Transmission Information
DISCLAIMER
The information provided here is for general guidance purposes only. It is a combination of manufacturer guidance, first- and second-hand experience, and personal opinion. It may me inaccurate, incomplete, or outdated.
There were three basic transmission choices for Gaydon-era Aston Martins: manual, automated manual, and automatic. Each of these had at least a couple versions available at various times. This Information Page will go over each of these, providing both technical information and insight. If you're in the market for an Aston Martin, it'd be a good idea to read over this page fully to understand what your options are and how they differentiate. It's also a good read for current owners that want to better understand their cars.
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Informative Videos
Here’s are some videos I made about transmissions. The first one discusses the manual and Sportshift transmissions used in the V8 Vantage, and some tips, tricks, dos, and don’t for using them. Although this is specific to the V8 Vantage, the same transmissions (or similar enough) are used in the V12 Vantage, DB9, and DBS so much of the information also applies to those cars.
And here’s the follow-up to that video, which goes into the maintenance of those transmissions.
Important Terminology
This isn’t a dictionary or thesaurus so much as it is a clarification of specific terms related to Aston Martin transmissions. The terms in this section are very often confused so it’s important to know what they actually mean and what the differences are.
Transaxle vs Transmission
The manual and Sportshift transmissions are, in more specific terms, transaxles. Transaxles are transmissions that have a differential built into them. This is a very important thing to know when doing maintenance, as the transmission and differential both share the same gear oil. That means the gear oil you use must be appropriate for both transmissions and differentials. Using the wrong gear oil can damage the transmission and lead to very costly repairs. I'll cover that more in the Gear Oil section below.
Knowing that the transmission is also called a transaxle isn't that big of a deal so long as you know what gear oil to use. The terms are sort of like guns: All rifles are guns, but not all guns are rifles. Same thing: All transaxles are transmissions, but not all transmissions are transaxles. It's just good to know the term transaxle as that term will be used interchangeably with transmission and gearbox, but has a more specific meaning.
Automated Manual vs Automatic
The Vantage used two transmission types: manual and Sportshift. It's very common for people to refer to the Sportshift as an automatic transmission and that's okay to some degree, like during casual conversation. But it's extremely important to understand that the Sportshift transmission is an automated manual, not an automatic transmission. The Sportshift is a manual transmission that uses hydraulics and solenoids to shift instead of cable inputs. It uses a clutch, not a torque converter. It also have a major effect on how much a person likes the transmission. If they think it’ll behave and feel like an automatic, they’ll be sorely disappointed. But if they drive it like a manual, it can be very rewarding. I'll go further into this during the section on the Sportshift but, one last time before we continue...
The Sportshift is an automated manual.
The Sportshift is not an automatic.
It’s also worth noting that the Sportshift is not a sequential transmission. This doesn’t come up too often, but it is mistakenly said from time to time. The practical difference is that gears cannot be skipped in a sequential transmission. Meaning, you can’t shift from 4th to 2nd - you have to shift from 4th to 3rd to 2nd. The Sportshift is not a sequential transmission, so you can skip as many gears as the transmission control unit (TCU) will allow you to skip.
And, last thing: The Sportshift is not an automatic transmission.
Dual Clutch vs Dual Plate
While it may seem pedantic to highlight a difference in terminology, it's actually a specific technical difference that needs to be made clear. The terms "dual clutch" and "dual plate" are two VERY different things and should not be confused.
Dual clutch refers to a transmission that has two clutch units.
Dual plate refers to a single clutch unit that has two friction discs within it.
If you say you have a dual clutch in your Gaydon-era Aston Martin, you are saying you have a transmission that does not exist for your car. Terms like "twin disc" and "twin plate" can be used interchangeably, but "twin clutch" could be easily confused with "dual clutch" and should be avoided.
The difference between dual clutch and dual plate may seem irrelevant as terms are concerned, but it's an important one because they're completely different mechanically and there is no such thing as a Gaydon-era Aston Martin with a dual clutch.
Gear Oil and Transmission Fluid
All transmissions need to have an oil to keep them protected and lubricated. As with any oil, it has a service life and needs to be replaced from time to time. The oils used in automatic and manual transmissions are different so do not get them mixed up.
