Aston Martin is gong to build 200 Vantage AMR’s of which 59 will celebrate the 60th anniversary of Aston Martin’s win at the 1959 24 Hours of Le Mans. The ‘Vantage 59’ features a Stirling Green and Lime exterior with a Dark Knight leather and alcantara interior. The Vantage AMR is powered by a 4.0 litre twin-turbo V8 producing 510 hp and 461 lb-ft of torque. Power is sent to the rear wheels via a 7-speed manual transmission. 0-60 mph sprints take just 3.9 seconds, 0-100 km/h arrives in 4.0 seconds and top speed is 195 mph. The engine is set low and as far back in the chassis as possible resulting in a low centre of gravity and near 50:50 weight distribution.

“When I joined this company, customers asked and, as a gearbox engineer and racer, I promised that we would always offer a manual transmission in our line-up,” said Andy Palmer, Aston Martin’s President and Group CEO. “The Vantage AMR not only honours that commitment but sets us apart from our competitors in continuing to offer a three-pedal option. In a world of autonomous robo-taxis, Aston Martin will continue to advance the art and science of performance driving. With the Vantage AMR, we have created a thoroughly modern sports car that rewards effort and focus from the driver; the antidote to driving a computer game. With the Vantage GTE set to race again at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June, I hope that those customers who are lucky enough to take ownership of a Vantage 59, will have even more reason to celebrate with their new car”.

The Vantage AMR’s transmission is mated to a limited-slip differential, tuned and calibrated by Aston Martin’s leading dynamics team, headed by Chief Engineer Matt Becker, from the team’s base at Silverstone Race Circuit. Vantage AMR’s manual transmission also features AMSHIFT. The system, which is driver selectable, uses clutch, gear position and prop shaft sensors, with an engine management program to mimic the technique of heel-and-toe downshifts; the act of blipping the throttle while braking and changing gear to allow smoother deceleration and cornering as a result. AMSHIFT also offers the capability of full-throttle upshifts for maximum smoothness and minimal interruption in acceleration.