Aston Martin Valour gets retro looks and a manual-backed V12
A few years ago, Aston Martin stunned the supercar world with its Victor. It took the V12 and other mechanicals of some of the most advanced and exclusive Astons of the modern era, such as the One-77, and gave it ’70s retro looks and a retro transmission: a six-speed manual. The problem, though, was that it was a one-off. Beautiful to look at, but out of reach for even the most well-heeled customers. We have a feeling a good number of those prospective buyers were ringing up Aston begging to give them money for something like it, because the new Valour offers a taste of Victor … y.
Though Aston doesn’t explicitly say so, we’re confident that the Valour’s based on the DB12 platform, considering the shape of the greenhouse as well as the twin-turbo 5.2-liter V12 that we’ll get to shortly. But you probably won’t notice that connection at first because of the radical restyling. Just like the Victor, the Valour takes styling inspiration from the V8 Vantage of the 1970s with its forward-leaning nose, boxy fenders and subtle lip spoiler. It even gets unique round LED headlights to drive home the classic look. But there are many other nifty exterior touches to this carbon fiber bruiser. Its grille slats and rear trim are made of real aluminum, and there are aerodynamic aids throughout, such as the vents and scoops in the hood, the air ducts on the outboard ends of the front bumper, and even the rear window louvres help with aero.
Under that perforated hood is Aston’s twin-turbo 5.2-liter V12 making more power than the DB12, but less torque. Total output is 705 horsepower and 555 pound-feet of torque. Again, Aston didn’t explicitly say, but we wouldn’t be surprised if the torque was turned down a bit to accommodate the six-speed manual transmission, the only gearbox available for the Valour. We doubt prospective buyers will be bothered by the lower torque number when they’re getting to shift for themselves. That power goes only to the rear wheels through a mechanical limited-slip differential. The adaptive suspension has its own unique tuning not shared with other Astons, and it comes standard with carbon ceramic brakes with six-piston front calipers and four-piston rear calipers. Connecting everything to the ground are 21-inch wheels with 275-mm-wide front and 325-mm-wide rear Aston-specific Michelin Pilot Sport S 5 tires.
Owners will spend time in the Valour’s unique and carbon fiber-laden interior. The centerpiece is definitely the manual shifter, which has its linkages exposed and is capped with a luxurious knob crafted from a choice of aluminum, titanium, carbon fiber or walnut wood. The options expand in regards to color and fabric. Aston equipped the debut car with tweed upholstery, a nod to the 1959 DBR1 race car. This is one of the many special upholstery options. And on the topic of customization, the exterior has extensive choices, too. Four sections of the car can be painted different hues: the front, hood, sides and rear. There are 21 colors on offer as standard, but with even more money, the Q program will let you choose completely custom hues, stripes and other graphics, and even tinted carbon fiber.
No pricing was announced for the Valour, but with the limited production nature of the car, and its special design and powertrain, it likely doesn’t matter to buyers. Only 110 will be built, and they’ll probably be sold out soon after this reveal, if not already. Production starts in the third quarter of this year, with deliveries starting by the end of the year.
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