THE RUNDOWNSHIFT WORK
—
The Vantage AMR isn’t
the only car that Aston
is offering with a manual.
The company will build
you another model with a
clutch pedal. Aston Martin
Works does a steady
business putting manual
gearboxes into the original
Vanquish. Launched in
2001, the Vanquish came
with a slow-shifting
and clunky automated
manual transmission.
Fortunately, it’s based
on a Tremec manual
gearbox, so converting
it is straightforward.
The electromechanical
actuators are replaced
with shift linkage. The
automated clutch is
swapped for a conventional
setup, and a third pedal
goes in. Works has now
done around 70 cars,
including 20 for owners
in the U.S. The conversion
cost is about $31,500 (plus
shipping), and considering
a nice Vanquish trades for
around $60,000, you could
make a strong case for
going the conversion route
instead of buying a new
Vantage AMR. —Mike DuffManual Shutdown
Okay, maybe we don’t want to save all the manuals.
Aston Martin is charging into the future.
The Vantage and the DB were redesigned
in just the last few years, and the DBX
SUV’s unveiling is imminent. But the
106 -year-old company is also glancing
back at the past with the Vantage AMR,
the central feature of which is a manual
transmission.
The Graziano seven-speed is the
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the lower-left corner of the shift pat-
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ZF eight-speed automatic that usually
sits aft of the Vantage’s 4 .0 -liter V-8. The
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one paired with the automatic) account
for a claimed 1 5 4-pound weight savings.
Forged wheels, carbon-ceramic brake
rotors, and various interior and trim
pieces included with the AMR package
cut another 66 pounds. In the interest of
the Graziano’s longevity, Aston restricts
the torque output of its AMG-supplied
4 .0 -liter V-8, reducing it from 505 pound-
feet in the automatic car to 4 6 1 here.
The seven-speed shifter is topped by
a big, blocky knob that looks like a cheap
aftermarket part, and the throws are
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catastrophic mis-shifts, but the gates
are so tightly spaced that a one-two shift
takes focus, lest it become a one-four.
There’s little clutch feel to speak of, but
decent weight and progressive takeup
make for easy, smooth shifts any way.
Next year, the manual will make the
leap from special-edition showpiece to
regular option on the Vantage. It pains
us to say this, but the manual conversion
doesn’t feel as fully realized as the rest of
the car. This is an exceptionally engaging
and fun vehicle, and in its mediocrity, the
transmission calls negative attention to
itself. It’s a distraction in an otherwise
positive experience.503-hp twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8, 7-speed manual
Base: $183,081
Performance (C/D est) • 60 mph: 3.8 sec
1/4-Mile: 11.9 sec • Top Speed: 200 mph
EPA Comb/City/Hwy: 19/17/23 mpg (C/D est)2020 ASTON MARTIN VANTAGE AMR ~ BY JARED GALL
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ILLUSTRATIONBY^ MARTIN^LAKSMANDECEMBER 2019 ~ CAR AND DRIVER