Manual Transmission Fluid
Gear oil (also called transmission fluid) is used in manual transmissions. It lasts quite a while compared to engine oil, but still needs to be replaced every 4 years or 40,000 miles, whichever comes first. I personally refer to manual transmission fluid as "gear oil" (which is common) to help ensure it stays differentiated from automatic transmission fluid. Plus it's shorter and easier to type, and I'm all about that.
The original gear oil used in the manual and Sportshift transmissions was Shell Transaxle 75w90. But, after Aston Martin got a bunch of complaints about stiff shifting between 1st and 2nd gear when the transmission was cold, this gear oil was replaced by a custom blend from Castrol called BOT270A.
From what I've heard, and looking at the specs, Castrol BOT270A is a lighter oil than the 75w90 that was originally specified. This does result in smoother shifting when cold than the Shell Transaxle had allowed but it came at the expense of high-performance protection. Before that scares you off, the only people I've heard of that won't use Castrol BOT270A for this reason are actual race teams. The teams I've spoken to about this told me the Castrol tends to allow the transmissions to overheat, so they stick with other gear oils instead. Most Aston Martin drivers will never push their transmissions hard enough to worry about whether or not the high-performance protection of the Castrol BOT270A would be sufficient, so it's a non-issue unless you're doing track days or just want the most protection possible.
I’ve been using Motul Gear 300 in my grey V8 Vantage and have been very happy with it, including in cold climates and with cold shifting. I was also using the Castrol BOT270A in my red V8 Vantage while I had that car and, again, I was very happy with it. So it just depends on which one better matches your criteria.
It’s extremely important to remember that the manual and Sportshift transmissions are transaxles, so the rear differential shares the same gear oil as the rest of the transmission. Gear oils meant specifically for limited slip differentials (LSDs) often contain additives that help protect the LSD from shock not experienced by the rest of the transmission. However, these additives can potentially damage the yellow metals used in transmissions, particularly the synchros. So if you plan to pick your own gear oil, you must make sure it’s safe for use in a transaxle.
Automatic Transmission Fluid
Automatic transmission fluid (ATF) lasts a very long time. In fact, some manufacturers may even refer to it as a lifetime fluid. That's the case with Aston Martin’s automatic transmissions… Kinda.
The DB9 Workshop Manual, for example, states that the car's ZF 6HP26 automatic transmission is "filled for life" and will not require servicing under normal circumstances. It says the same for the DB9's Graziano AM803D differential, which is filled by the same fluid as the transmission. The same transmission, differential, and fluid are used in the DBS, and again the DBS Workshop Manual says it's a lifetime fluid - but only for the transmission. Even though the the differential and fluid within it are the same on both the DB9 and DBS, the fluid is a lifetime fill in the DB9 but should be replaced after 4 years or 40,000 miles in the DBS.
To further complicate things, there's the issue of how the term "lifetime" is defined. This was a big issue with BMW, for example, who said their ZF-manufactured transmissions were a lifetime fill, but ZF themselves said otherwise. ZF's own website even says automatic transmissions "Absolutely!" need their fluid changed to maintain performance. And if you didn’t catch it in the previous paragraph, ZF also manufactures automatic transmissions for Aston Martin.
So, take "lifetime fill" fluids as you will. Your car, your choice. Many people will err on the side of caution and stick with the service guidelines set by Aston Martin. Other people will err on the side of [other] caution and replace the ATF in the transmission and differential at some point even if it says it's a lifetime fluid.
Manual Transmissions
There are two manual transmissions found in Gaydon-era Aston Martins: the 6-speed used in the DB9, DBS, V8 Vantage, and V12 Vantage, and the 7-speed "dogleg" found in the V12 Vantage S. The manual transmissions are transaxles and need to be maintained as such, which means gear oils that contain additives that damage yellow metals, like those often found in limited slip differential fluids, should not be used in these transmissions.
Clutches
The 6-speed manual transmission used in the V8 Vantage, V12 Vantage, DB9, and DBS is the same across the whole range of cars. The only difference between them is the clutch setup that was used. The V8 Vantage had the much-maligned single-plate clutch, while the V12 cars got a far-better dual-plate clutch. While the dual-plate clutch setup from the V12 cars isn't a direct swap into the V8 Vantage, there are clutch packages that include the components needed for it.
The clutch is a major concern for any manual or Sportshift Aston Martin so it’s worth paying attention to the details below about each of those transmissions to better understand how to get the most life out of them. When it comes time to replace a clutch, I highly recommend upgrading to a dual-plate clutch and lightweight flywheel package if you don’t already have one. The clutch will last longer, the engine will respond better, and the car will get the wake-up it needs to perform as well as it looks and sounds.
