Aston Martin Reveals the Special-Edition V12 Valour

• Aston Martin is celebrating its 110th anniversary with a special-edition model, the Valour.
• Powered by a 5.2-liter V12 and a six-speed manual transmission, this is the ultimate Aston Martin enthusiast car.
• Only 110 models will be produced.

Some people celebrate an anniversary with a card, or a piece of jewelry, or a trip to an exotic locale. Aston Martin, however, is honoring its 110^th year of existence by throwing a party with a special-edition supercar.

The Valour is what the British company is calling “the last of an era” and it’s going all out, with a 5.2-liter twin-turbo V12 and styling that evokes memories of the V8 Vantage from the 1970s and 1980s. Enthusiasts are going to salivate for the honeycomb wheels, unique suspension and six-speed manual transmission.

Valour is the British spelling for valor, defined as great courage in the face of danger, especially in battle. Aston Martin has battled for not just market share but its very existence in the past. However, it has been on the upswing with new offerings like the DB12 and its advancement in motorsports under Executive Director Lawrence Stroll.

Aston Martin is not mincing words with the release of the Valour, announcing that it’s for
“those who relish a truly involving driving experience” and that comes with all the growl and scream of a 12-piston engine. Before it goes quietly into the all-electric future highlighted by a newly minted partnership with EV builder Lucid, Aston Martin is going to leave the gasoline era with a rebel yell.

Under the sculpted hood lies the aforementioned twin-turbo V12, which churns out an exceptional 705 horsepower and 555 lb-ft of torque. It's exclusively mated to a six-speed manual transmission — undoubtedly the enthusiast's choice, even though it won't shift as quickly as a dual-clutch automatic. This Aston isn't meant to be a track superstar, but instead the ultimate manifestation of roadgoing performance.

To that end, the Valour mixes competition-worthy features with opportunities for classic Aston customization. On the sport side are standard carbon-ceramic brakes and additional braces for extra rigidity, plus extensive use of lightweight carbon fiber on the doors, seats and throughout the cabin. Buyers can also tailor the Valour in a variety of ways — the gearknob alone, for instance, can be made from titanium, carbon fiber, walnut or aluminum, while the seat padding is offered in your choice of several varieties of tweed or cashmere. On the outside, Aston will paint the body in pretty much any color you can think of — including custom race liveries — or deck out the body panels in red-, green- or blue-tinted carbon fiber.

Production of the Valour will start at the company’s Gaydon, U.K., headquarters in the third quarter of this year, and first deliveries are expected in the last quarter. Only 110 units will be made globally, commensurate with the number of years Aston Martin has been in business. So get a good look it in the photos here because seeing one of these collectibles in the wild will be highly unlikely.

Edmunds says

The Valour is a befitting tribute to a brand that has made its name on delightfully resonant engines, and we're going to be sending out a little prayer to the universe that we'll spy one sometime, somewhere.