Unmistakable looks, relentless performance and a sense of luxury like no other, Aston Martin, the iconic British car manufacturer is in a league of its own. For over a century, its creations have broken records, supercharged automative innovation and even starred in Hollywood blockbusters. In honour of its 110th anniversary, it has announced Valour, a special edition (only 110 units will be made available) built to honour the marque’s long tradition of superlative sports cars. But here is the twist: it comes with a gear stick, perfect for those seeking a visceral connection with their machine.
The Valour draws on Aston Martin’s heritage of the muscle cars produced in the 80s and 90s. Those behemoths, with more than a drop of Mustang blood in them, carried Tadek Marek’s glorious V8 engine from the V8 Vantage of the 80’s to the V600 Le Mans, as the world’s fastest production car. The Valour promises the same driver-pleasing character with a front-engine twin-turbocharged V12 that will only be available with manual transmission – a unique combination in today’s market.
The joy of the great V8s was their immense road-presence matched by unyielding power and torque. Those capabilities are now expressed in bodywork made entirely from carbon fibre rather than hand-beaten aluminium and modern engineering to make the V12’s performance fully exploitable and enjoyable.
“Inspired by the iconic cars from our past, the brief was to create something truly unforgettable,” says Simon Newton, Aston Martin’s Director of Vehicle Performance. “By combining our fabulous V12 engine with manual transmission we've delivered a state-of-the-art driver’s car that thrives on being pushed to its limits.”
While the heritage cars were all about straight-line speed, the technical team have developed a handling package that will give the driver a greater sense of feel, connection and immediacy. The suspension utilises a rear tower strut brace and fuel tank bracing to maximise both torsional and lateral stiffness to deliver more precise body control and increased refinement.
Carbon ceramic brakes come as standard, offering increased braking performance and a worthwhile 23kg reduction compared to steel brakes. A handsome set of 21” lightweight alloy ‘Honeycomb’ wheels come fitted with the very latest AML-specific Michelin Pilot Sport S 5 tyres.
The limited-edition model harkens back to Aston’s traditions of bespoke upholstery and trim, with variations from tweed to cashmere and many supple hides in between. The connection between man and machine is encapsulated in the stick-shift itself, another bespoke item available in aluminium, titanium, carbon fibre or walnut. 21 shades of exterior paintwork available in an extensive array of hand-painted stripes and graphics designs, complete the package for the discerning owner.