I’ve been using the VelocityAP clutch package in my grey V8 Vantage for years and love it. it uses a bespoke flywheel and OEM V12 clutch. I do have occasional chatter because of the clutch but it’s very rare and doesn’t affect the drivability or longevity of the components. It’s easy to fix by slightly raising idle using an engine tune, which I also have, but it’s so rare that it doesn’t bother me so I haven’t bothered with it.
The AMR clutch package is from Aston Martin themselves. Although this setup also has a dual-plate clutch, it isn’t quite as beefy as the V12 clutch used in the VelocityAP setup. It’s also only available for manual transmissions, so if you have a Sportshift it won’t be supported. The upside is that you shouldn’t need to worry about chatter with it, plus it’s more readily available if you want to stick with OEM parts and a dealership.
A major change that will become quickly apparent with a dual-plate clutch is that the clutch pedal will be much much lighter. It’s so easy to press in compared to the stiff pedal with the single-plate clutch that I actual thought something was wrong when mine was first installed. It’s a very strange thing to get used to and, honestly, I really didn’t like it at first. But after my first long drive with it, I learned to love it. I have knee issues from my time in the Marine Corps, and the stiff pedal of the original clutch would leave me with really bad knee pain. I was not exaggerating whatsoever when I said my cross-country road trip would have been impossible due to my knee if I’d had the original clutch.
When I owned my red 2007 V8 Vantage, it still had the original single-plate clutch. Switching between it and my grey 2007 V8 Vantage, which I often did, highlighted the difference. The pedal for the dual-plate clutch in my grey car felt nearly weightless while my red car felt like I was operating a tractor transmission. Having both side-by-side for a couple years gave me a lot of time to drive each and I can say I’ll never go back to a single-plate clutch.
Quick side note: I was going to put an AMR clutch package in my red V8 Vantage when it came time to replace its clutch, that way I could compare that setup side-by-side with the VelocityAP setup in my grey one, but I sold that car before the clutch ever needed to be replaced.
6-Speed Manual
The manual 6-speed transmission is controlled with a traditional gear stick (AKA gear shift, stick shift, gear lever, etc). A pair of cables are attached to the bottom of the gear stick and these run toward the rear of the car and connect to the gearbox. The cables pull on either end of a shift linkage arm, and that in turn is what changes the gears inside the transmission.
A major concern about owning an Aston Martin is the clutch, and it's a valid one. Clutches in these cars are very expensive to replace and are fairly easy to ruin, particularly in the manual V8 Vantage (and Sportshift 1). The quickest way to ruin a clutch in the 6-speed manual is to reverse uphill. The reverse gear in this transmission is incredibly tall - it's more similar to second gear than it is to first. So, imagine trying to start the car uphill in 2nd gear. Reversing uphill is pretty close to that and it'll tear up a clutch really quickly, so avoid it whenever possible.
7-Speed "Dogleg" Manual
The advanced Bosch engine management system used on the V12 Vantage allowed improved shift programming for the Sportshift III (ASM3) transmission used on that car. When that transmission was de-robotized to become the 7-speed "Dogleg" manual, the Bosch system allowed Aston Martin to give the manual V12 Vantage S some fun capabilities called AMSHIFT. The two main functions of AMSHIFT are full-throttle upshifts and automated heel-toe downshifts, each of which increases vehicle performance and shifting smoothness.
This transmission met with a lot of mixed reactions, and many (most?) that I saw were on the disconcerted side of things. The problem is that it’s different than what many of us have gotten used to over the last few decades. It did take a little getting used to but, after only about 15 minutes, I fell in love with it.
My personal take is that 1st gear is really just used for getting off to a start from a stand-still. Once you’re out of 1st gear, you’ll be spending all of your driving time in the other gears so it does make sense to stick 1st gear out of the way while the gears being used are in the center. Also, there’s a bit of spring-loading to the transition between 1st and 2nd gear. (Side note: I didn’t pull the console apart to check what causes it and I’m just describing how it felt to me.) When shifting from 1st to 2nd, that spring loading let me focus the movement on twisting my wrist to release the level from 1st gear and shove it into 2nd. After I realized I could do this, I was getting some incredibly violent shifts - and I mean that in a good way! The first time I did it, I was shocked at how hard the car would accelerate out of the shift and that was the moment I fell in love with the transmission.
