Sad Day for Aston Lovers, historically speaking. http://www.classicdriver.com/uk/magazine/3300.asp?id=13458
Now how would you know, do you even have a driver's license? Truth be known I prefer the F1 in my Vanquish more so than that in my 360 Spider. And you wonder why you've been banned?!?!?!?!?!?!
i only drove one and the F! was jerky but not like BMW damn SMG but i'd take BMW's jerky-ass SMG over that stupid-ass Idrive
Please dont jump to that type of flaming. i have my permit if you ask and i know it always had a confusing gearbox because a close family friend had a Vanquish and he lived in a area where you had to parralel park if you had to go do your daily shopping (midwest guys its birmingham michigan) and he always complained about the gearbox but couldnt stop talking about how beautiful the car was. And I dont blame him, the Vanquish started alot of design trends like the buldged rear quarter panels and the rear roofline matching up to make a assertive wedge with the glass, dont forget also the cars influence it had on the world, it took Aston Martin to a whole new level as being a producer for a more relieable (well some of it), powerful, practical car. But sadly everybody who wanted to get a Vanquish got their Vanquish (and some of it must have been due to the james bond movie) in the first years of production causing Aston Martin to have a sales lump and not only for that reason. Depreciation made a huge blow to Astons sales, which held back new car customers and is still to this day. Aston had no choice but to risk in order to make money and so they developed the DB9 which came out in 2005, stealing the design qwues from the Vanquish the DB9 aslo had a who new gearbox that had paddles linked to an automatic gearbox unlike its bigger brother the Vanquish which had paddles linked to a manual gearbox. But by now Aston has said that their new V8 vantage and DB9 have made production number of about 11500, out-doing the vanquish at about 2500. but think about the reason why I say its a great car except for its gearbox is becuase without the failing of the vanquish, the db9 and the v8 vantage would not even be drawed up so this is why the Vanquish is definatly a great car becuase it brought aston back after their highly critisized DB7. anyone who wants t flame about my rant do it but pm me if you will. BTW: Frank C, thats your personal preference to use the vanquish's f1 than the ferrari's everybody has a personal preference yours might be the Vanquish because you might know how to use it right and mine is that if I were to have a choice between the db9 and the Vanuish I would take the DB9, just becuase the user-friendlyness of the gearbox, put they key in, push the button, push another button, and your off. IMHO
There is no problem with the gearbox. Buyers just didn't understand how to use it. It is a manual transmission with an automatic clutch. Drivers that treated it like an automatic would burn up the clutch leading to the rumors of faulty transmissions. You can even get the car converted to a standard shift and retain the transmission.
I realized that but it was just to complicated for anyone to use and thats why it was a "BAD" gearbox, people didnt understand it, it wasnt user-friendly, its nothing mechanical.
If I may paraphrase Abe Lincoln "it is better to be thought of as a fool than to open your mouth and prove it...".....and you just did. Case and point..... If I may expand....... An F1 gearbox is a manual transmission with an electromagnetic clutch whether in a Ferrari, Lambo or Aston Martin. They are all based on the Magnetti Marelli (?sp) design by those three manufactureres, who use their own proprietory software for shifting. F1s are not "BAD" or "complicated" and are user friendly in their respective makes. Are you saying all F1s are too complicated? Including Ferrari's? (See honest Abe above) Aston's software learns how you drive and shifts accordingly, so if you drive someone elses car it may seem quirky. Also, they (F1s) are designed to drive without letting off the throttle. Inexperienced drivers will let off the throttle attempting to aid the shift, in actuality they are actually hindering the ECUs computation of the (electronic) throttle blip for the upshift. The DB9 is an automatic transmission with a torque converter. I guess that's easier to drive....my wife drives the Ferrari in ASM so I guess there's hope for you.... The one thing I like about the Vanq is that in 10 mins in my garage I can reset the transmission software including the clutch engagement point. I don't know if the Ferrari can do that I haven't asked a mechanic. PS 12,000mi in the Vanq and 4000mi in the 360, no complications so far...
There is nothing complicated about it. It is simply a throttle, brake and paddle shift to drive. One less step than a manual shift car and one more than an automatic. How complicated is that? A lot of buyers did not know what they had and would "drag" the clutch. At a stop, they could lift off the brake and the car would not move. They didn't realize that they were burning the clutch. Nothing too difficult. Maybe the dealers were at fault for not explaining the basics on how to use it. Maybe they did that on purpose to get some expensive warranty work. Is it slightly different...yes. Difficult?....NO Imagine if you grew up only around automatics. What would be less difficult to drive, an F1 or manual?
I think some of you have missed the point of my word play in the title, its not just the Vanquish thats left Newport Pagnell for the last time, its Aston Martin. Thats kind of like Ferrari leaving Maranello, a big occassion historically for Aston lovers.
I think once the DB9 came along, it sort of made the Vanquish obsolete. Aston tried to spice it up with the Vanquish S. Im not saying the Vanquish is a bad car, if its good enough for Bond its good enough for anyone. But the new DBS will be an absolute stunner.
No. The DB9 was a car designed to pay the bills. DB9-VH platform (read assembly line) vs Vanq- carbon fibre monococque. The DBS is the S drivetrain in a (VH) DB9 body , nothing glamorous there. The DB9 is a ****ing automatic for chrissakes. You can get a stick in it, but no F1. You can get a stick in the Vanq if you want as well, but why? Vanq was about technology, DB9 was company viability. Now the Rapide (stretched out) VH/9 is stunning.................. More DB9s are built in 6-9 months of production than there have been total Vanqs built. Only a shade over 1000 S world wide total, only 50 or so imported into the US each year (200 or so in the US). Besides, just push the start button....that growl alone is worth the extra $100K.
The funniest thing about this thread is not so much the kid, but more or less the astonishing fact that there are people on here who are rich enough to buy an exotic car, and yet still result to childishly fighting with him "and starting it" Old Money?
I didn't miss the word play, but it doesn't really make me sad - and I'm a huge Aston fan. It's progress - if it is what is required to keep the company viable then so be it. IIRC the Vanquish engines (or possibly a different compnent, but I think it was engines) were constructed in Germany anyway.
I think it was nice you schooled the kid (pretty funny too). I sure learned a few things and am glad you did Where is Aston going now? Why did they leave Newport Pagnell? I gotta get one of those Aston S Limited
Newport too small, split workforce etc........ Rapide: limited run of about 500, DBS also limited run of about 300+?. With Prodrive buying Aston, and with the Ferrari 599 @ 600bhp, expect the next Vanq/flagship to be 600+bhp (the current V12 can be bumped up to that hp now...Dimex has kits etc). The Vanq replacement is slated for 2010 . Gotta fly....................
They moved because it was too small/old, not modern.......too bad. Rapide will be built about 500 or so. The DBS will have about 300-350 run. The Vanq replacement will come out 2010, expect 600bhp b/c of Prodrive buying Aston and the Ferrari 599 having 600bhp. The current V12 can be had to 600bhp now with Dimex upgrades. Gotta fly...............
Agreed, and this is how stupid rumors and the "i know someone that knows someone that said this car is garbage" This kid who has no clue should really not be commenting. Also, pushing that start button and hearing the engine come to life, really is worth the price of admission.
I think the article stated they would keep some of it and it would or could be changed to some kind of office condos or perhaps living space.
I wish I had taken the tour. I was at the dealership yesterday (chunk out of the front splitter). I was told the old factory was neat....seeing the Vanqs built in these 100 y/o buildings. Each station had its own radio, set to a different station and the techs would all be singing different songs at the top of thier lungs whilst building the cars........shame really.
