Aston Martin Celebrates 110 Years With Extreme Valour

© Aston MartinHappy Anniversary
One hundred and ten years have passed since the founding of Aston Martin, and what better way to celebrate such a momentous occasion than by building a car that properly represents this quintessentially British marque? Paying homage to Aston’s long lineage of powerful front-engine sports cars, the company introduces the exclusive Aston Martin Valour. Possessing V12 power, a manual gearbox and rear-wheel drive, the Valour will be built in extremely low numbers, thus available only to a lucky few.

© Aston MartinExcitement and Exclusivity
“Valour is a celebration of Aston Martin’s passion for driving and extraordinary heritage, but it is also emblematic of today’s vibrant and revitalised brand,” said Aston Martin Executive Chairman Lawrence Stroll. “A modern icon that fuses classic character with contemporary execution, Valour captures the essence of excitement and exclusivity that defines this storied automotive marque,” Stroll noted.

© Aston MartinV12 Power
A 5.2-liter twin-turbo V12 engine producing a plentiful 705 horsepower and 542 lb-ft of torque powers the Aston Martin Valour. A V12 engine is nothing new for an Aston Martin, although this one gets mated to a bespoke 6-speed manual gearbox — a first for Aston. The new Valour will be the only V12 on the market with a manual.

© Aston MartinDriver’s Car
“Inspired by the iconic muscle cars from our past, we have endowed Valour with an abundance of power and torque, while using modern technology and engineering to make that performance more exploitable and enjoyable,” enthused Aston Martin Director of Vehicle Performance Simon Newton. “A big part of honoring that driver-pleasing character was mating our fabulous V12 engine to a manual transmission. It was a unique part of the brief, and the end result is something truly unforgettable; a state-of-the-art driver’s car that thrives on being pushed to its limits and has the true heart and soul of a timeless analogue classic,” observed Newton.

© Aston MartinBrakes and Tires
With that much power on tap in the Aston Martin Valour, supreme stopping power is a must. The Valour has that covered thanks to massive Carbon Ceramic Brakes with 6-piston calipers up front and 4-piston on the rears. Adding to the performance and elegance of this sports car are 21-inch lightweight forged alloy “Honeycomb” wheels fitted with Michelin Pilot Sport S 5 tires made exclusively for Aston Martin. These tires provide exceptional performance in dry and wet conditions.

© Aston MartinClassic Design
With a body composed entirely of carbon fiber, the Valour has a modern look but with styling cues that come from the iconic 1970s Aston Martin Vantage. The clamshell hood features a sizeable horseshoe-style vent with twin ducts to provide airflow to the big V12 engine. Up front is the recognizable Aston Martin grille featuring aluminum strakes with carbon fiber air intakes on either side, providing additional cooling to the engine and brakes. The look gets completed with round LED headlights unique to this special Aston.

© Aston MartinRear View
At the rear of the Aston Martin Valour, LED taillights have clusters of six blades on each side, similar to the lights on the Valkyrie. An aluminum accent spans the entire width of the tail, sitting above unique triple exhaust outlets made from stainless steel — certain to emit a wonderful roar.

© Aston MartinInner Space
A proper 2-seater, the Valour’s cockpit design evokes simplicity and elegance. With a manual gearbox such an essential part of this sports car, it takes center stage with an exposed shift mechanism and a gearshift knob that can be created from machined aluminum, titanium, carbon fiber or walnut.

© Aston MartinStylish Seats
The lucky driver who gets to spend time in the Aston Martin Valour will sit on a lightweight performance sport seat with a carbon fiber shell, which contrasts well with woolen-tweed seat covering. This unique fabric takes inspiration from seat coverings of the 1959 LeMans-winning Aston Martin DBR1.

© Aston MartinLimited Numbers
Only 110 copies of the Aston Martin Valour will be sold worldwide, with first deliveries expected to take place before the end of the year. Pricing has not been released, but we estimate it will cost between $1.5 and $2 million.

The post Aston Martin Celebrates 110 Years With Extreme Valour appeared first on autoNXT.net.

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