage should be a little more sporty I completely agree with the op on the difference in power and gearshift. They feel generations apart to me imho. The dbs has added less than 100 miles since I got the vantage.
Edited by britaway on Friday 3rd March 23:57
I completely understand your thoughts. It seems to take the best parts of the pre-airbag cars - Steering feel - heel and toeing ability - supple damping, engaging manual gearbox and combine it with up-to-date apple car play, really good traction control (enough to make you think you are in control and a drift king without making an embarrassing mess on the side of the street)and adding one of the most torquey engines in the world into the smallest B road friendly packages - Britain watch out.....
- The Porsche with Singer bits is now up for sale - it can't match the V12 S
I can't think of anything that's convertible that would - answers on a post card.....
Edited by Andys1000 on Saturday 4th March 00:39
I think you must have driven a V12V that had an issue, or perhaps it was a Peugeot 407 Vantage replica!! 
I get everyone has different options but this simply doesn't make sense, on a number of different levels:
"Lets start with the gearshift which although positive was incredibly light at times I was not sure it would have been out of place in a hatchback. The clutch was very light with no feel. The suspension was quite similar."
For the last 25yrs I've driven and owned many many sports cars, both road and track prepared, and had a stint competively. Ive always loved a "drivers" car, one that makes you feel connected with the car and the road, isn't digitised, the sensations are not softened by electronics. I'm on my fourth Lotus, an S2 Exige, that feels like the ultimate drivers car, almost the definition of it.
Out of all the Astons I drove and owned, the manual V12V comes closest to the above. Until I drove one I had almost given up on finding those qualities in an Aston, almost settling for a more GT experience. But drove a manual V12V and was sold. It felt like the perfect drivers car wrapped in the glorious and classic shape of an Aston Martin and with some creature comforts.
I get everyone has an opinion and often instantly becomes a fanboy of the car they've just bought, I've been guilty myself, but unless you've spent your life driving hardcore track cars there is no way you can say a V12V felt in anyway like driving a hatchback!!! Maybe you drove a Dog? Maybe your view was clouded as you had to justify spending an extra £50k? on the V12svr over a V12V?
Great purchase by the way, you'll have years of fun in that, beautiful.
I get everyone has different options but this simply doesn't make sense, on a number of different levels:"Lets start with the gearshift which although positive was incredibly light at times I was not sure it would have been out of place in a hatchback. The clutch was very light with no feel. The suspension was quite similar."
For the last 25yrs I've driven and owned many many sports cars, both road and track prepared, and had a stint competively. Ive always loved a "drivers" car, one that makes you feel connected with the car and the road, isn't digitised, the sensations are not softened by electronics. I'm on my fourth Lotus, an S2 Exige, that feels like the ultimate drivers car, almost the definition of it.
Out of all the Astons I drove and owned, the manual V12V comes closest to the above. Until I drove one I had almost given up on finding those qualities in an Aston, almost settling for a more GT experience. But drove a manual V12V and was sold. It felt like the perfect drivers car wrapped in the glorious and classic shape of an Aston Martin and with some creature comforts.
I get everyone has an opinion and often instantly becomes a fanboy of the car they've just bought, I've been guilty myself, but unless you've spent your life driving hardcore track cars there is no way you can say a V12V felt in anyway like driving a hatchback!!! Maybe you drove a Dog? Maybe your view was clouded as you had to justify spending an extra £50k? on the V12svr over a V12V?
Great purchase by the way, you'll have years of fun in that, beautiful.
Edited by AstonExige on Saturday 4th March 10:07
Well one thing for sure is that i will never change my 6 speed for the seven. The original v12v cars where one of and still are the highest regarded Aston,s of all time so someone who has just bought a new car and feels the old model is no good just makes me laugh.
Oh instant classics are the original ones!
Oh instant classics are the original ones!
Edited by cayman-black on Sunday 5th March 19:58
AstonExige said:
I think you must have driven a V12V that had an issue, or perhaps it was a Peugeot 407 Vantage replica!! I get everyone has different options but this simply doesn't make sense, on a number of different levels:
"Lets start with the gearshift which although positive was incredibly light at times I was not sure it would have been out of place in a hatchback. The clutch was very light with no feel. The suspension was quite similar."
