ASTON MARTIN VICTOR

NOT JUST A FIRST DRIVE. THE ONLY DRIVE.

- Angus MacKenzie

Thumb the start button. Whirrrr … whomp! The ground shakes as 7.3 liters of naturally aspirated Aston Martin V-12 explode to life before settling down to a busy idle, baritone menace rumbling from the bazooka caliber side pipes. Cinch the four-point seat belt and clench the steering yoke with your right hand. Depress the clutch and shove the chunky wood-topped shifter into first.

Yep, the Aston Martin Victor is a modern supercar like no other.

That’s not simply because there is but one Victor on the planet, or that there will only ever be one Victor on the planet. It’s not because its wealthy Belgian owner paid Aston Martin about $5 million to build it just for him. Rather, it’s that six-speed manual. Lamborghini’s Aventador SVJ and Ferrari’s 812 Superfast may be defiant middle fingers thrust at looming emissions regulations that will soon consign their naturally aspirated V-12s to history. But neither rages as passionately against the dying of the V-12 light as the Victor. And it’s the only one with a clutch pedal.