Well, I’ve been away on holiday of late, enjoying the sun… and rain… dark clouds… rain… and the sun occasionally peaking through the clouds. This after all is the United Kingdom with its consistently inconsistent weather pattern. Anyway, I’ve been keeping up with the auto news during my sojourn. Then, upon a sudden, Aston Martin revealed the Valor, a celebratory special edition to mark the company’s 110 years of teetering on the edge of existence while maintaining that never say die, die spirit and giving the auto world a vision and sound of glory to remember.

Somehow Aston Martin managed to survive everything that has come its way, still making glorious vehicles and thumping sounds that cascade and encircle the surrounding air. Aston Martin went retro for the styling with the Valour and clearly, the Valour takes its styling cues from V8 Vantage of the 1970s, which remains a stunning car to this day. And while I do like the Valour, I am not particularly enthused about it.

To me, the Valour is obviously based on the current Vantage with bespoke body treatment and an effective marketing team… a sometimes effective marketing team, to make you believe the Vlaour isn’t just a Vantage with bigger shoulder pads. The Valour’s A and B pillars and roofline are current V8 Vantage but the bodywork is pure retro. My argument is, if your going to do a celebratory one-of-kind special edition make it 100 percent special, make it 100 percent unique.

Many reputable manufacturers specializing in bespoke cars have the capability to create a vehicle like the Valour or something comparable. Aston Martin has to do bespoke special builds better. That’s not to take away the hard work that has gone into making the Valour come to fruition, but come on, the Valour is a V12 Vantage in disguise with a revised suspension setup and, a partially redesigned interior and a reprogrammed ECU to instruct the engine to give up more horsepower.

And why did Aston Martin decide the Valour needs to be fitted with a manual gearbox? A nod to the past of course, but then if you want to market retro styling as a way of generating interest and sales, why not fit tungsten filament headlamps and tail lights instead of LEDs for the full-on retro experience? Anyway, the Aston Martin is a 110 of a kind and will command a very high asking price as a result.

Regrettably, I can imagine a significant number of Valour owners choosing to park their prized possession in a garage, treating it as a mere addition to their exclusive car collection. These vehicles will remain untouched, confined to air-conditioned garages, patiently waiting for the day when their value inevitably appreciates, only to be sold for a profit. This behaviour, however, can be seen as an act of cowardice rather than embodying the true spirit of Valour.