The new Aston Martin Valor offers a 705 horsepower V12 engine and a manual gearbox

Aston Martin has unveiled a new supercar loosely inspired by the unique Vector – and fitted with a 705bhp V12 engine and a six-speed manual gearbox.

With design elements taken from the original V8 Vantage prototype and the 1970s Aston Martin RHAM/1 prototype – known as ‘The Muncher’ – the new Valor is the company’s 110th anniversary gift and a celebration of its iconic 12-cylinder engine.

Only 110 copies of Valor will be sold, priced between £1m and £1.5m. Each buyer is invited to personalize their car with Aston Martin’s bespoke Q service, which offers unique parts, carbon fiber body finishes and a range of interior personalization options.

While the Vector was based on the chassis of a surplus One-77 prototype, the Valor is built around a bespoke body structure – said to be derived from the V12 Vantage.

The 5.2-liter V12, based on the DBS engine, sends 705 hp and 555 lb-ft to the rear wheels via a custom-designed six-speed manual transmission and mechanical limited-slip differential. Simon Newton, Aston Martin’s technical director, said pairing the V12 engine with a manual gearbox (the DBS, DB11 and Vantage all use automatic gearboxes supplied by ZF) was “a big part of the ‘honor of the personality that pleases the driver’.

Newton said the Valor’s dynamic brief was to deliver a “state-of-the-art driver’s car” with “the true heart and soul of a timeless analogue classic” – a point underscored by the visible link of the transmission in the manual gearbox. Modifications include the installation of front and rear shear plates, a rear suspension tower strut mount and a fuel tank, which improve rigidity.

The car also gets adjustable dampers and a new power steering setup that aims to provide more precise feedback through the steering wheel. Stopping power is provided by standard 410mm x 38mm carbon discs with six calipers up front and 360mm x 32mm discs with four calipers at the rear.