Aston Martin Vantage AMR is a $180,000 power move

The Aston Martin Vantage AMR uses the same engine as the standard Vantage -- a Mercedes-AMG-sourced 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8.    

It still has the same 503 horsepower as the vanilla Vantage, but torque is actually down from 505 pound-feet to 461.       

The AMR will reach 60 miles per hour in 3.9 seconds, 0.4-second longer than the common Vantage.     

I'm sure you have the same question that many others at this point do: WTF?    

Aston Martin said the drop in torque was necessary to accommodate a very special part: a seven-speed manual transmission.     

The transmission also has two clever touches: It can automatically downshift for drivers who can't heel-toe, and it permits full-throttle upshifts without upsetting the car's balance.     

Only 200 Vantage AMRs will be built, with pricing starting at $179,995, or about $30,000 more than the ordinary Vantage.     

Of the 200 Vantage AMRs destined for sale, 59 have been set aside for a special variant.    

The Vantage 59 has Stirling Green paint outside and loads of lime accents both inside and out.

The Vantage 59 is even more expensive than the AMR at $204,995, or about $55,000 more than the vanilla Vantage.    

Once the AMR sells out, though, don't think the seven-speed will die with it.    

Instead, starting in the first quarter of 2020, Aston Martin will include this transmission as an option on the traditional Vantage.