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Aston Martin Keeps the Manual Alive in the Best Way Possible

The V12 Valiant is a more extreme, track-focused version of the already insane Valour.

By Johnny Brayson

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The death knell has been sounding for manual transmissions for some time now. Each year, yet another beloved car’s stick shift option falls by the wayside as car brands continue the shift toward more user-friendly automatics. (RIP Honda Civic manual.)

If you’re lucky enough to be the type of wealthy enthusiast for whom supercars are produced, the outlook is even more bleak. Lamborghini hasn’t made a car with a manual transmission since 2014. Ferrari hasn’t since 2012. McLaren? You have to go all the way back to the F1 in the ’90s.

But one brand keeping the manual torch lit (along with Porsche) is Aston Martin. The legendary British marque knows what its customers want, and it continues to deliver stick shifts in grand fashion.

The brand’s latest manual transmission car is the track-focused but still road-legal Valiant, and it’s arguably the most incredible and extreme car with a standard transmission Aston has ever produced.

Aston Martin

Aston Martin Valiant

Specs

Powertrain Twin-turbo 5.2L V12 engine, RWD
Horsepower 735
Torque 555 lb.-ft.
Transmission Six-speed manual

The car is based on Aston’s extremely limited manual muscle car, the Valour, and began as a one-off commission for two-time F1 world champion and current Team Aston Martin Formula 1 driver Fernando Alonso, who wanted to create a more extreme, racing-inspired version of the Valour.

Just 38 examples of the Valiant will be produced with a price tag of 2 million pounds (~$2.54 million). But before you go digging in your couch cushions, know that every one of them has already been reserved.

So since you most won’t be able to own one, live vicariously through the 38 lucky souls who will by checking out the photos below.

The Aston Martin Valiant

aston martin shifter
Like its progenitor the Valour, the Valiant is brutally old-school in the ways that matter. One of which is its six-speed manual transmission that delivers 735 horsepower and 555 lb.-ft. of torque exclusively to the rear wheels from its front-mounted twin-turbocharged 5.2L V12 engine.
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aston martin pedals
The three pedals are made of brushed and drilled stainless steel, a throwback design reminiscent of the 1970s muscle cars that inspired the Valiant.
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aston martin exhaust
The Valiant’s ultra-thin quartet of exhaust pipes are crafted from titanium and coated with zircotec ceramic for a fine-tuned V12 scream.
Aston Martin
aston martin wheel
The Valiant’s wheels are crafted from magnesium to reduce weight and are covered with carbon fiber aero covers for increased stability. Behind the wheels are Adaptive Spool Valve dampers from Multimac that react to the car’s needs and adjust accordingly in milliseconds.
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aston martin gear shifter
The aluminum shifter features an exposed view of the stainless steel gear linkages, giving you an unobstructed view as you row through all six gears.
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aston martin spoiler view
The Valiant’s entire body is crafted of lightweight carbon fiber, draped over a bonded aluminum chassis. That includes the prominent carbon diffuser, side sills and massive rear wing, which is the most obvious visual difference between the Valiant and the slightly tamer Valour.
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