To celebrate its 110th anniversary this year, British carmaker Aston Martin has unveiled the Aston Martin Valour – an ode to its tradition of superlative special edition front-engine sportscars. Referred to by the brand as “the last of an era”, the Aston Martin Valour is a twin-turbo V12 supercar with a 6-speed manual transmission – quite the car to delight the purists.
If you feel that it draws an uncanny resemblance to a muscle car, that is pretty much what is intended with the Aston Martin Valour. As Aston Martin’s Director of Vehicle Performance, Simon Newton said, it is “inspired by the iconic, muscle cars from our [Aston Martin’s] past”. Recall the V8 Vantage from the 70s.
The Valour has a broad stance and a muscular physique and is built entirely out of carbon fibre. At the front end is a clamshell bonnet that features a large ‘horse shoe’ vent and twin NACA ducts to feed air into the V12 twin-turbocharged engine, which we shall address in just a bit.
Its low-sitting headlights are integrated into the grille which is adorned with aluminium strakes. The grille also houses large carbon fibre intakes on both sides that feed both the engine and the brakes. Aero bits include vortex-generating aero blades, an upswept Kamm tail, and a prominent diffuser to achieve aerodynamic balance.
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The wheels measure 21 inches in diameter and are lightweight forged alloy ‘Honeycomb’ wheels. Wrapping the wheels are a set of AML-specific Michelin Pilot Sport S 5 tyres – 275/35 R21 front tyres and 325/30 R21 on the rear.
At the back, the Valour is an ode to the Valkyrie with its dramatic taillight graphic with clusters of LED light blades on each side. Completing the dramatic rear end is a triple tailpipe exhaust system which has been fabricated from lightweight stainless steel. The exhaust has a wall thickness of less than 1 mm.
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As mentioned earlier, the Aston Martin Valour is powered by a V12 twin-turbo engine. With a 5.2-litre capacity, the 12-banger churns out 715 hp (metric) and 753 Nm. Most importantly, the engine is mated with a 6-speed manual gearbox which should provide the claimed “visceral driving experience”. With such technical specifications, Aston Martin says that the Valour’s purist approach is unique in 2023 and that it is a “thrilling tribute to the golden era of driving”.
Inside, the Aston Martin Valour is a two-seater with “uncommon simplicity” and “seductive tactility”. With the manual shifter being the highlight, customers can opt for it to be machined aluminium, titanium, carbon fibre, or walnut. The cabin is highly customizable and can even be specced with traditional woollen tweed inspired by the seat coverings of Aston Martin’s 1959 Le Mans-winning DBR1.
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Further personalisation comes in the form of a flexible method of livery customisation. Separating the Valour’s body into four areas – front, bonnet, sides and rear – clients may choose from an extensive array of hand-painted stripes and graphics designs, which can be applied in any one of 21 paint colours.
Should a customer wish to go beyond the standard palette of Valour options then they may engage the services of Q by Aston Martin to create a truly bespoke specification.
Production of the Aston Martin Valour is scheduled to begin in Q3 2023 at Aston Martin’s Gaydon Headquarters. First deliveries are scheduled to begin in Q4 2023. Only 110 units of the Aston Martin Valour will be made.
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