2020 Aston Martin Vantage

SPEAKER: When you fall in love, it's important to focus on more than just good looks. It's what's inside that matters. With that in mind, ignore for a second that the 2020 Aston Martin Vantage AMR is mad sexy, because remember, it's what's inside that matters. And what's inside is a four liter, twin turbo V8 backed by a seven speed manual transmission. You gotta love that. Let's see if it drives as good as it looks. What's the point of a sports car? Well, it should be fast enough to make your passenger question their decision to ride with you. But it should also be nimble enough that after that first turn, the passenger sits back and enjoys the ride. Oh, and it should stand out in a crowd. That last one is where the 2020 Aston Martin Vantage has a dog leg up on the competition. In a sea of Corvettes, Porsches, and even F-TYPE Jaguars, the Vantage offers distinctive and highly customizable exteriors and interiors. Aston is hoping the combination of modern styling with brand legacy will make the Vantage appeal to collectors, racers, and daily drivers. AMR is Aston Martin's performance brand, similar to AMG for Mercedes or M for BMW. While AMR has done power upgrades to previous Aston models, the modifications to the Vantage are primarily cosmetic, although they do include standard carbon ceramic brakes and numerous comfort and tech options that would normally only be available as packages on the base model car. Aston wants you to feel like you're getting your money's worth for $179,000. For 2020, the Vantage is available with a manual. Those three pedals are there, closely spaced and nicely height matched for those who like to keep their heel-toe skills in shape. Of course, the car's happy to rev match for you if you're not in the mood. Let's back up, or more accurately, move forward, into the engine bay. The Vantage engine in the manual AMR is the same as in the automatic car-- a twin turbo, four liter V8 from Mercedes AMG GT. Offering 503 horsepower, this potent eight-pack will take the Vantage from zero to 60 in 3.9 seconds and tops out at 200 miles per hour, which by the way, is five more than the automatic version, because it has different gearing in the transmission and the differential. But the acceleration to get there is just a smidge longer. From the outside, the Vantage is appropriately snarly. But inside the cabin, it's civilized aside from a light snick-snick of the shifter and the occasional cherry bomb of an exhaust pop on deceleration. Aston is using the Graziano seven speed it used in previous Vantage manuals, notable for its race car inspired, dogleg shift pattern. Instead of an H pattern where first goes to second, in a dogleg first is off to the side and second goes straight back to third. It's faster on a race track where you don't really need first that often. Once you're on the road, both engine and suspension can be adjusted in one of three modes-- Sport, Sport Plus, and Track. Changing modes affects the throttle response, the traction control, and the chassis damping. The car is firmly sprung even in its street driving setup, leaving little reason to change suspension settings on the street. But if you change the engine modes, ooh, it's hooin' in heaven. It really gets louder in the Sport Plus and Track modes. Like many contemporary performance cars, the sophistication of the tuning makes the Aston fast and safe in its base mode. But it also deadens some of that old school edginess of having a high horsepower machine. The Sport Plus setting has a more aggressive throttle mapping and a less attentive wheel spin monitor. Aston's chief engineer Matt Becker described it as more urgent. We'd call it the tire, smoke, and trouble setting. The manual car removes almost 210 pounds compared to the automatic due to the lighter transmission and standard carbon ceramic brakes. The springs are lighter in the rear. The roll bar is stiffer to make up from the switch from an electronic differential to a mechanical limited-slip rear. And the dampers were revalved and retuned. Even the brake booster was redone to allow for a more subtle heel-toe experience. The resulting car feels well matched and is comfortable to drive while offering all the terror you'd want from a stick shift V8 with just a click and a hold of the ESP Stability Control button. You might be tempted to choose the AMR model not just for its manual transmission but also because it's only available for 2020 in just five design specs, so you don't have to make so many decisions. One of those special editions, the Vantage 59, celebrates Aston Martin's 1959 win of the famous 24 Hours of Le Mans race. Those are sold out, which makes for even fewer hard choices. Materials in the Vantage are top notch-- soft leathers and even softer Alcantara with smoky, brushed metal accents and glowing glass buttons that are half spaceship and half grandma's prized crystal. It's a little busy in the center, what with all the buttons and knobs and dials. And if you don't take advantage for the options of bright accents and trims, it's dark as the mine in a Johnny Cash song. Comfort wise, the Vantage is best for folks of middle stature who will have the most headroom and the most visibility around the front roof pillar. But even those on the higher and lower rungs of the ladder will be able to adjust the seat to a usable driving position. While memory seats are standard, heated 16-way adjustable seats are an option. And they're well worth it if you're a tall or short buyer, or if you just like a warm bum. As a daily driver, the Vantage is conveniently sized. And a combination of big mirrors and a wonderfully clear 360 and backup camera make parking and maneuvering easier than one would expect from a sporty car. Don't go looking for too many modern minivan driver helpers, though. While the Vantage does offer optional blindspot warnings and parking sensors, you're on your own as far as things like adaptive cruise control or lane keeping. This is a hands on the wheel kind of car. Infotainment, like the engine, is based on a Mercedes Benz design. And it's quick if not as intuitive as we'd hope. For example, skipping songs while also using the in-car navigation requires multiple taps, pulls, and twists of the center joystick. That quibble aside, the 8-inch touch screen is clear and easy to reach. And Bluetooth, navigation, and USB ports are standard. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are not available-- sorry. The whole point of the Vantage with its manual transmission and grumbling V8 is to entertain yourself while driving-- somewhat of a rare focus in today's automotive market. Cars, even sports cars, are safer and more reliable than ever before. But if we go back to what they should be-- a little scary, a little challenging, a way to stand out from the crowd-- not many fulfill that promise. Choosing a three-pedal car these days makes no sense, because performance automatics are faster and get better mileage. But in a world of smart tech and self-driving, it's almost nice to be able to miss a shift now and then. It's like the car needs you. And who doesn't want to feel needed? The manual Vantage is worthy of your love. If you're shopping for a sports car or a minivan, visit us at Edmunds. We can help you. And if you like this video, subscribe. Ooh, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.