Aston Martin has a very good piece of news for the most petrolhead fans: there will be a Vantage AMR with a manual gearbox

The current automotive landscape is marked by certain strategies such as downsizing, the elimination of diesel engines or the extinction of manual gearboxes and naturally aspirated engines. However, in the contemporary motoring world we still find brands willing to chart their own course and go against everything that has been established, such as Aston Martin. The British firm showed some time ago its partnership with Mercedes-Benz, a company with which it shares mechanics and technology, but Aston Martin wants to give its latest Vantage the chance to make a before-and-after mark, something it will achieve with a manual gearbox and the AMR badge on its tail.

For now we know very little about this news, but the brand has made a hint that leaves no room for doubt through a teaser. In it, we can see how three pedals, the Vantage name and the AMR initials steal the spotlight, three features that can only mean one thing: there will soon be a Aston Martin Vantage with a manual gearbox to satisfy the most nostalgic and purist fans.

Manual gearbox and V8 engine, could you ask for anything more?

With this latest Vantage the British firm managed to keep its essence intact while accentuating it with more cutting-edge technology and a more radical and aggressive design. However, everyone knows that Aston Martin stands out precisely for staying faithful to the purest essence, something it has always demonstrated with its special editions or tributes to models of the past, and its entry-level supercar will be the one tasked with honouring the manual transmission.

Let us remember that the Vantage is powered by a 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 engine that it shares with practically all of Mercedes’s AMG-badged models. In the English car’s case, its heart produces 510 CV and 685 Nm of torque, figures that would be altered by the AMR division, which could squeeze the engine up to 600 CV.

Alongside this new power increase we would also find a more aggressive and sporty look and, as the cherry on top, a manual gearbox. If so, this would be the first time the V8 engine of Mercedes origin is managed by a six- or even seven-speed manual transmission, something the British brand will reveal very soon.

Fortunately or unfortunately, this manual Aston Martin Vantage will likely be a limited edition, so only a few lucky buyers will enjoy this very special model. In this way the brand once again demonstrates its clear commitment to tradition and to the purity of the automotive world, something it achieves by establishing a direct connection with that not-so-distant past when supercars remained faithful to the manual gearbox.

Technical specifications of this car

RoadsterAston Martin Vantage4 versions · from 200,000 €