How is the manual transmission Vantage?
#1
How is the manual transmission Vantage?
I am actively looking for a manual transmission Vantage roadster.
I have never driven one and I am trying to get an expectation of what to expect in regards to shifter feel with the Vantage. There are no cars near me to get any first hand experience.
Previous and current cars include a Miata, Honda S2000, and an Acura NSX. All of these have great manual transmissions.
I am not expecting the Vantage to shift like my all time favorite, the S2000. Anyone have familiarity with similar cars care to comment on how the Vantage manual transmission feels in comparison?
Thanks
I have never driven one and I am trying to get an expectation of what to expect in regards to shifter feel with the Vantage. There are no cars near me to get any first hand experience.
Previous and current cars include a Miata, Honda S2000, and an Acura NSX. All of these have great manual transmissions.
I am not expecting the Vantage to shift like my all time favorite, the S2000. Anyone have familiarity with similar cars care to comment on how the Vantage manual transmission feels in comparison?
Thanks
#2
I had the s2k and now have the pleasure of the Vantage. You will be hard pressed to find anything that shifts as smoothly as the s2k. The shift from first to second is not as smooth when the car is cold. But overall, it’s a decent manual.
#5
I have a Miata race car (6 speed) & a 4.3 Vantage with Manual transmission. I had a Porsche 997 & Lotus Esprit V8 in the past.
I actually like the feel of the manual V8 Vantage a lot. It'll be kind of hard to get into gear (1st & 2nd) for the first 5 minutes from cold start. After that it shifts great. The shifting feel is on par with the Porsche 997. Better than the Lotus Esprit V8.
The clutch is heavy but I like it that way. The 4.7 Vantage clutch feels very light, like a Honda S2K / Shelby GT350.
Alan
I actually like the feel of the manual V8 Vantage a lot. It'll be kind of hard to get into gear (1st & 2nd) for the first 5 minutes from cold start. After that it shifts great. The shifting feel is on par with the Porsche 997. Better than the Lotus Esprit V8.
The clutch is heavy but I like it that way. The 4.7 Vantage clutch feels very light, like a Honda S2K / Shelby GT350.
Alan
#6
I have a 2011 V8V, the clutch feels very light to me, very smooth and easy to drive. I have not driven the earlier Vantages, so I can't compare, but mine is light and a pleasure to drive. Never had issues selecting any gears either. When I bought the car, I had never driven one, or even driven a manual in about 5 years. I bought it without ever test driving one.... (maybe not a good idea, but it worked out great...) I love it, very easy to drive.
#7
I had a 2007 Vantage , and my 2016 GT Vantage. I can say that the 4.7 cars after 2012 is a more rewarding car to drive.
the clutch is lighter and the added torque of the 4.7 make a better driving experience. I also feel the my 2016 has a better sift lever feel as well. My daughter had a NC Miata that I drove. You can’t compair the feel of the two. One car has 430 BHP and 362 foot pounds of torque . And the Miata has 157 BHP and lot less torque. I have also owned a 2005 Lotus Elise and a 2011 Lotus Evora. Pluse a 2015 Mustang GT. All stick shift, and all different in fell and action. I think the shift feel of my 2016 Vantage is a very satisfy and great fun.
Ron
the clutch is lighter and the added torque of the 4.7 make a better driving experience. I also feel the my 2016 has a better sift lever feel as well. My daughter had a NC Miata that I drove. You can’t compair the feel of the two. One car has 430 BHP and 362 foot pounds of torque . And the Miata has 157 BHP and lot less torque. I have also owned a 2005 Lotus Elise and a 2011 Lotus Evora. Pluse a 2015 Mustang GT. All stick shift, and all different in fell and action. I think the shift feel of my 2016 Vantage is a very satisfy and great fun.
Ron
Trending Topics
#8
the 4.7L cars and later have way lighter clutches, almost too light for my preference on my 2010.5
when the car is cold, there is definitely issues with the smoothness in 1st and 2nd it can feel grindy if that makes sense... some lube should fix the issue but I haven't ripped open my tunnel yet
when the car is cold, there is definitely issues with the smoothness in 1st and 2nd it can feel grindy if that makes sense... some lube should fix the issue but I haven't ripped open my tunnel yet
Last edited by sonies; 03-24-2019 at 05:01 PM.
#10
I have a 2009 4.7 vantage with a 6spd manual. I find it to be just about perfect for this car. (My only wish is that the shift lever would be about 2" forward as I'm 5'11"). I have driven Miatas and an S2000 which are great shifting cars but don't offer the power of the Vantage. The clutch in my Vantage is neither too stiff when starting off (although I only drive in 65 + degree weather) or too heavy - especially when compared to my 1970 Jaguar E-Type and '87 911. IMHO, the stick shift manual increases the fun factor of owning a Vantage.
I'm not sure that Aston will ever manage to fit the new Vantage with a manual shift so I will enjoy mine for a few more years.
I'm not sure that Aston will ever manage to fit the new Vantage with a manual shift so I will enjoy mine for a few more years.
#11
If you're interested in changing the clutch & gearbox feel, I might mention that my car shifts much snappier with a combination of tune-up and clutch-flywheel set (sourced from the V12 version's assembly, as I understand). The pedal feel is much lighter & crisper, although it still breaks near the top after a fairly long travel (which keeps it from feeling as quick as, say, a Miata--I have an NC myself--or your S2000). Perhaps more importantly, the throttle responds more briskly, without that weird little dead zone in the first half-inch of pedal that keeps the fairly racey Aston V8 from showing to full advantage. Of the two, if you have an early 4.3L engine like mine, I'd say you'll want to get it tuned to about the equivalent of the later 4.7L engines' output (420-430hp)...not so much for the extra power, but the crisper throttle response and better low-end torque take a lot of unnecessary effort out of shifting and driving. My car, for example, starts from a standstill just fine now in 2nd gear with little or no throttle, so notchy low gear shifting on a cold start really doesn't bother at all.
I also made the terrible blunder of first buying a super-aggressive racing clutch first (by mistake). It's still for sale on here somewhere if you want something more track-suited..
Cheers,
-N
I also made the terrible blunder of first buying a super-aggressive racing clutch first (by mistake). It's still for sale on here somewhere if you want something more track-suited..
Cheers,
-N
#12
My other toy is a bone stock, low mileage AP2 S2000. The shifter in the Vantage has adequate feel but it's a little bit notchy. The clutch is the biggest thing to get used to - it's very heavy in comparison.