Aston Martin Valour, an exclusive limited edition to celebrate the brand's 110th anniversary

Its history has been rather turbulent almost from its very beginnings, perhaps more so than with any other great company, moving from “hand to hand” despite being a renowned and prestigious maker of sports cars. Aston Martin has not had an easy time throughout its history, although since 2018 it has found the stability it needed, which has allowed it to reach 110 years and, surely, many more besides.

Reaching 110 years after all the ups and downs it has suffered is no easy feat and is not within reach of many companies, which is why Aston Martin wants to celebrate it in grand style, with what it does best: creating a new sports car to commemorate that milestone. To do so, it presents the Valour. This exclusive vehicle will be limited to 110 units, which will further increase its value and appreciation, and it pays tribute to another icon of the English marque: the V8 Vantage of the 1970s and 1980s.

The Aston Martin Valour features a chassis and body made entirely of carbon fibre, which combines the brand’s current design language with features and details from the V8 Vantage. At the front, the bonnet stands out first of all, with a large U-shaped ventilation grille and two NACA ducts that supply fresh air to its engine. This bonnet extends slightly forward to shelter the menacing round headlights, presiding over a grille whose design evolves and is made up of horizontal aluminium bars.

We have not yet left the front, which is very elaborate to ensure both aerodynamic efficiency and its imposing V12 located at the front. On either side of the grille are large carbon fibre air intakes, which send fresh air to both the engine and the brakes. The front is perfectly designed to work with the rear to achieve high aerodynamic efficiency, which the Valour accomplishes thanks to the front splitter and ventilation grilles in the front fins, working together with the vortex generators on the rear windscreen, the spoiler of Kamm type and the elegant diffuser.

The rear is also a design exercise worth analysing. If you have looked closely at Aston Martin, you will have noticed that the Valour features a light unit inspired by the Valkyrie, set on a full-width polished aluminium trim that delimits the upper part of the rear diffuser. At the very bottom of this diffuser we can glimpse one of the components that will put a broad smile on our faces: the triple-outlet exhaust system, made of stainless steel with a thickness of less than 1 mm, which, besides saving 7 kg compared with a traditional exhaust system, will also emit a melody that will make the hair on your neck stand on end.

This brings us to the two-seater interior of the Aston Martin Valour, characterised by the brand’s skill in selecting and using materials to create exclusive interiors, such as the use of traditional tweed wool inspired by the seat covers of the Aston Martin DBR1 of 1959, combined with carbon fibre used in the door panels, seat shells, centre console and transmission tunnel. In any case, its fortunate owners may call on Q by Aston Martin, the department responsible for turning customers’ design demands into reality.

But, as we mentioned a little earlier, the Aston Martin Valour seeks to bring together in this celebration today’s design with reminiscences of the past, something that becomes especially evident inside, in the design the brand has applied to the gear lever. Yes, the Valour features a manual gearbox, with a lever located on the central tunnel made from a selection of machined aluminium, titanium, carbon fibre or walnut, and a exposed mechanism which, according to the brand, emphasises the mechanical connection that has been lost over time.

The mechanical side of the Aston Martin Valour is, as it could not be otherwise, something very special: under its bonnet, at the front, sits a spectacular twin-turbo 5,200 cc V12 capable of generating 715 CV and a torque of 753 Nm, sent exclusively to the rear axle through a six-speed manual gearbox. The throttle response, the delivery of torque, the response of the limited-slip mechanical differential and the sound its exhaust emits can be managed through the driving modes Sport, Sport+ and Track.

Finally, the Aston Martin Valour has a bespoke suspension and a tuning set specifically for it. Another area given particular attention, given such power, is the braking system, comprising carbon-ceramic brakes with 410 mm discs and 6-piston calipers on the front axle, and 360 mm discs with 4-piston calipers on the rear, partly hidden behind the handsome 21-inch forged alloy wheels fitted with Michelin Pilot Sport S 5 tyres, developed specifically for the Aston Martin.