And it’s quite the challenge to bring it to reality.
British sports car marque Aston Martin is working overtime to ensure that when the 2019 Vantage V8 arrives, they’ll be able to offer it with a manual transmission for driving purists who need to be that involved in the driving experience. This will be a powertrain combination unique to the Vantage as the 4.0-litre AMG-supplied V8 has never been offered with the option of a manual gearbox before.
The engineers at Gaydon are overcoming hurdles to make this happen as they believe Aston buyers will appreciate the company’s commitment in offering a purer, more involving driving experience. Opting for the manual, likely a 7-speed unit, will add a few milliseconds to the 3.5-sec century sprint time logged by the Vantage with the automatic though ultimately, it’s about the thrill of getting there, and that’s where the manual transmission will shine.
According to Autocar, the Vantage manual will be offered in the same guises as the automatic model, and so a ‘standard’ Vantage manual will be joined by a hotter S model, followed by a full-blown AMR model. The standard model will pack 380kW and rise all the way to 685Nm, though S and AMR models will likely offer more firepower.
Going forwards, it’s possible that we may see a V12 Vantage in the lineup, given that comments by brand boss Dr. Andy Palmer have clarified that thanks to the Vantage’s platform being shared with the DB11, it’s entirely possible to slot in the company’s twelve-cylinder mill under the bonnet. But that said, the weight of the engine will make a very big difference insofar as driving dynamics are concerned so for the time being, the plan for a V12 Vantage remains on ice.
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