One thing that seems to trip people up is that the slot into 1st isn’t angled toward 2nd. I found I could get much better shifts if I moved the gear lever slightly away to the left when coming out of 1st gear before moving it over to 2nd gear.
And a side note: this transmission was carried over to the 2020 Vantage AMR.
I personally thought it was an odd choice for Aston Martin to use a standard leather shift knob from a base V8 Vantage for the 7-speed dogleg rather than the milled aluminum one that came with the V12 Vantage and DBS. The only thing different about this shift knob was the shift pattern being appropriate for the 7-speed layout. (Sorry for the crap picture.)
A buddy of mine that has a manual V12 Vantage S felt the same way, so he contacted Aston Martin’s Q division to make him a 7-speed version of the milled aluminum shift knob. I think it’s far better suited the car and I’m honestly amazed that it wasn’t done this way from the factory originally.
Stiff Shifting
A common complaint with the manual transmission was that it was difficult to shift between 1st and 2nd gear when the transmission was cold. Aston Martin revised the bell crank arm to improve leverage of the shifter cables and released information about this in Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) 0236. The TSB was issued in April 2007, so most cars will have had the updated bell crank lever but, if yours doesn't, it can be done as a retrofit. The process takes over two hours and much of it overlaps with what would also be done during a clutch replacement. So, if you want to get the updated bell crank lever but want to minimize your costs, you can wait until your clutch has to be replaced anyway and do both at the same time.
The other change made to help with the cold shifting issue was a change in the gear oil used in the transmission. Scroll up to the Gear Oil and Transmission Fluid section for more information about that.
Over-shifting
A major thing I try to warn people about is over-shifting. The shifter cables attach on either end using ball-and-socket connections. If you try jamming gear lever too hard to make a shift as fast as possible, it’s very possible that you can pop the cable socket loose and lose the ability to shift your transmission. Seriously, it has actually happened to me.
And, if you do it wrong enough, you the socket may crack or break, which would prevent a “quick” repair and require the entire cable be replaced. It might be possible to do a janky repair using some zip-ties to keep the cable “chained” in place and reduce the likelihood of it popping off again, but this is far from ideal and may cause difficulty shifting if the zip-ties hinder the movement of the shifter cable.
I can’t stress this enough: do not try to brute-force your shifts. You’re not going to be any faster. All you’re doing is risking losing control of your gearbox. If you want to shift quicker, learn the specific movements of going from one gear to the next, and learn to modulate the clutch pedal better. Take it easy and practice the technique, not speed. Slow is smooth, smooth is fast, and broken shifter cables will get you nowhere. Literally.
Heel-Toe and Rev Matching
This comes up fairly often because quite a few people struggle with it in their manual Astons. The first concern is that the factory gas pedal is too narrow and people have a hard time working the throttle and brake at the same time. An aftermarket gas pedal can reduce the gap between the two pedals and make it easier to module the two with one foot, but that doesn’t fix the main problem.
The real issue is that the engine is too slow to respond to throttle inputs. It's actually a major complaint people have of the V8 Vantage, specifically those with the 4.3L engine. Between the heavy clutch and flywheel package, and the numbed throttle mapping, the 4.3L engine is slow to rev up when spinning below ~4000 RPM. A twin-plate clutch and lightweight flywheel along with an engine tune with improve throttle mapping will transform the car for the better. So much so that I sell them together in my Online Store. It's an expensive thing to do, but when it's time to replace your clutch, it's absolutely worth upgrading.
Sportshift Transmissions
The most important thing to know about the Sportshift transmission is that it is a manual, not an automatic. Have I said that yet? I’m sure I’ll say it again because it’s such a common misconception and it leads people to hating the transmission. So many people drive a Sportshift car thinking that the transmission is an automatic and expect it to behave like one and shift smoothly. When it doesn’t do that, they think the transmission is junk and go around telling everyone how horrible it is. While the first version of the Sportshift wasn’t fantastic, it was still decent. The second iteration of the Sportshift was actually quite good, and the third version is great (more on each version below).
The key to enjoying the Sportshift is to understand that it’s a manual transmission and needs to be driven like one. Use the paddles to shift it yourself, and let off the throttle - at least a little bit - while shifting. This will give you the smoothest shifts for most driving situations. If you want to go for outright speed, you can keep the throttle down and shift at high RPMs. The Sportshift is the same concept as a BMW SMG, Lamborghini E-Gear, or Ferrari F1 transmission. In fact - it’s nearly the same as the Ferrari F1, using the Ferrari 360’s gearbox and control system, albeit with programming unique to Aston Martin.
