Aston Martin celebrates 110-year anniversary with striking Valour

Aston Martin has developed a head-turning new model to commemorate its 110-year anniversary.

Called ‘Valour’, it’s a 5.2-litre twin-turbo V12-powered sports car limited to just 110 units worldwide. Shunning modern automatic gearboxes, it’s also the only front-engined V12 model available with a manual gearbox.

Influenced by the styling of the 1970s and 80s V8 Vantage, the Valour produces 705bhp and sends it to the rear wheels alone. Plus, bespoke driving modes – Sport, Sport+ AND Track – have been specifically tuned for the Valour to change throttle, torque management and sound when required.

It has also received its own bespoke suspension setup with adaptive dampers, springs and roll bars all tuned specifically for the model. There’s also bracing on the rear suspension tower strut and fuel tank to help keep it as stiff as possible, too.

All versions come on carbon ceramic brakes as standard, which sit behind 21-inch forged alloy wheels. They’re shod in Michelin’s new Pilot Sport S 5 tyres, too.

The exterior features a large clamshell bonnet with a ‘horseshoe’ vent and special air ducts that help channel more air to the V12 engine underneath. The round LED headlights are also unique to the Valour. Around the back, there are clusters of LED light ‘blades’ which mimic those used on the Valkyrie hypercar.

A triple tailpipe exhaust system is a noticeable feature here, too, and it’s made from special tubing which helps reduce weight by 7kg over a traditional exhaust.

Inside, the two-seater is focused around that manual transmission, with machined aluminium, titanium, carbon fibre or walnut all available for the gearknob. The shift mechanism itself has been left exposed, too, so that occupants can see its inner workings.

As with other Aston Martin models, the Valour can be fully customised via the firm’s Q by Aston Martin bespoke service. Here, owners can change all kinds of features about their car including adding exposed carbon fibre bodywork or adding tweed trim for the interior.