New Vantage Magazine With An Interesting Advert

[bomberh]

So I'm thumbing my way through the latest edition of Vantage, looking at what I would like to read in full and I come across the following advert:



Ummmm very interesting, is this new, or has this been available for sometime, because I haven't seen this before from AM? I wonder how much this would cost compared to a well known outfit that fits these too?

[Jon39]

Please explain how the clutch can be 'REACTIVE'.

Might it be marketing department speak, meaning nothing at all?

[bogie]

Interesting indeed ....I guess in another year or two, that upgrade clutch will be OE on new Vantages

[SS972]

AM page not working

[jonby]

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=16...


Do you think with the AMR cars that there is a likely to be one at a time, or a series of models available? Once Audi only had one RS product on sale at a time, and now that's changed.
"I think on the base AMR you will see continual availability across most of the range eventually. For the AMR Pros I think they will be very limited production cars, with the opportunity from those to spin off a range of AMR accessories too. Our accessory range is a little (pauses) comfort and convenience orientated at the moment. There's a whole world out there; the tuner market is doing very nicely at the moment."

OK, so I suppose you could have a suspension or a power kit if you didn't want a full model?
"Yes, that kind of thing. We have a whole car park of current Vantages out there - a great car, it's quite affordable now. I'm speculating now, but I'd like to think we could offer a kind of track day upgrade kit for those cars, parts that boost performance at a reasonable price."

[telum01]

"Reactive" is probably marketing fluff.

If they made (or sourced) a lightweight flywheel and used the existing V12 clutch, it'd be an easy upgrade. Plenty of us have already done this (I got mine from VelocityAP).

[HBradley]

telum01 said:

"Reactive" is probably marketing fluff.

If they made (or sourced) a lightweight flywheel and used the existing V12 clutch, it'd be an easy upgrade. Plenty of us have already done this (I got mine from VelocityAP).

I agree, 'Reactive' = lighter (& it can reverse uphill without smelling of BBQ dog hair!!)!
In all honesty, AML should have fitted this to every Vantage when it was launched in the V12V/S! It would have solved so many of the 'Clutch Anxiety' concerns voiced by many owners (& potential owners) over the years!

BR did mine last year & it has been a real game-changer. It will be interesting to see what they're charging v the Indies.

[V8V Pete]

HBradley said:

In all honesty, AML should have fitted this to every Vantage when it was launched in the V12V!

Exactly! Only took them 8 years to work this out and see that there was a market for upgrading older cars. I suspect it will be far more expensive than the Indies but at least you can now have it done without invalidating your warranty (if your car still has one). Personally I waited until my car was over 3 years old until I had BR do mine but I'd rather have had it from the first day of ownership.

So does anybody know if this "new" clutch is fitted to the GT8 or did they get the single plate?

[jonby]

they go the link wrong in the advert (no surprises there.....)

Here it is in the website now

http://www.astonmartin.com/accessories/amr-perform...

[RobDown]

V8V Pete said:

HBradley said:

In all honesty, AML should have fitted this to every Vantage when it was launched in the V12V!

Exactly! Only took them 8 years to work this out and see that there was a market for upgrading older cars. I suspect it will be far more expensive than the Indies but at least you can now have it done without invalidating your warranty (if your car still has one). Personally I waited until my car was over 3 years old until I had BR do mine but I'd rather have had it from the first day of ownership.

So does anybody know if this "new" clutch is fitted to the GT8 or did they get the single plate?

The GT8 has the standard clutch albeit a dealer-fit lightweight version was an option. As it was dealer fit it didn't strike me as worth doing off the bat

[V8V Pete]

RobDown said:

The GT8 has the standard clutch albeit a dealer-fit lightweight version was an option. As it was dealer fit it didn't strike me as worth doing off the bat

Rob - was the dealer-fit option just a lightweight flywheel or the whole thing with dual plate clutch as well? Why did the fact it was dealer-fit make you not consider it?

Clearly the solution is to get BR or similar to do the clutch & flywheel too when you get some proper exhaust manifolds fitted

[nickv8]

Hmmm.... not sure if this would give an appreciable improvement considering the standard clutch on my 2014MY is good in terms of feel. In fact, weight-wise it's lighter than I was expecting it to be.

However, when its life is up, I'd probably seriously consider it almost out of curiousity.

[HBradley]

nickv8 said:

Hmmm.... not sure if this would give an appreciable improvement considering the standard clutch on my 2014MY is good in terms of feel. In fact, weight-wise it's lighter than I was expecting it to be.

However, when its life is up, I'd probably seriously consider it almost out of curiousity.

You need to try one, the difference is night & day!!

[Bobajobbob]

Would you mind explaining how it differs/improves the driving experience?

