A manual-swapped Vanquish S is Aston Martin perfected.
Whether you love the Aston Martin Vanquish of the early aughts will depend on what you expect it to be. If you expect a front-engine supercar to compete with the likes of the Ferrari 575, you’ll be disappointed. If you expect a smooth, comfortable, laid back cruiser, you’ll be ecstatic.
The Vanquish is not a supercar. It’s a cushy grand tourer, through and through. Heavy and soft, it could never keep up with the epically quick Ferraris of its time. It only takes a few minutes behind the wheel to realize the Vanquish was never designed to on-limit handling or track test comparisons. It’s easy-going and relaxing. The platonic ideal of what a front-engine Aston Martin GT should be.Time has been kind to the Vanquish, mostly. Design-wise, it remains one of the great modern Astons.
The Vanquish was never able to deliver the supercar experience its original quarter-million price tag first promised back in 2001, but the car is an exceedingly enjoyable thing to drive in 2023. At 4150 pounds it’s not exactly nimble, but a well-tuned chassis means it doesn’t fall apart when the road ahead gets curvy. The brakes are strong and easy to modulate, while the hydraulically assisted steering gives an adequate idea of what the front tires are doing.
The elephant in the room is the transmission getting the V-12’s power to the rear wheels. Aston only ever sold the Vanquish with a single-clutch six-speed automated manual transmission, similar to Ferrari’s F1 gearbox or Lamborghini’s E-Gear. As far as hydraulically operated manuals go, it’s not outwardly terrible , but it dates the car to the point where it’s become far less desirable for collectors.Aston Martin itself saw an opportunity to save the Vanquish from becoming trapped in time.
If you’re on the fence, consider the economic benefits. Aston charges £25,000 for the swap, plus any shipping costs incurred to get the car to the factory and back. That’s a lot of money,you’ll make it back, plus more, when you go to sell. The only thing you’re actually losing is the six weeks away from the car when it goes to get converted. For the manual-obsessed like you and me, it’s a no-brainer.The manual conversion is a pleasant addition to an already pleasant car.
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Someone Please Save This Aston Martin-Bodied Mazda MX-5 MiataThis NA Miata is wearing a body kit resembling an Aston Martin V12 Vanquish, and you can own it.
Read more »
First UK-commisioned Theon 911 a real corkerGBR001 gets almost 400hp, a new six-speed manual - and a colour that celebrates McQueen.
Read more »
First UK-commissioned Theon 911 a real corkerTheon's first UK commission gets 400hp, a six-speed manual and a colour that celebrates Steven McQueen.
Read more »
BMW X5 3.0 Sport | Shed of the WeekRemember when manual, petrol-powered SUVs were a thing?
Read more »
Dak Prescott on jawing with Trevon Diggs, Zack Martin contract, potential return of Ezekiel ElliottAs usual, all eyes are on quarterback Dak Prescott, who is trying to bounce back after an inconsistent season last year.
Read more »