Aston Martin Vantage AMR Gets 7sp Manual, But Only 200 Will Be Made

The Aston Martin Vantage AMR has just been unveiled as the first variant in the new Vantage family to be sold with a manual transmission.

Like the new Vantage we’ve all come to know and love, the Vantage AMR is powered by a 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine pumping out 503 hp and and 460 lb-ft (625 Nm) of torque. This engine is mounted as low and as far back in the chassis as possible to give the British sports car a near perfect 50:50 weight distribution.

The big difference with the Vantage AMR and the regular model is that the former comes standard with a motorsport-inspired seven-speed manual transmission from Graziano. This gearbox features a dog-leg first gear with second to seventh gears in a traditional double H-pattern configuration. Mated to the stick shift is a limited-slip differential which funnels power to the rear wheels.

In ideal conditions, the car will reach 60 mph (96 km/h) in 3.9 seconds and continue to accelerate through to a 195 mph (313 km/h) top speed.

Aston Martin has outfitted the sports car’s gearbox with AMSHIFT. This system uses clutch, gear position, and prop shaft sensors to perfectly mimic smooth head-and-toe downshifts. AMSHIFT also allows drivers to change through the gears at full throttle without letting off the accelerator pedal.

Alongside the inclusion of a manual ‘box, the car benefits from carbon ceramic brakes as standard which helps to save 95 kg of weight over typical Vantage models. The car also makes use of the British marque’s latest Skyhook adaptive damping system which includes Sport, Sport+, and Track models.

Just 200 examples of the Aston Martin Vantage AMR will be built. Of these, 141 will be available in either Sabiro Blue, Onyx Black, China Grey, or White Stone. The final 59 units will be dubbed the ‘Vantage 59’ models and celebrate the 60th anniversary of Aston Martin’s win at the 1959 24 Hours of Le Mans. These models will come with a Stirling Green and Lime exterior paint scheme.

Prices for the sports car start at £149,995 in the UK, €184,995 in Germany and $179,995 in the USA. Following the sale of all Vantage AMR models, the standard Vantage will be offered with a manual transmission as an option from the first quarter of 2020.