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The paddle shift gearbox as fitted
to the Vanquish is really a very neat system. It is best described as a
manual gearbox system with a automatic hydraulically activated clutch so
only two pedals are needed. But there are some customers who just don't
appear to get along with it. Aston Martin recognised this
and thus when every new Vanquish was sold, it came with a days one-to-one tuition on the
Performance Driving Course. In addition to all the normal performance driving
stuff, the new Vanquish owner was taught why it's not so good to creep along in
traffic (it is in effect riding the clutch which burns it out). *
For the small portion of Vanquish owners who choose to change
gear using a conventional gear stick and clutch pedal, Works Service introduced
it's own conversion in May 2006 at the Bonham's Auction. The conversion is
extremely neat with the gear leaver appearing from the cup holder appature. Later cars with the DB9 type centre console need a little more work to
recess the console further into the dash to allow the gear leaver full movement. The
'slick-shift' was never offered as an option on new cars during initial building
but was available retro-fitted after the cars had been registered for the road (in
the same way as with the V600 Vantage models in the late 1990's). Prices for a conventional stick-shift transmission
commences in 2006 was listed as from £13,250 (+ VAT).
* The recommended way to drive a paddle-shift Vanquish in traffic
is to leave a gap and not drift along as you would in an automatic car |