For the last 25yrs I've driven and owned many many sports cars, both road and track prepared, and had a stint competively. Ive always loved a "drivers" car, one that makes you feel connected with the car and the road, isn't digitised, the sensations are not softened by electronics. I'm on my fourth Lotus, an S2 Exige, that feels like the ultimate drivers car, almost the definition of it.
Out of all the Astons I drove and owned, the manual V12V comes closest to the above. Until I drove one I had almost given up on finding those qualities in an Aston, almost settling for a more GT experience. But drove a manual V12V and was sold. It felt like the perfect drivers car wrapped in the glorious and classic shape of an Aston Martin and with some creature comforts.
I get everyone has an opinion and often instantly becomes a fanboy of the car they've just bought, I've been guilty myself, but unless you've spent your life driving hardcore track cars there is no way you can say a V12V felt in anyway like driving a hatchback!!! Maybe you drove a Dog? Maybe your view was clouded as you had to justify spending an extra £50k? on the V12svr over a V12V?
Great purchase by the way, you'll have years of fun in that, beautiful.
Fully agree. Have been back a couple of times to AM Wilmslow as they keep trying to sell me their Skyfall manual. Each time I come away seeing little point in changing especially given the somewhat rubbery shifter. And I keep thinking the power delivery difference is more about higher revs in 2-3-4 than anything else. OP are you sure you had Sport mode on? I get everyone has different options but this simply doesn't make sense, on a number of different levels:"Lets start with the gearshift which although positive was incredibly light at times I was not sure it would have been out of place in a hatchback. The clutch was very light with no feel. The suspension was quite similar."
For the last 25yrs I've driven and owned many many sports cars, both road and track prepared, and had a stint competively. Ive always loved a "drivers" car, one that makes you feel connected with the car and the road, isn't digitised, the sensations are not softened by electronics. I'm on my fourth Lotus, an S2 Exige, that feels like the ultimate drivers car, almost the definition of it.
Out of all the Astons I drove and owned, the manual V12V comes closest to the above. Until I drove one I had almost given up on finding those qualities in an Aston, almost settling for a more GT experience. But drove a manual V12V and was sold. It felt like the perfect drivers car wrapped in the glorious and classic shape of an Aston Martin and with some creature comforts.
I get everyone has an opinion and often instantly becomes a fanboy of the car they've just bought, I've been guilty myself, but unless you've spent your life driving hardcore track cars there is no way you can say a V12V felt in anyway like driving a hatchback!!! Maybe you drove a Dog? Maybe your view was clouded as you had to justify spending an extra £50k? on the V12svr over a V12V?
Great purchase by the way, you'll have years of fun in that, beautiful.
Edited by AstonExige on Saturday 4th March 10:07
In any case congrats on the car. It's a real beaut.
Edited by 12pack on Saturday 4th March 14:31
Congrats on joining the V12VSM club. 
I have to say I agree with some of your original comments and disagree with others. For sure the V12VSM feels a LOT faster to me than my old V12V did, and trust me when you get used to the gearbox after a couple of weeks it really is fantastic - just so engaging to use, it is everything an enthusiastic driver would want from a manual box.
I don't really agree that the old V12V was bad however. I always thought, and still do think it is a truly fantastic car, for sure one of Gaydon's finest and pretty much a 10/10 Aston, it's just that the V12VSM dials it all up to 12/10!
I have to say I agree with some of your original comments and disagree with others. For sure the V12VSM feels a LOT faster to me than my old V12V did, and trust me when you get used to the gearbox after a couple of weeks it really is fantastic - just so engaging to use, it is everything an enthusiastic driver would want from a manual box.
I don't really agree that the old V12V was bad however. I always thought, and still do think it is a truly fantastic car, for sure one of Gaydon's finest and pretty much a 10/10 Aston, it's just that the V12VSM dials it all up to 12/10!
Phil74891 said:
Get yellow calipers! 
Not really - yours needs black. Great car and great colour. I'm firmly in the SS III camp, so won't comment on the two traditional manual boxes. I drove the V12V and the S and found the S to be a big step up. They're all brilliant though.
