Is the New Manual V-12 Aston Martin Valour Its Most Collectable Car Yet?

The Aston Martin Valour hides a precisely tuned twin-turbocharged 5.2-liter V-12 under its enormous hood, mated to a six-speed manual transmission for the very first time. That equates to about 705 horsepower and 555 lb-ft of torque, unrestrained for utmost performance and control in every gear. Aston Martin says this is the only front-engine V-12 sports car backed by a manual transmission. The manual shifter nob—representing “the antidote to cars that seek to isolate drivers from the process of driving”—comes in a choice of machined aluminum, titanium, carbon fiber, or walnut. The company calls this “purist approach” a delightful tribute to “a golden era of driving.” We can’t argue with that, or with Aston Martin’s decision to expose the shifter’s shift mechanism for maximum connection with the driving experience.