At first glance, you might think that the Aston Martin Valour is a concept car or maybe a one-off. It’s actually Aston Martin’s 110th birthday celebration that’s going into limited production, providing the only front-engine V12 supercar that you can buy with a manual gearbox in 2023.
The Valour pays homage to the original 1970s V8 Vantage and the “Muncher” Le Mans car from 1980. While it may have a retro-inspired look to it, its creation has been anything but retro.
The custom body structure has, despite appearances, paid attention to aerodynamics according to Aston Martin. The front splitter and vented clamshell bonnet are balanced by “vortex generating exoblades” on the rear screen panel as seen with the Kamm tail and substantial diffuser. Speaking of the bodywork, it’s made entirely from carbonfibre.
For maybe the last time Aston have equipped the Valour for the 5.2-litre twin-turbo V12 mounted in a bespoke version of the company’s bonded aluminium platform. This bad boy puts out 525 Kw and 752 Nm of torque. This power is sent to a bespoke, six-speed manual and mechanical limited-slip differential though we don’t know what times it’s capable of yet.
Everything on the Valour seems to be bespoke, including the suspension set-up with revised adaptive dampers, springs, anti-roll bars, and specified geometry unique to the car to ensure that it has its own distinct characteristics.
The emphasis here is on the retro feel of driving because what are they giving us? A massive engine in the front, manual gearbox in the middle, and rear wheel drive. It doesn’t come more old-school than that.
You know why the Muncher got that nickname? It’s because it absolutely ate through the brakes during the 24 Hours of Le Mans. That won’t be an issue here with 410mm/360mm front-rear carbon ceramic discs paired with six- and four-piston callipers.
The interior has been described as a “timeless two-seater cockpit of uncommon simplicity and seductive tactility” though none of the provided images show it clearly. There’s a lot of carbonfibre inside which is combined with unusual materials like woollen tweed inspired by the seats of the 1959 DBR1.
As the Valour has been done up for the 110th anniversary, 110 examples will be built. Production will start in Q3 of 2023 and first deliveries are expected in Q4. Pricing hasn’t been announced, but Autocar reports that it will be between £1 million and £1.5 million ($1.9 million AUD – $2.9 million AUD).
