Aston Martin Vantage AMR manual confirmed
Imminently-due sports car will be the first to combine AMG's 4.0 V8 with a three-pedal setup
We like the Aston Martin Vantage with its AMG V8 and eight-speed auto very much, but it’s also true that we’ve been growing increasingly impatient for a manual version to arrive. Thankfully, it seems Gaydon’s engineers are nearing completion of exactly that, and to make things better, it’ll arrive with a fettling from the firm’s most sporting department, AMR – soon, as well, according to a new rendering put out on Twitter.
AMR’s previous projects have all been given bumps in output; the most recent V12 in the AMR Rapide was enhanced by 30hp, so a similar improvement would give the Vantage AMR around 540hp from its twin-turbocharged heart. AMR also has a habit of sharpening handling and knocking off a few kilos of unsprung mass, so overall pace ought to be better - and there should be lime green stripes, too.
Bolting a manual ‘box to the AMG V8 will have been no simple task because it’s never been done by a production car maker before. It means there’ll almost certainly be hardware and software that’s completely bespoke to the manual Vantage, and it’s even plausible that the V8’s delivery will have to have been re-tuned to suit a human-actuated gearbox. But Aston has very good form in this practice; the previous Vantage N430 manual was a wonderful driver’s machine.
Also providing us with plenty of reason to get excited for the new car is the fact the 4.0-litre V8 Vantage already has the same amount of power as the previous-gen’s V12 model, which came with a manual as well. Any boost in performance from AMR’s tuning could therefore conceivably create the most broadly capable manual powertrain to have yet been fitted to a Vantage, which is rather exciting. We’re expecting to find out for real later in the summer.
Naturally, all this Vantage manual talk has us back on the classifieds as we ponder the purchase of a previous one. Anyone got £34k to spare? This one looks rather tasty…
It's no good launching the manual on the regular model when regular punters typically choose two pedals anyway. But make a car that's rarer, sharper, and altogether more collectable, and people will flock to the three pedal option; a-la Caymen GT4 and 911 R.
Let's hope it works for AM, too.
It's no good launching the manual on the regular model when regular punters typically choose two pedals anyway. But make a car that's rarer, sharper, and altogether more collectable, and people will flock to the three pedal option; a-la Caymen GT4 and 911 R.
Let's hope it works for AM, too.
That's the problem. The 3 pedal cars will be seen as the `Specials` and yet out of reach of those of us who prefer to swap cogs ourselves. I'd even take a lower powered manual over a more powerful auto box.
That's the problem. The 3 pedal cars will be seen as the `Specials` and yet out of reach of those of us who prefer to swap cogs ourselves. I'd even take a lower powered manual over a more powerful auto box.
Yes please, because I choose a sports car so as not to go as fast as possible!
Cue the avalanche of manual is more engaging comments, even though only 1% of F430's were sold as manual. Yawn!
It's no good launching the manual on the regular model when regular punters typically choose two pedals anyway. But make a car that's rarer, sharper, and altogether more collectable, and people will flock to the three pedal option; a-la Caymen GT4 and 911 R.
Let's hope it works for AM, too.
That's the problem. The 3 pedal cars will be seen as the `Specials` and yet out of reach of those of us who prefer to swap cogs ourselves. I'd even take a lower powered manual over a more powerful auto box.
How quickly did the GT4/911R sell out?
Yes the takeup rate of manual gearboxes in 430s might only have been 1%, as one poster said, but now that there is an absolute dearth of manual sportscar choice, I think the takeup rate would be a lot lot higher. I don't know the official numbers on the manual GT3, but I'd imagine its higher than 1%. If Ferrari offered a manual in any of its cars, I bet they couldn't build enough in today's day and age.
te!!).Agree with the above comments, I'm not sure really how much they will sell in manual, although it's great there is a choice now.
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.
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