|
|
|
| Aston Martin
Vanquish Works Service 'Stick Shift' Conversion (2006) |
|
|
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 have recognised this
and every new Vanquish purchased comes with a days one-to-one tuition on the
Performance Driving Course. In addition to all the normal performance driving
stuff, the Vanquish owner is 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 during the Bonham's Auction. The conversion is extremely neat with the gear leaver appearing from where a cup holder used to be. 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' won't be offered as an option on new cars during initial building but has to be retro-fitted after the cars have 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 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 | ||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||
| Just so there is no confusion, the image on the left was taken of a separate dashboard on a trolley used to illustrate the conversion - don't worry, I didn't ask for the roof to be removed from a production car just to take the photograph. | ||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||
