One For The Purists: Aston Martin’s V12 Manual Throwback
Retro aesthetics, raw power, and an unparalleled driving experience meet in the Brutish newcomer.
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Continuing its 110th anniversary celebrations, Aston Martin has unveiled an ultra-limited sportscar. Marking the only front-engine V12 manual sportscar on the market, the newcomer is destined to delight purists, promising a truly visceral driving experience.
Pop the hood and you’ll find a twin-turbocharged 5.2-litre V12. Mated to a bespoke six-speed manual transmission, it produces 562 kW with 753 Nm of twist. While performance stats weren’t provided, it delivers a touch more power than the V12 Vantage, which goes from 0-100km/h in 3.4 seconds with a top speed of 322km/h.
Deriving inspiration from the original V8 Vantage and a one-off Vantage-based RHAM/1 ‘Muncher’ Le Mans racer of 1980, the Aston Martin Valour sports the brawny aesthetics typical of the British marque’s most iconic sportscars.
Eschewing the seamless, flowing lines of recent models, the Valour’s broad carbon-fibre body takes on a sculpted feel with a dramatic clamshell hood with a horseshoe vent and twin NACA ducts. Throwback details can also be seen in the angled rear window louvers and spoiler. The brutish manual rides on a set of 21-inch forged alloy ‘honeycomb’ wheels outfitted in Michelin Pilot Sport S 5 tires.
“Inspired by the iconic, muscle cars from our past, we have endowed Valour with an abundance of power and torque, while using modern technology and engineering to make that performance more exploitable and enjoyable,” says Simon Newton, Director of Vehicle Performance at Aston Martin.
“A big part of honouring that driver-pleasing character was mating our fabulous V12 engine to a manual transmission. It was a unique part of the brief and the end result is something truly unforgettable; a state-of-the-art driver’s car that thrives on being pushed to its limits and has the true heart and soul of a timeless analogue classic.”
Inside, the two-seater cockpit adopts a reductionist approach, adding interest through tactility in the form of carbon-fibre and chrome detailing. At the centre, the gearstick is topped with walnut while traditional woollen tweed seat coverings are inspired by the marque’s 1959 Le Mans-winning DBR1; nostalgic touches amongst the otherwise high-tech material palette.
The limited-edition model comes in 21 standard shades, with the option to create a bespoke specification through the Q by Aston Martin service. Limited to 110 examples, pricing for the Aston Martin Valour is yet to be announced, but expect it to sit above the $2 million mark.
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