The Aston Martin Vantage’s 4-litre V8 engine sounds so epic you’ll be applauded by strangers

WHY did God give us so many fingers? To play Xbox? To text and drink coffee at the same time? To unwrap Amazon parcels?

Or if you are a car enthusiast, like me, to drive a manual sports car? Yep, that last one.

Especially if it’s a manual sports car like the dreamy Aston Martin Vantage AMR you see here today.

This is the first of the new breed of Astons to be blessed with a dog-leg manual gearbox and I’ll cut straight to the chase: It gets my juices going.

First gear is tucked away bottom left, so second to seventh – the party gears you’ll use most – are positioned in a traditional double H-pattern.

It makes driving – and I mean driving – a 510hp rocketship so thrilling that you’ll always take the long way home.

Then there’s something called AMSHIFT. It’s a naughty little button in front of the gearstick that blips the throttle on downshifts and allows for full-throttle upshifts.

You’ll never switch it off. It’s your free pass to pro status. Then there’s the added bonus of lightness.

The manual gearbox – combined with standard carbon ceramic brakes – means the Vantage AMR is 95kg lighter than the flappy paddle Vantage auto. Which means the handling is even more spectacular.

It’s not short on looks either. This green and lime “59” car honours Aston’s 1959 Le Mans victory with the DBR1 and all 59 cars priced at £165,000 sold immediately.

As did the remaining 141 “hero” AMRs from the 200-car run at £150,000 a pop. But do you know what? You haven’t missed out.
Next year you will be able to order a non-AMR Vantage with a manual gearbox from £121,000. That’s a big saving for the same thrills.

I like the sound of that. And I’ll like it even more three years from now when it’s half the price. Other observations. The Vantage AMR is fast – as in 200mph fast – yet comfy.

It can do a marathon and a sprint. The 4-litre V8 – an absolute gift from Mercedes-AMG – sounds so epic you’ll be applauded by strangers.

Just be careful on wet roads or you could easily end up visiting Mr Fox in a hedge bottom. Thank you for reading down this far. Now, to repeat the first question:

Why did God give us fingers?  To drive a manual Aston. Correct. Keep buying a Lucky Dip.

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