The Aston Martin Victor Is a One-off Stick-Shift Monster
Imagine for a moment, being so wealthy that you don’t call Aston Martin; the company calls you. Not only does Aston call you, but they also call you and tell you they want to build the supercar of your dreams. Rear-wheel drive, manual transmission, and more power than anyone knows what to do with. Must be nice. For one lucky customer, that is exactly what Aston did. There is no other Aston Martin Victor, this is it. A one-of-one truly bespoke car built for one person.
From Aston Martin, with love
As the story goes, one day some lucky factory worker at the British marque’s plant in Warwickshire, England found what was left of the One-77 prototype. Nothing but the V12 engine and the bare carbon fiber body. The head of Aston’s Q branch, named for the famous Bond character, decided something had to be done with it. After finding a customer with more money than sense, the result was the Victor.
The gorgeous yet burly Aston Martin V8 Vantage of the late 70s inspired much of the Victor’s looks. From the front, the similarities are obvious. For example, the spaced headlights and wide grille are obvious callbacks to the old Vantage. The wheels are modern interpretations of the basket-weave wheels that shod the 70s model. Moving down the body, massively flared arches continue the trend. What’s more, that’s not even the most old-school thing about the Victor.
Saviours of the stick-shift
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It is extremely rare to see a manual transmission in a modern car. Perhaps this is the best part of the Victor. The burly Brit comes equipped with a 6 speed, and a beautiful one at that. The gearshift rises out of the carbon-bathed center console, resembling a Terminator’s arm capped in solid walnut. It would be a crying shame to go and build something so special and not have it be a manual. Additionally, it was an easier solution than fitting the One-77’s paddle shifter, though Aston Martin is tight-lipped when it comes to why.
What’s more, the Victor’s six-speed manual transmission is mated to a modified version of the One-77’s massive 7.3-liter V12. This V12 powerplant produces a shocking 847 hp. With such immense power going to the rear wheels, inboard suspension was necessary to control the massive motor. All that motor makes a huge racket, and happily, it’s right next to the driver. The exhaust pours out of the side skirts of the Victor, just behind the seats.
Truly one of a kind
There is literally nothing else like the Aston Martin Victor on the road. Hopefully, that is not because no one is driving it, but because there truly is just one of them out there. While this technically makes the Victor priceless, it certainly did cost a whole lot of money. Statistically, you’re more likely to see a Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport than the Victor. It’s a good thing but also a bad thing. Aston had the gall to go and make something truly special, but it’s a shame there aren’t more of them. However, if there were, would it really be all that special?
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