Aston (paired with sluggish automatic gearboxes) has been the bane of most reviews and now you can completely avoid that combination by opting for a manual version of Aston’s refreshed V12 Vantage S. The 7-speed automatic version sticks around as a no-cost option but it’s the manual – at first for the Vantage S – that we’re interested in.
“Broadening the scope of the V12 Vantage S with a manual transmission option is an indication of our desire to offer the keenest drivers a more analogue and immersive machine to enjoy“, said Aston Martin CEO Dr Andy Palmer. “I’d like to take this opportunity to reiterate that the manual gearbox remains an integral part of our product plans and will do for many years to come.”
A dog-leg first gear mimics the setup used in Aston’s racing cars while a system dubbed AMSHIFT blips the throttle on downshifts, leaves the throttle wide open on upshifts. That second bit should give the new Vantage S almost seamless and maximum acceleration. Further evidence is the fact that both transmission setups have the same 3.9 second 0-100km/h.
The V12 6.0-litre of no turbo charging puts out the same 420kW as before while a Sport Plus Package can be ordered, adding contrasting grille, side sills, mirror housings and black or grey leather. A set of 10-spoke graphite alloys wrap up the Sport Plus Package.
Keeping up to date connectivity and touch interfaces, both V12 and V8 Vantage support Apple CarPlay – no Android Auto, sadly – with additional features like SatNav now possible thanks to a faster processor.
