---
title: "Aston Martin Will Always Offer Manual Gearboxes, CEO Says"
description: "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."
date: "2017-02-17"
modified: "2017-02-17"
authors:
  - name: "Will Sabel Courtney"
    job_title: "Contributor"
    link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/will-sabel-courtney"
url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/7749/aston-martin-will-always-offer-manual-gearboxes-ceo-says"
categories:
  - "News"
tags:
  - "andy palmer"
  - "Aston Martin"
  - "Canada"
  - "gearbox"
  - "manual"
  - "stick"
  - "transmission"
---

# Aston Martin Will Always Offer Manual Gearboxes, CEO Says

![](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/images-by-url-td/content/2017/02/aston-martin-vantage-v12-manual-gearbox.jpg>)
*\<em\>www.thedrive.com</em>*

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](<https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2017/02/well-never-abandon-three-pedal-lifestyle-aston-martin-ceo/>) 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](<https://www.thedrive.com/new-cars/7676/aston-martin-am-rb-001-will-use-cosworth-v12-ricardo-gearbox>), 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](<https://www.thedrive.com/new-cars/3888/an-aston-martin-vantage-with-a-manual-is-a-delightful-anachronism>) and [a seven-speed stick with the 565-horsepower, 6.0-liter naturally aspirated V12 in the V12 Vantage S](<https://www.thedrive.com/supercars/4246/the-mclaren-570s-and-aston-martin-v-12-vantage-s-manual-its-whats-for-brexit>). Sadly, that car is on its way out the door; luckily, [its AMG V8-powered successor](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/5920/aston-martins-amg-v-8-powered-vantage-caught-burbling-near-the-nurburgring>) 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](<https://www.thedrive.com/supercars/4994/aston-martin-db11-first-drive-in-tuscany>), too.

## Author
Will is the former managing editor of *RIDES Magazine* and the former online editor for *0-60 Magazine*. He has worked for *Time Out New York* and *Rolling Stone*, and was the creator of *College Cars Online*, the first automotive blog specifically targeted at college students and young professionals.

### Author social links  
[Instagram](<https://instagram.com/willsabelcourtney>)  
[Twitter](<https://twitter.com/willscourtney>)