[HBradley]

Bobajobbob said:

Would you mind explaining how it differs/improves the driving experience?

I can only speak from a SSII perspective (There are plenty manual owners who will be able to give their perspective):

1. Twin-plate clutch grips from both sides which means it's got a smaller surface area, it's lighter & requires much less pressure to engage (lighter clutch pedal in the manual apparently). Much more positive.
2. The clutch is the same as fitted to the V12VS (& incidentally the One 77!!), It can handle in excess of 700 bhp. No smelly reversing, no juddering etc etc. This is a HUGE plus point for me!
3. Combined with the lightened flywheel, the pick-up is noticeable sharper, more positive. It would be incorrect to say the car is more powerful because of the upgrade, but physics dictates that if the engine is turning a lighter flywheel & clutch, there must be a positive effect.
4. Gear changes are crisper & perceptively quicker.

I'm sure I've missed something, add as appropriate.

BR did mine last year & has significantly improved the driving experience.

Edited by HBradley on Monday 5th June 11:46

[Jon39]

jonby said:

they go the link wrong in the advert (no surprises there.....)

Here it is in the website now

http://www.astonmartin.com/accessories/amr-perform...

It might be best to take headache pills before watching the video.
There are several different scenes per second, so it is impossible to see anything, but the film appears to say nothing about the product anyway.

Recent Aston Martin videos have been dreadful, because most of them continually use rapid scene changes.

[Jon39]

HBradley said:

. . . (lighter clutch pedal in the manual apparently).

Yes, with the twin plate in a manual, the clutch pedal is far lighter than with the original clutch.

[nickv8]

HBradley said:

nickv8 said:

Hmmm.... not sure if this would give an appreciable improvement considering the standard clutch on my 2014MY is good in terms of feel. In fact, weight-wise it's lighter than I was expecting it to be.

However, when its life is up, I'd probably seriously consider it almost out of curiousity.

You need to try one, the difference is night & day!!

Thanks (and for the subsequent posts)!

Interesting. I'm still new to the V8V so may need more time to become annoyed/irritated with what I've got

Before buying the car I was adamant on some spec specifics including the S model's interior (ie. I would have needed to buy an S!), sports suspension, upgraded HiFi, etc. But after my first longer evening drive across deserted Welsh roads, I realise I got that wrong in places. The standard suspension is perfect, I turn off the HiFi and listen to the trumpet section on the back-end of the car, etc.

The shift action (clutch and lever) are spot on IMHO. But then I'm not comparing at the moment. So it's now on my "interested" list. The money I'd have squandered on a HiFi upgrade (you can't retrospectively via AM anyway) could go to this and the V12V exhaust. I love the sound but it does sometimes require winding down the windows to get a fully effect!

I've never considered upgrading cars before. Why do I choose to start considering on an AM?????????

[Bobajobbob]

HBradley said:

I can only speak from a SSII perspective (There are plenty manual owners who will be able to give their perspective):

1. Twin-plate clutch grips from both sides which means it's got a smaller surface area, it's lighter & requires much less pressure to engage (lighter clutch pedal in the manual apparently). Much more positive.
2. The clutch is the same as fitted to the V12VS (& incidentally the One 77!!), It can handle in excess of 700 bhp. No smelly reversing, no juddering etc etc. This is a HUGE plus point for me!
3. Combined with the lightened flywheel, the pick-up is noticeable sharper, more positive. It would be incorrect to say the car is more powerful because of the upgrade, but physics dictates that if the engine is turning a lighter flywheel & clutch, there must be a positive effect.
4. Gear changes are crisper & perceptively quicker.

I'm sure I've missed something, add as appropriate.

BR did mine last year & has significantly improved the driving experience.

Edited by HBradley on Monday 5th June 11:46

Many thanks. It all adds up to a better driving experience. The one aspect I'm still not 100% sure on is exactly what the lightened flywheel achieves. Does this mean the engine revs quicker/more freely? When you blip the throttle do the revs climb quicker?

Thanks for all the feedback.

[HBradley]

Bobajobbob said:

Many thanks. It all adds up to a better driving experience. The one aspect I'm still not 100% sure on is exactly what the lightened flywheel achieves. Does this mean the engine revs quicker/more freely? When you blip the throttle do the revs climb quicker?

Thanks for all the feedback.

Apologies, I didn't articulate that too well!

Exactly that; the engine revs more freely as a result of having to rotate less mass.

Mike at BR or David Appleby would almost certainly be able to describe it engineering elements better than I.

Oh & I forgot to mention in my original post, one other advantage is longevity; given that the clutch is much more robust, it should last much longer. How long is unknown as yet but possibly the life of the car (depending on how it's driven of course!).

Edited by HBradley on Monday 5th June 15:55