Aston Martin Will Always Offer Manual Gearboxes, CEO Says
Aston Martin bossman Andy Palmer reportedly told Canadian Auto Show attendees the British supercar company will always have at least one sports car with a stick shift in the lineup.
Whoever the next actor to play James Bond will be, he'd better know how to drive a stick. On Thursday, Aston Martin CEO Andy Palmer vowed that the company he helms will always—always—sell cars with manual transmissions, according to a report.
The Truth About Cars says Palmer made the noble vow during a speech at the media day for the Canadian International Auto Show, which, in spite of The Drive having never heard of it, is apparently big enough to warrant a site visit from the CEO of Aston Martin.
That's not to say the upcoming tech-packed AM-RB 001 hypercar, for example, will offer a stick shift. Palmer reportedly pledged that the company would offer at least a model—emphasis on the indirect article—with a manual gearbox. But that's still more than Ferrari, Lamborghini, or McLaren can say.
Aston Martin Vantage likely to continue being the supercar with a stick shift
Currently, Aston Martin offers just one car with a manual—the Vantage, which pairs a six-speed gearbox with the 4.7-liter V8 and a seven-speed stick with the 565-horsepower, 6.0-liter naturally aspirated V12 in the V12 Vantage S. Sadly, that car is on its way out the door; luckily, its AMG V8-powered successor is all but guaranteed to continue carrying the manual gearbox torch for the brand.
That said...Andy, we really wouldn't mind if you threw a stick shift in the DB11, too.