Aston will revive its racing-inspired special with a manual gearbox, expected to be shown in the coming days

Aston Martin has previewed a new manual gearbox ‘AMR’ variant of the latest Vantage sports car, set to be revealed within the next week. 

AMR, which, unsurprisingly, stands for Aston Martin Racing, is a badge that has been used on a number of special edition Astons in the last few years, and is currently used on a more driver-focused version of the DB11 and a run-out special of the Rapide.

In keeping with the theme of driving engagement, the Vantage AMR will see the return of a manual gearbox to the brand for the first time since the previous-generation model in 2017.  

In recent years Aston has used a six-speed manual ‘box in certain models, but the V12 Vantage S was fitted with a seven-speed manual towards the end of its life, making use of a motorsport-inspired dog-leg first gear layout. That allowed the top six gears to remain in the traditional ‘H’ pattern that most drivers are familiar with. 

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It’s not clear yet whether the new manual Vantage will revive this format, but it’s a strong possibility. Porsche offers a seven-speed manual transmission on its 911 Carrera, a close rival to Aston’s sports car.

The AMR will continue to retain the Mercedes-AMG sourced 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8, which might receive a small power boost. Expect styling tweaks, bespoke interior trim and perhaps some subtle chassis revisions, too. 

Previous AMR models have been available on a limited production run with a significant price increase, and that’s likely to be the case with the new car. Expect more details to emerge in the coming days. 

Read more:

Aston Martin Vantage review

Aston Martin DB11 AMR review

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