Aston Martin Valour Unveiled With V12 And Manual Gearbox

Jul. 11, 2023 12:00 PM ET by塞巴斯蒂安岑izo Reveal /23 Comments

So the V12 Vantage was NOT the final word in 12-cylinder Astons, after all.

5.2-liter twin-turbo V12 produces 705 horsepower, 555 lb-ft of torque
Bespoke six-speed manual transmission
Retro bodywork in full carbon fiber
Limited to 110 units globally in celebration of the marque's 110th anniversary
Deliveries to take place in the final quarter of 2023

Just yesterday,CarBuzzspy photographers sent in images of a V12 Vantageprototype with a manual transmission,一个d a few hours later, Aston Martin teased what it has now revealed to be the final celebration of the V12: the Aston Martin Valour. No, seriously. This really is the swansong for the V12, and it offers 705 hp and 555 lb-ft to the rear wheels through a six-speed manual.

It exists as a celebration of Aston Martin's 110th year of existence, and as such, it features retro bodywork with modern construction to show where Aston has been and where it's going. It's also highly limited, with just 110 units to be produced globally.

Aston Martin

If the styling looks familiar, your eyes are not playing tricks on you. The full carbon fiber bodywork has been sculpted to reimagine the V8 Vantage of the 1970s and 1980s, including the 1980 'Muncher' Le Mans racecar. There's also more than a whiff of theone-off Aston Martin Victor. We just hope the (apparently unique) headlights are notgeneric items off eBaythis time. The LED taillight clusters certainly aren't - they're inspired by those on theValkyrie超级跑车。

A solid billet aluminum accent stretches the full width of the rear, too, while a diffuser houses an untraditional triple-exit exhaust tip setup. The system is made of stainless steel, and its walls are less than a millimeter in thickness, saving roughly 15.4 pounds and promising a raucous soundtrack.

The clamshell hood's horseshoe-shaped recess quite clearly references those seen on the Victor, the V12 Vantage, and theDBS 770 Ultimate.

Aston Martin

The DBS 770 Ultimate also inspired the 21-inch forged alloy Honeycomb wheels, which are wrapped in the new Michelin Pilot Sport S 5 tires thatdebuted on the DB12.

Behind these, a set of carbon-ceramic brakes reside. At the front, they measure 410x38 millimeters and are clamped down on by six-piston calipers, while the rears get four-piston calipers and 360x32mm discs. A mechanical limited-slip differential is also standard.

The suspension has been comprehensively revised, boasting adaptive dampers, springs, and anti-roll bars specifically developed for the special edition. Even the wheel alignment is bespoke to this car. More handling upgrades come courtesy of new front and rear shear panels, a rear suspension tower strut brace, and bracing for the gas tank, improving both torsional and lateral stiffness.

The steering system is also new, which tells us that it should be more communicative than that in the old Vantage, which was developed before executive chairman Lawrence Strollhired experts from Ferrarito make Astons drive properly again.

Aston Martin

The body is not just pretty - it's been aerodynamically honed so that the front splitter and front fender vents work with the rear screen panels (which feature vortex-generating exoblades), the Kamm tail, and the rear diffuser to optimize balance. All of this excellence can be displayed in exposed 2x2 twill carbon fiber with a red, blue, or green tint, thanks to Q by Aston Martin, which also offers bespoke paints and hand-applied graphics and accents. Alternatively, the body has 21 preset paint options.

Inside, woolen tweed inspired by the1959 Le Mans-winning DBR1adds contrast to the carbon-fiber shells of the two seats, with the latter material also found in the door cards, dash air vents, center console, and transmission tunnel. Again, a wide scope exists for those who like to take personalization to the nth degree. Examples include Mokume carbon fiber accents and the option of Johnsons of Elgin tweed and cashmere fabrics for the seats and headliner.

Even the gear-lever knob, with its exposed shift mechanism, can be had in machined aluminum, titanium, carbon, or walnut.

Aston Martin

"Valour is a celebration of Aston Martin's passion for driving and extraordinary heritage, but it is also emblematic of today's vibrant and revitalized brand," said Stroll, adding, "A showcase for our world-class design, engineering and manufacturing capabilities, Valour is further proof of Aston Martin's position as the driver's champion and maker of the world's most exciting, exclusive and desirable ultra-luxury high-performance cars."

Production of the limited-run special is scheduled to begin sometime this quarter, with deliveries to begin in the last quarter of 2023. It's unknown what customers will pay, but considering how few V12-powered sports cars exist today, we doubt the Gaydon-based marque will struggle to find buyers.

The V12 lives on - you just need to be even more affluent than ever to experience it.