Model year increment, for car manufacturers, can be considered as quite a big deal. A for Aston Martin, the 2015 model year means that they will be introducing the updated Vanquish, Vanquish Volante and Rapide S. For the 2015 model year, Aston Martin is looking at several updates, including the introduction of a new transmission.
For starters, Aston Martin has been working quietly on subtle improvements on their engines, mainly by reducing exhaust gas back pressure. This has increased the Vanquish’s horsepower to 568 hp, while the Rapide S has been increased to 552 hp. Torque has also increased by 10NM for all models.
Subtle engine improvement aside, Aston Martin was working relentlessly with ZF to develop their latest Touchtronic III eight speed automatic transmission. The Touchtronic III is a whole new gearbox, which improves the Vanquish and Rapide S’s performance.
Thanks to the new gearbox, the Vanquish can now sprint from zero to hundred in just 3.8 seconds, while the Rapide S does the same sprint in 4.4 seconds. The MY15 Vanquish also sees improvements in dampers, as the front ones are 15% stiffer, while rears are 35% stiffer. This improves the car’s handling significantly. Both models also gets a new Bosch Engine Management System that has been optimized to work seamlessly with the new gearbox.
Product Development Director Ian Minards was quoted saying, “This has been a detailed piece of work involving careful consideration of many technical parameters including gear ratios, software integration and shifting strategies. This has delivered a significant step change in both vehicle performance and economy whilst preserving the unique Aston Martin V12 driving experience.”
