Aston Martin’s Q division has mixed bits of the One-77 and Vulcan to create this, the Victor. It is, to put things bluntly, an 848hp, V12, manual gearbox retro thug built for one very lucky customer. As its name suggests, the one-off model harks back to the era of former Aston boss, Victor Gauntlett, taking inspiration from two of the brand’s most defining cars of that period, the original V8 Vantage and 1977 DBS V8 RHAM/1 Le Mans monster. This was the era when Aston was arguably at its most brutish.
That helps to explain why the Victor has earned the title of most potent manual gearbox Aston Martin made yet – and very potentially ever. Its mid-mounted 7.3-litre motor has been suitably tuned-up by Cosworth to produce its new peak power along with 606lb ft of torque, up from the One-77 V12’s 760hp and 553lb ft. The powertrain's structure uses bits from both the One-77 and Vulcan, which goes some way to emphasising the significance of the project.
At the centre is the One-77's carbonfibre monocoque, with the former flagship’s rear housing also present. The structure is suspended on Vulcan inboard springs and dampers with six-way adjustment, and it’s wrapped in carbonfibre skin, shaped to mimic the lines (and coolness) of those aforementioned Gauntlett-era legends. Doesn’t it look fantastic? Especially in that exterior colour, Pentland Green, a shade from the seventies. The interior’s also a lovely mix of old and new, with the Vulcan steering wheel and lots of green leather. Nice.
That being said, even if it was all finished in plastic and paper mache we suspect few would be anything less than delirious at the prospect of such a potent manual V12 machine. Aston Martin said the Graziano-supplied gearbox is equipped with twin coolers and a bespoke motorsport clutch, if you’re wondering how the hell it deals with all that muscle. And that the 380mm front and 360mm rear Brembo CMM-R carbon ceramic brakes, set behind centre-lock wheels, are capable of delivering “up GT3 race car levels of braking capability as each caliper’s six pistons engage”.
It’s almost certainly going to be as potent to drive as it looks, then. This being a one-off, we’re not given any further specifications or pricing; we’ll leave you to guess what numbers will head the practically inevitable seven-figure price tag. Whatever it is, and whoever the commissioning customer for the Victor is, we doff our hats - and openly admit to being very, very jealous. If you want to see it in the metal and carbon, it’s on show at the Concours of Elegance at Hampton Court Palace this weekend.
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