Amidst the drive towards electrification, Aston Martin has released an all-out bonkers one-off. Destined to captivate internal combustion fiends, the Aston Martin Valour is a V12 manual that exudes brutish appeal; released to celebrate the British marque’s 110th anniversary.
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Beneath the skin sits a twin-turbocharged 5.2-litre V12. Mated with a bespoke six-speed manual transmission, it’s the only front-engined V12 manual sportscar on the market. With an output of 705bhp and 555 ft-lb of torque, slamming the accelerator will take the Valour from 0 to 100km/h in 3.4 seconds, with a top speed of 322km/h.
Driver experience is placed front and centre, with the rear-wheel drive complemented by an array of driving modes as well as bespoke suspension, adaptive damping, new springs, anti-roll bars, and wheel camber/castor/toe settings.
The Valour’s custom body structure and rear suspension is designed with maximum torsional and lateral stiffness in mind, minimising body roll and providing a controlled, refined driving experience. The addition of a new steering system removes unwanted sources of compliance to give the driver a greater sense of connection.
Looking to the original V8 Vantage and a one-off Vantage-based RHAM/1 ‘Muncher’ Le Mans racer of 1980 for inspiration, the Aston Martin Valour boasts the unrestrained brawn typical of the marque’s most iconic sportscars.
Doing away with the clean lines and seamless aesthetic of recent models, the Aston Martin Valour is defined by an abundance of carbon fibre and even more heft. The body takes on a sculpted feel with a clamshell hood accented by a horseshoe vent and twin NACA ducts. Classic round LED headlights sit beneath an eyebrow-like grille, the latter lending the vehicle an aura of menace.
Step inside and you’ll find the two-seat cockpit sees a reductionist approach harmonise with classic styling elements. Carbon fibre and chrome detailing are juxtaposed with traditional woollen tweed inspired by the seat coverings of Aston Martin’s 1959 Le Mans-winning DBR1 on the lightweight performance seats, while the option for livery customisation allows clients to select from 21 paint colours and numerous graphics.
Central to the cockpit is the—somewhat phallic—gearstick, which holds court in the middle of the sparse cabin. There’s a choice of machined aluminium, titanium, carbon fibre or walnut for the gearknob, while an exposed shift mechanism works to emphasise the mechanical connection. Exciting!
“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’.”
Limited to 110 examples, pricing details for the Aston Martin Valour are yet to be revealed, though expect it to be well over AUD$1 million.
Words by AR Staff
