Aston Martin Vantage with a manual gearbox likely to debut in 2026

Aston Martin CEO Adrian Hallmark had hinted at the return of the manual transmission in its sports cars during a media interaction in March this year. As per the latest rumors, the Vantage-M is on track for a 2026 debut.

Hallmark had stated that when developing something with “sportiness and real, purist sports-car experience, we need a manual. We have one, but for [the Vantage], it needs to be different.”

Aston Martin recently unveiled its most performance-focused sports car – Vantage S. It uses an upgraded version of the 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 engine, which produces 671 hp @ 6000 rpm, 15 hp more than the standard Vantage, while torque remains the same at 590 lb-ft @ 3000-6000 rpm. It has a sharper throttle response and a tweaked chassis with a reworked suspension setup.

Currently, the Vantage S is available with an 8-speed automatic transmission. However, it’s an ideal contender for a manual swap.