"ASM" stands for "Auto-Shift Manual" and is another term sometimes used to refer to the Sportshift. The terms Sportshift and ASM are interchangeable, but ASM used for the Vantage transmissions is not the same as the ASM used for the Newport Pagnell-era Vanquish that came before it. Basically, ASM refers to the Vantage transmission itself, while ASM refers to a driving mode of the Vanquish transmission.
In addition to "Sportshift" and "ASM" being interchangeable, you may also see 1, 2, and 3 used interchangeably with I, II, and III, respectively. However, saying both Sportshift and ASM together is a bit redundant. Saying "Sportshift ASM2" is like saying, "sandwich ham sandwich." (Please excuse the 007 pun.)
There are three Sportshift transmissions found in Gaydon-era Aston Martins: the 6-speed used in the early V8 Vantage, the 7-speed used in the V8 Vantage S and later V8 Vantage, and the 7-speed used in the V12 Vantage S. The Sportshift transmissions are transaxles and need to be maintained as such.
Sportshift 1 (ASM1)
The first variant of the Sportshift was ASM1. It's the 6-speed automated manual found in the MY05-12.25 V8 Vantage. It's basically the same as the 6-speed manual transmission, but with the added hydraulics and solenoids for computer-controlled shifting.
A major concern about owning an Aston Martin is the clutch, and it's a valid one. Clutches in these cars are very expensive to replace and are fairly easy to ruin, particularly in a V8 Vantage with the Sportshift 1 (ASM1) transmission (and 6-speed manual as well). The quickest way to ruin a clutch in the Sportshift 1 is to reverse uphill. The reverse gear in this transmission is incredibly tall - it's more similar to second gear than it is to first. So, imagine trying to start the car uphill in 2nd gear. Reversing uphill is pretty close to that and it'll tear up a clutch really quickly, so avoid it whenever possible.
Sportshift 2 (ASM2)
The second variant of the Sportshift (ASM2) is a 7-speed automated transmission that was introduced in the V8 Vantage S and then used in the base V8 Vantage starting in MY12.25 until the end of that car's production. The lack of oil cooler on the ASM2 helped contribute to the 53 lb (24 kg) weight reduction of the transmission compared to the ASM1.
The reverse gear in the ASM2 is far shorter than that of the ASM1, so the issue of reversing uphill isn't nearly as much of an issue.
Sportshift 3 (ASM3)
The third variant of the Sportshift was ASM3. It's also a 7-speed automated transmission and was introduced in the V12 Vantage S. For all intents and purposes other than marketing, the ASM2 and ASM3 gearboxes are the same. The actual difference between them is the ASM3 benefits from better tuning because it can take advantage of the better Bosch engine management system found in the V12 Vantage S. But physically, there isn't really a difference.
The reverse gear in the ASM3 is far shorter than that of the ASM1, so the issue of reversing uphill isn't nearly as much of an issue.
Clutches
Being an automated manual transmission, the Sportshift does have a clutch. As with the standard manual, you’ll get a host of benefits by switching out the single-plate clutch with a dual-plate clutch and lightweight flywheel package - scroll on up to that section if you skipped over it to read more.
I’ll say up front that, at the time of this writing, I haven’t driven a Sportshift car with a dual-plate clutch and lightweight flywheel, so I can’t speak to them personally. However, I’ve got a bunch of customers that have bought VelocityAP clutch packages from me for their Sportshift cars and I hear back quite often that the transmission is far more enjoyable with the upgraded kit, mainly because shifts are smoother with it. The biggest and most common complaint I hear about the Sportshift is that it’s clunky and shifts can be pretty rough, so the smoother shifts are a much-needed and welcome improvement.
The downside for the Sportshift is Aston Martin don’t offer an AMR clutch package for it like they do the manual transmission, at least not when the AMR option was first released some years ago, and still not now while I’m preparing my new website in 2021. If you do want to upgrade your Sportshift to a dual-plate clutch and lightweight flywheel, your options are limited to one of the few aftermarket providers that offer them for these cars.
