Just like the C8 Corvette that's set to be debut later this month, the new Aston Martin Vanquish is going to be mid-engined.
Although the Vanquish is following in the footsteps of the Corvette with the engine placement, there's one aspect that the British-built supercar has over its American counterpart — the humble manual transmission.
When asked about the prospect of the manual transmission making an appearance in the Vanquish, Aston Martin CEO Andy Palmer didn't say yes, but basically confirmed it.
"I’ve already made a commitment that I want to be the last manufacturer in the world to offer manual sports cars and I want to honour that commitment," Palmer said.
In pursuit of quicker acceleration and lap times, high-performance manufacturers moved away from manual transmissions, but it seems that there is still a market for the old technology.
The last generation Aston Martin Vanquish was sold exclusively with a six-speed box for a few years after release, but it 2014, an eight-speed auto became the standard.
Introducing a manual option on a car that was previously exclusively auto might seem like a step backward in some eyes, but Aston Martin has made sure that everyone knows what the new Vanquish is. According to the British brand, it is going to be a lot faster and more driver-focused than previous generations, and will stand out against its competitors with its manual transmission.
When asked about the possibility of higher spec Aston Martin models featuring a manual transmission, Palmer quickly shut down any speculation by saying: "no, now that car will only come with a paddleshift transmission."
While no official power figures have been released, the hybrid twin-turbo V6 that powers the Vanquish has been said to produce something in the region of 800hp.