The current cars are NOT Fords, and that's my point. They're built on a truly bespoke platform -- the VH -- that has nothing to do with any Ford. An Aston built on a modified Benz platform (should such a thing happen) would be a Benz to me.

There is more regulation now than 10 years ago, but there was a massive amount of regulation 10 years ago also. Tech can be spread across product lines without sharing major components such as platforms and engines.

Aston was profitable when Ford sold it. Ford divested Aston because Mulally decided to focus on Ford's core business -- Ford.

 

Ross and Racer,

I understand the problem, which is why I said the manual 'box is seriously endangered. But it isn't dead yet -- we can still buy them, so I'm not going to capitulate. Several manufacturers still see reason to offer them and to develop them because there are enough people buying them. I hope that continues, and the new M3/4 and F-Type (hopefully) gives me hope.

DCTs are only "better" in that they're more efficient, and the differences in the experience between using a manual and a paddle system are not akin to the differences between using manual and electric windows.

Regarding the new GT3, Porsche can try all they want to convince people that they really want a DCT, but that doesn't mean they'll prevail. Many people won't buy a new GT3 purely because they want a manual. Many others will buy it because they want a DCT. Some won't care. I don't want a DCT, period, and I'd buy a 997 GT3 before I'd buy a 991 GT3 -- and a V12V over a V12VS. Porsche also told us that the 991 Carrera's electric steering is as good as the 997's hydraulic steering. It isn't.

About Ferrari, it's not just that people stopped buying manuals because they didn't want them. I looked at the California when it came out and was officially available with a manual 'box. I told the dealer I would want the manual, and he essentially refused. I heard all the DCT is new, it's high tech, it's like an F1 car, it's faster, you won't be able to sell it, etc. I would have had to pay an enormous non-refundable deposit before they'd even consider ordering a manual car for me. It was absurd, and clearly part of a major effort to convince people to buy the DCT. No one would order a car under those circumstances, so it's no wonder they sold something like 2 manual Californias. Of course, it's not the most enthusiast-oriented Ferrari either.

 

You can't buy 'em if they don't make 'em. That's the point. Again, it's only a matter of a short time before you won't be able to buy a car with a manual transmission, except for the most basic economy cars.

 

If we simply give up and "accept" that the manual will die, then it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. If enough of us make noise and say we insist on a manual -- and mean it -- they may listen and continue to build them. Aston said the V8VS would be paddle-only, and now they offer it with the manual. Jaguar will, I've been told, offer the F-Type with a manual. BMW will offer the coming M3/M4 with a manual, and they offer the M5/M6 with a manual. Don't give up or give in so easily.

 

Accept it or not, it's going to happen. I suppose we could start a protest march or a letter-writing campaign to save the manual, but I don't think it'd change the outcome, which is inevitable.

 

Or we can buy cars with manual boxes and not buy cars with paddles, and make it known to the manufacturers why we spent our money where we did.

 

That's just it -- they don't make any new cars with a manual transmission that I want to buy! Not gonna buy a car I don't want just to send a message to car manufacturers, not that they'd listen anyway.

 

Keep the V12V then? Or buy something old and very cool?

 

That is the question I have been mulling. Considered a V12VS, but not going to do it if the tranny isn't up to snuff.

 

Is the transmission in the V12VS the same as the V12V, but with the automated controls attached to it?

If all mounting points are the same, you could feasibly attach a V12V manual tranny in place of the V12VS's automated manual. You'd have to alter everything associated (trim bits, shifter, etc, swapped from the V12V into the V12VS). And you'd probably have to retune the engine so it isn't trying to communicate with an automated transmission controller.

Nothing is impossible with the right funds... I've done auto-to-manual swaps on a few cars. Just need the right parts. And there are salvaged V12Vs and DBSs out there with those necessary parts.

 

I'd be most concerned about installing a clutch pedal and associated linkage parts. I'm sure the body/firewall/etc. is pre-fitted to receive one, but still that's a crappy place to do mod work. Probably have to pull all of the dash bulk to get in there?

 

The Ford-Aston business failure or success should not be judged too soon, nor in isolation. To survive a worldwide economic crisis (from which the U.S. & much of the world still suffers) Ford took dramatic actions:

-Ford sold AML, Jag, Land Rover, Volvo & Mazda.
-Eliminated Mercury branded vehicles and hundreds of retail facilities.
-Closed multiple manufacturing facilities worldwide.
-Retired/laid off thousands of employees.
-Ceased purchasing from hundreds of vendors of goods and services.

Meanwhile they borrowed $23 Billion to finance continued core operations through the downturn. Key to these actions was a new hire, Alan Mullaly, President.

Today, several years later the loan is paid off, Ford's market share is up and its financial success amazing. In the last quarter Ford reported $2.6 Billion profit. Analysts predict 2013 profits to exceed $8 Billion although Ford of Europe will still be negative, financially.

Ford took no Federal bail out money. Their U.S. competitors did. Both GM & Chrysler went bankrupt. GM wound up owned by the U.S. government & the UAW. Chrysler is owned by Fiat. The taxpayers will lose untold $ Billions in these bankruptcies.

AML enjoys new state of the art facilities as a result of Ford's ownership. They have:

-New Headquarters.
-New Design Center (they never had one before).
-New Engineering and Assembly facilities.
-New Test Track ( they never had one before)
-New 8 and 12 cylinder engines, still produced at Ford's Cologne Plant.
-New products to sell via the VH strategy.

And all this continues 7 years after the AML sale.

Alan Mullaly's leadership saved Ford Motor Company and it did not cost taxpayers a dime. AML has fared nicely as well having been rewarded with a 21st century plant and facilities.

Ford prospers (production capacity is being added and employees are being hired) and AML is in business with up to date capabilities in spite of continued economic lethargy in the U.S. and Europe.

I call it a success, it is certainly not a failure. Stay tuned, more to come.

 

V12VS is a ASM 7-speed..V12V is the manual 6-speed. Would be cheaper to buy a V12 VVT engine and computer from an accidented DB9 and slap it into a V12V ..then tune

The new V12VS comes with a totally different engine mangement system, engine assembly, torque tube, and transaxle..

 

That's just it..there is not enough of Aston clients buying manual boxes to make it profitable..if demand was high and selling was high, manual stays alive**aka: supply on demand**

....but what action can you do, fund poor income ppl that can drive manual boxes so they can buy an Aston and keep the manual box alive in the brand??..Dude I'm first in line!! LOL

I have a recall that just came out to do 77 vehicles that we service, 3 are manual boxes... so 3.89% are manual in a climat that these vehicles are driven for sport and pleasure 3-4 months of the year????? These cars use more house energy to power the battery minder vs. use fuel to run the car....Says quite a lot, can't imagine the ratio of climats that can drive 365 days of the year as a D.D vehicle

 

Irish,

Those 77 cars -- how many are Vantages?