Clutch Learn Procedure
The transmission control unit (TCU) will close the clutch when the car is first started in Neutral to check when the prop shaft starts to turn. The reading from this is used to determine clutch wear. The Clutch Learn Procedure (also called the “Clutch Kiss”) is an important thing to do each time a Sportshift car is started because it is used to determine how the system will engage and disengage the clutch during shifts.
The reading itself is called a Bit Count, which is a numeric value. The Bit Count may seem like an exact number but it’s actually just a rough guide due to a couple variables. First is that the Bit Count must be done on a new clutch to determine its starting value. Second is that heat in the clutch can affect the Bit Count. There are also outside variables that could also affect the Bit Count, but those are generally rare.
The Bit Count is only possible with Sportshift transmissions and an AMDS is required to perform it.
Crawl Function
The Crawl Function gives a small amount of power when the transmission is in 1st or Reverse gear, and the brakes (and handbrake) aren’t being used, and there isn’t any throttle input. So basically, if you’re in 1st or Reverse gear and not touching the gas or brakes, and the handbrake isn’t engaged, the car will move on its own - it’s like driving an automatic transmission. The car will crawl forward in 1st gear up to 6 mph (10 kpm) or backwards in Reverse gear up to 4 mph (6 kph). These speeds will be slightly higher when the engine is cold because the engine is idling at a higher RPM to warm up the engine.
Keep in mind that the Crawl Function can put a little extra wear on the clutch since the clutch is not fully engaged until 6 mph (10 kph), and the Crawl Function may be disabled if the clutch overheats for any reason, not just from the Crawl Function.
While the Crawl Function of the Sportshift 1 (ASM1) transmission does act as a “hill hold” capability to a certain degree, it may only work on gentle slopes. For any slope too steep for the Crawl Function to overcome, the handbrake must be used to hold the car in place if extra throttle is not being applied. Otherwise, the car will roll backwards.
Auto Drive Mode
Let’s just get it out of the way: The Auto mode is not great. Comfort Mode is a bit smoother than Sport Mode, but it’s still clunky at best. Auto Drive Mode lets the TCU shift change gears based on speed, throttle position, and driving style (I’ll collectively call these “shift parameters” from now on). Shift points are not pre-set in Auto Drive Mode. Rather, they’ll take place at any time based on shifting parameters. Comfort Mode and Sport Mode each have different shift parameters, with Sport Mode being more conservative and Sport Mode being more dynamic.
The transmission will automatically shift into higher and lower gears based on shift parameters while in Auto Drive Mode.
Paddle Shift Mode
Using the paddles to change gears puts the car in Paddle Shift Mode. This mode allows the driver to shift the car manually using the paddles instead of leaving it up to the TCU. However, the TCU is still involved during Paddle Shift Mode by making sure shifts only happen when safe to do so. For example, if the driver tries to drop from 5th gear to 2nd gear and it would result in the engine revving well over the engine’s redline, the TCU will prevent the shift from happening.
The transmission will automatically downshift into a lower gear when the engine RPM level drops down to 1100 RPMs. However, the transmission will not upshift automatically in Paddle Shift Mode. Rather, the engine will hit a soft-cut rev limiter at 7300 RPM and continue to hold the gear.
Comfort Mode
Comfort Mode is meant to give the smoothest shifts. Shift parameters are more conservative in Comfort Mode than in Sport mode, but both modes will downshift into a lower gear at 1100 RPM if the driver does not select a lower gear by the time the engine RPMs drop down to that level.
Sport Mode
Sport Mode is meant to give the fastest shifts and most dynamic driving experience. Shift parameters are more dynamic in Sport Mode than in Comfort mode, but both modes will downshift into a lower gear at 1100 RPM if the driver does not select a lower gear by the time the engine RPMs drop down to that level.
Fastest Shifts
The fastest shifts will occur when the car is in Sport mode, the engine is over 5500 RPM, and you’re at over 80% throttle. This is true for both Auto Drive Mode and Paddle Shift Mode.
Launch Control
To get the fastest acceleration from standstill, put the transmission in Paddle Shift Mode and Sport Mode, turn the traction control off by holding down the DSC button for four seconds, select 1st gear, and apply more than 90% throttle in less than half a second. Doing this correctly will result in the engine revving to 5000 RPM and the clutch engaging, giving the hardest launch possible… so long as environmental conditions are ideal.
Warning: Launching a car puts a huge amount of strain on its drivetrain and, if done incorrectly or repeated too many times, it can result in a damage. If you do launch your car, don’t be surprised if you lose your clutch or rear differential or something else!