+1. Same as what Phil said. I have SportshiftIII and not inclined to go manual. All V12 Vantage Astons are great, be it the original, the later S in manual or SportshiftIII. There's one to suit everyone.Not really - yours needs black. Great car and great colour. I'm firmly in the SS III camp, so won't comment on the two traditional manual boxes. I drove the V12V and the S and found the S to be a big step up. They're all brilliant though.
AstonExige said:
I think you must have driven a V12V that had an issue, or perhaps it was a Peugeot 407 Vantage replica!! I get everyone has different options but this simply doesn't make sense, on a number of different levels:
"Lets start with the gearshift which although positive was incredibly light at times I was not sure it would have been out of place in a hatchback. The clutch was very light with no feel. The suspension was quite similar."
For the last 25yrs I've driven and owned many many sports cars, both road and track prepared, and had a stint competively. Ive always loved a "drivers" car, one that makes you feel connected with the car and the road, isn't digitised, the sensations are not softened by electronics. I'm on my fourth Lotus, an S2 Exige, that feels like the ultimate drivers car, almost the definition of it.
Out of all the Astons I drove and owned, the manual V12V comes closest to the above. Until I drove one I had almost given up on finding those qualities in an Aston, almost settling for a more GT experience. But drove a manual V12V and was sold. It felt like the perfect drivers car wrapped in the glorious and classic shape of an Aston Martin and with some creature comforts.
I get everyone has an opinion and often instantly becomes a fanboy of the car they've just bought, I've been guilty myself, but unless you've spent your life driving hardcore track cars there is no way you can say a V12V felt in anyway like driving a hatchback!!! Maybe you drove a Dog? Maybe your view was clouded as you had to justify spending an extra £50k? on the V12svr over a V12V?
Great purchase by the way, you'll have years of fun in that, beautiful.
Thanks AstonExige, I get everyone has different options but this simply doesn't make sense, on a number of different levels:"Lets start with the gearshift which although positive was incredibly light at times I was not sure it would have been out of place in a hatchback. The clutch was very light with no feel. The suspension was quite similar."
For the last 25yrs I've driven and owned many many sports cars, both road and track prepared, and had a stint competively. Ive always loved a "drivers" car, one that makes you feel connected with the car and the road, isn't digitised, the sensations are not softened by electronics. I'm on my fourth Lotus, an S2 Exige, that feels like the ultimate drivers car, almost the definition of it.
Out of all the Astons I drove and owned, the manual V12V comes closest to the above. Until I drove one I had almost given up on finding those qualities in an Aston, almost settling for a more GT experience. But drove a manual V12V and was sold. It felt like the perfect drivers car wrapped in the glorious and classic shape of an Aston Martin and with some creature comforts.
I get everyone has an opinion and often instantly becomes a fanboy of the car they've just bought, I've been guilty myself, but unless you've spent your life driving hardcore track cars there is no way you can say a V12V felt in anyway like driving a hatchback!!! Maybe you drove a Dog? Maybe your view was clouded as you had to justify spending an extra £50k? on the V12svr over a V12V?
Great purchase by the way, you'll have years of fun in that, beautiful.
Edited by AstonExige on Saturday 4th March 10:07
I'm not saying the V12V drove like a hatchback, I meant that a few of the controls, namely gearshift and clutch had little weight to them and due to that I felt unnconnected to the car. Probably guity of being a bit of a fan boy - I do think its grea. Omaybe the car was a dog, I don't know but was surprised at my reaction to both was so varied, hence why I drove the S again when I put my money down as I couldnt quite believe it myself. I'm not trying to justify the price I could afford both, but did not like the V12V and therefore I would not buy it . The price was therefore irrelevant - it didn't get me. The S did and therefore to me it was the only one I wanted to but, dont get me wrong if it was avaliblr cheaper, I would have been all over it, but there are no second hand V12VS manual roadsters - in fact when i looked I found one at redline at a higher price than I paid for my brand new car - hence it was a dine deal... Not meaning to offend V12V owners. I also love RR corniches which many think are rubbish, we all have our weird quirks 😀
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