At a time when the industry is dominated by automatic gearboxes and electric vehicles, Aston Martin hasn't abandoned the manual transmission. Marking their 110th anniversary, this renowned British carmaker introduced the Valour, a special edition V12-driven supercar featuring three pedals, as a tribute to its deep-rooted legacy. This isn't just a final nod to the manual gear, as the company intends to roll out more special editions featuring hands-on transmissions.
Aston Martin's creative boss, Marek Reichman, shed light on the genesis of the Valour. He revealed that the inspiration for this remarkable supercar came from the success of the one-off Victor, which garnered attention when it was publicly showcased at Hampton Court and received the Future Classic award. Initially intended solely for a single customer, the Victor's acclaim prompted numerous inquiries, leading Aston Martin to consider creating more cars that would capture the spirit of the manual transmission.
Aston Martin Valour
What’s even more interesting, Mark Newton, the head of bespoke at Aston Martin, expressed the brand's commitment to keeping the manual transmission alive, saying, "[...] if that's where the business goes, it would be a pleasure to keep working on the manual." He emphasized the unique experience a manual transmission offers, noting that it keeps the driver engaged at all times, making each journey a visceral and memorable one.
Reichman agreed, saying that “whenever the world pushes a trend in one direction, there’s always someone that wants to buy something that goes in the other direction.”
Drawing inspiration from the iconic V8 Vantage models of the 1970s and 1980s, the Valour blends the aesthetics of yesteryear with modern performance. The exterior exudes nostalgia with its clamshell hood featuring a distinctive "horseshoe" vent and rounded headlights. Underneath the Valour's sculpted hood lies a front-mounted, twin-turbocharged 5.2-liter V12 engine that packs quite a punch. This powerhouse produces 705 horsepower and 752 Nm (555 pound-feet) of torque. What truly sets the Valour apart, however, is its transmission – a six-speed manual gearbox that Aston Martin describes as “bespoke.”
Source: Top Gear