Parking
Turning the engine off will put the transmission into 1st gear by default for parking.
If you select Reverse gear and then turn the ignition off, the car will remain in Reverse gear while parked.
If you want to leave the car in neutral while parked, as may be the case for pushing the vehicle or towing it, pull back on both paddles simultaneously two times and then turn the engine off. A display message and audible sound should confirm that this was done correctly when the paddles are pulled back the second time.
Note: The transmission is put in Neutral when the engine is turned on. However, once the engine is on, the transmission will be put back into in the same gear in which it was parked. So, if you put the car in Reverse gear when you parked it, it will be put back into reverse gear once you turn the engine back on.
Driving Guide
It should tell you something that Aston Martin has an 11-page Driving Guide just for the Sportshift transmission, and it should help reinforce my point that driving a Sportshift car the right way is a pretty important thing. I tread very carefully about how I present information - one of the first lessons I had to learn about Aston Martin is that they can be very protective of their intellectual property, trademarks, and brand as a whole. So yes, while there is a Sportshift Driving Guide, I can’t share the document itself. I have, however, incorporated much of the content of it throughout this Information Page.
Leaking ASM Hoses
A somewhat common issue for Sportshift cars is that the feed and return hoses for the ASM system can crack and start to leak. If this happens, they should be replaced as soon as possible. If the hoses lose too much pressure, the transmission will be left inoperable and the car will not be drivable. This is becoming more and more common as the Gaydon-era Vantage ages so it may be worth doing as preventative maintenance but, [insert exacerbated sigh here] it’s not just age-related and can happen regardless of when the car was built.
Here’s a picture from my friends over at David Appleby Engineering (DAE) showing what a leaking ASM hose can look like.
Automatic Transmissions
Manual transmissions get a ton of attention due to their desirability as a dying technology. Sportshift transmissions get a ton of attention due to both misconceptions and valid concerns. But automatic transmissions are also very common in Aston Martins as they’re used in the DB9, DBS, Rapide, Vanquish, and Virage (not to mention throughout all of the 2nd Century cars as well).
Touchtronic
Manumatic transmissions are automatic transmissions that allow the driver to shift up or down using paddles, steering wheel buttons, or the gear lever. Touchtronic is Aston Martin’s name for this system, which they use on their automatic transmissions. Touchtronic II was the name for the system on the 6-speed automatic transmission, and Touchtronic III was the name for it on the 8-speed automatic.
Prior to the DB9, the DB7 Vantage had Touchtronic I with its ZF 5HP30 5-speed automatic transmission.
ZF 6HP26 6-Speed Auto
This 6-speed automatic transmission was made by ZF and used in the DB9, DBS, Rapide, Vanquish, and Virage. The driver-controlled shifting capability of this transmission is called Touchtronic II.
The 6HP26 is a longitudinal transaxle that is rated for 600 Nm (443 ft-lb) of torque with a maximum rating of 800 Nm (590 ft-lb). It’s about 13% lighter than the 5-speed it replaced, has nearly 200 fewer parts, and improves fuel efficiency by about 7%.
ZF 8HP70 8-Speed Auto
This 8-speed automatic transmission was made by ZF and used in the Rapide S and Vanquish S. It was carried over to 2nd Century cars and is now used in the New Vantage, DB11, and DBS Superleggera. The driver-controlled shifting capability of this transmission is called Touchtronic III.
Maintenance
Automatic transmissions require far less maintenance than manual transmissions. Torque converters are used instead of clutches, and these things tend to last an eternity. That alone negates the most costly maintenance item of the transmission. The other big maintenance item is gear oil, but that’s not quite the same with automatic transmissions. I already covered automatic transmission fluid (ATF) in the Gear Oil and Transmission Fluid section so it’d be worth scrolling back up and reading that if you skipped over it.
The short version of it is that Aston Martin considers the ATF in their automatic transmissions (and associated differentials) to be a “lifetime fill” fluid, but that may not really be true. According to ZF, the manufacturer of Aston Martin’s automatic transmissions, ATF does in fact need to be changed as a routine maintenance item. I’ve seen service intervals for ATF ranging from 40,000 to 100,000 miles so it’s hard to say when, if ever, you should replace it. Supposedly the 6-speed automatic can start having shifting issues starting after the ATF has been used for about 50,000 miles, but I haven’t been able to independently verify that.